The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-14


 necessity of our principles and our existence. we must protect the rights and promote the interests of commit mites. and carry up into Federal poll itics only that reserve of power prop erly incident to our institutions and system of government. The ambitions we must foster are infinite in number and variety. All our later history has for us to have our full share of Gov ernors. Legislatures, Senators, Mem bers of Congress, and of State county, and municipal officials, than 1t Is, by neglecting these, to command a long list of places under the general gov- ernment
 When we can control once again these training schools for the higner trouble ourselves overmuch about can didates for President, because we shall have laid. deep and strong in the peo- ple's will, the necessary foundations. hopefulness and confidence to the country at large. Then we may go North, or South, East CT West, for can didates. certain of their fitness for the work in hand, and of their acceptable ness to our countrymen
 Mayor Mcclellan was somewhat dis concerted by the cordial reception he received. One of the most interesting parts of the Mayors address was that In which ke declared that conventions and candidates must more closely con- form to Jeffersonian standards as de- scribed by Jefferson himself.
 Senator Francis G. Newlands of Ne vada followed and former Justice Au: gustus Van Wyck then spoke. Con- gressman Rainey of Illinois had for his subject Problems of the Future" and made an interesting speech.
 J.J .Willett of Alabama was the next speaker, and said:
 Wfllett's Speech.
 He Is very poor business man who refuses to take statements from his books because 1t might disclose his in- solvency, and he is not candid Dem ocrat and Is not doing his party any service who will not admit that our party, In point of power and influence. is today at about the lowest point it has been for nearly a century. It is no pleasure to say these things. but 1t lis time to throw platitudes aside and to deal in concrete facts; to look facts souarely in the face; to ask our- selves what Is the cause of 1t, and how 1t can be remedied.
 This great Government Is ponder ous and also & dangerous piece of ma chinery. It Is capable of doing great harm as well as good. While we do not agree with them, 1t is evident the American people just now are not will ling to trust the Democracy with 1t. It cannot be said that we have not nominated fit men. Our late nominee and your honored guest tonight was everything our nominee should be. No better nomination could possibly have been made. He was safe, sane and sound, but he inherited jealousies and diflculties it was impossible to over come. Our overwhelming defeat then must be attributable to other causes, and we should look for those causes. In my opinion 1t is because we did not appeal effectively to the young men of the country. Since the election of 1892 several millions of old Democrats have died and several millions of young men have reached manhood's estate, and have become voters. The internal dis sensions and the vacillation in our par ty for the last twelve years naturally have not appealed to these young men. Too much has been said about the Western Democracy and the Eastern Democracy. True Democracy Is uni versal and should embrace the whole country. These continued dissensions between the Eastern and Western De- mocracy have seemed to indicate a set ting sun. and as young Pompey well said when he demanded triumph of Sylla: More worship a rising than a setting sun. " Besides youth is pro- gressive and demands boldness of ae- tion. It demands that those they fol- low shall have the courage of initia- tive; the courage to do and to dare; the courage to show how to do 1t, and how not to do 1t. Our attitude of late as a party has been largely one of mere negation. We have let the Republi- cans choose their position and issue and have been content to be a mere party of opposition. No party can inspire enthusiasm under those circumstances, and particularly is this true as to the young voters who demand courage, ac- ton and leadership. Optimism Is al- ways more attractive than pessimism We can sounds better than we can't. It Is said that when Louis the Four teenth played cards that suit was trumps of which he held the best hand, and that is the way the Republicans have played the game of politics and pitched the issLes for us for the last ten or twelve years. The great victo- ries of Jefferson, Jackson. Polk, Tilden and Cleveland were the result of ag- gresslve campaigns where we started out to do something and forced the fighting from the start.
 Must Be Continuous.
 Warfare, whether actual or politi- cal. to be successful must be continu- ous. We Southern Democrats have but little patience with those Democrats who fight internationally, and believe that the loss of the House of Repre- sentatives, or the loss of the Cover norship of a doubtful State. or the May oralty of a great Democratic city like New York can be viewed with compla- cency. They remind us of the soldier who commenced to retreat the day be- fore the battle, because he said he knew his side was going to be defeated and he was lame and couldn't keep up. The Democrats of the country confidently look to this great Democratic city to lead off the year with the election of a Democratic Mayor and other municipal officers. It will inspire the young Democrats all over the country who really like fight, with the hope that the old party is getting it's house in order for the fight of 1908. whereas if we lose here next fall, the cry will go up. "If we can't carry New York, what can We oarry?''
 In the South. the Democrats sleep on their arms every night and we guard the Democracy as the Vestal virgins guarded the fires upon the sacred altar of Rome, the extinction of which we would regard as prophetic of the ex- tinction of the States and the Republic.
 There will be several issues upon which we could make an aggressive campaign. We must, however. choose one broad enough to cover the whole