The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-23
JOHNSON MADE A HIT.
Young Man Who Spoke for Kansas at
Democratic Banquet.

One of the hits of the Democratic
banquet last night was made by ]. A.
johnson, a senior in the State universe
ty, who responded to the toast, The
Young Democracy He said in part:
Il do not think it out of place to in
terplead. as it were, on behalf of the
young Democrats who are spending
their time and money in preparation for
| active, aggressive and Democratic citi-
zenship. In these days when it tries
mems souls to be Democrats, when we
enter the labyrinth of Republican
sophistry only to find ourselves in the
Republican vale of tears it behooves
you Democrats who have grown gray
in the service of this great party to ex-
tend to young Democracy helping
hand. 1 desire to say that young De-
mocracy tonight brings you tidings of
faith in your party. We do not pre-
sumo to dictate what shall be the policy
of this great party in the hands of its
friends and its veteran defenders. My
message to you is a message of conf
dence in your leadership-a message of
faith in Democratic principles.
1T may be reasSur1ng for you to know
that the moving spirit of young Democ-
racy is unwavering persistence. No one
can doubt that a Democrat is persist
ent. Republicans even charge that in
certain parts of the United States Dem
ocrats continue to vote for Andrew
Jackson Accepting it as true, it Illus
trates the spirit of Democracy that is
determined to vote and vote right.
THE Republican party has of late
shown alarming symptoms of reform.
The spectacle of the Grand Old Party
in its ineffectual, not to say disatrous.
effort at reform reminds me of the
comic picture I once saw-one of these
three scene pictures. An elephant was
being annoyed by monkey perched
upon his back just out of reach of the
elephants meandering trunk. Finally
the enraged elephant thought he saw
II 1.7A 10
thought was the monkeys tail and did
not discover his mistake until he had
entirely destroyed the further useful
ness of his own cauda1 appendage.
Il have Republican friends who have
expressed great solicitude for Demo-
cratic defeat. The tears they are she'd
ding over the imaginery grave of the
Democratic party reminds me of the
story told by Timothy L Woodruff of
New York on an inscription that de-
voted husband had ehiseled upon the
stone that marked the last resting place
of his late wife Their married lives
had been tempestuous 1t ran; Here
lies a wife Tears cannot bring her
back. therefore her husband weeps.'
1.-The Republicans of Kansas are be-
ginning to reform. and have started
out after the scalp OF the standard OIL
trust The state refinery as Repub
lican measure, without regard to the
merits of the attempted reform, when
it is compared with Populist measures
seems like spawned nightmare on
the track of a beautiful dream
1.-THE mission of Democracy in the
field of reform is far from fulfilled
when confined to the mistakes and
of the Republican party
The Democratic party must be a posi-
tive factor and take a positive stand
on the questions that lie close to the
welfare and prosperity of the people.
I do not know what older heads may
think of it, but it is the sentiment of
Young Democracy that the Democratic !
party is abundantly able to write it's
own platforms. It is our further con-
viction that when a platform is writ
ten it should announce Democratic |
principles. Not only that, we desire to /