The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-07-07
A Drifting Party.

From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
One swallow does not make q sum-
mer, and neither does the desertion of
the democratic party by some of its
greatest newspaper organs indicate its
dissolution to the point of immediate
disappearance. Two such assertions
have taken place within the past year,
however, which, because of wide va
rance of opinion in the two seeding
journals, on the factional issue dividing
that party, indicate Enthusiastically how
far that organization has drifted from
any safe and sure anchorage Imme-
diately following the action of Judge
Parker in accepting the democratic
nomination for the presidency on a
platform which he had repudiated the
Chicago Chronicle, one of the ablest
and most honest of democratic party
organs, announced that, the party hav-
ing ceased to stand for anything def
mite or positive, and to have any con-
victions touching any point in contro-
versy, and offering no assurance to any
of its supporters of what they could or
might expect in the event of its sue
cess, the Chronicle would not consent
to support it, but would, in the future,
act with and for the republican party.
Since that announcement the Chron-
icle has been consistent in the perform
ance of its promises. It's change of
party allegiance was decried at the
time, and since, as being inspired by
devotion to the single gold standard,
for which that paper, while still re-
tanning its democratic party connec-
ton, had stood in the two preceding
campaigns. Its detection was de-
nounced as "goldbuggery," but such a
denunciation could deceive but few, if
any, in the light of the palpable strad-
ding the democracy was attempting.
The result of the poll showed how close
to the line of thinking by many thou
sands of democrats the Chronicle had
shaped its course. Disaffection was as
marked in one factional camp as in the
other. Everywhere, it seemed demo-
Gratis had reached the conclusion that
in voting for such an organization they
would be voting for uncertainty, hest
tation, doubt, weakness, delay and ev-
cry form of public calamity to be in
vited by bad government.
That the breaking up of the party
was not on factional lines the an
made some months ago
that the Cincinnati Enquirer, for years
the organ of the quantitative money
theory, without reference to the quality |
of the quantity, must no longer be con-
sidered democratic party organ, was
in evidence. The Enquirer,
too, had become convinced that the |
party, as now constituted, can not be !
relied upon for the carrying out of any
policy in government. The resignation
Of John r. Mclean, the owner of the
Enquirer, as member of the national |
democratic committee, was sent to the
Ohio state democratic convention
which met Tuesday. 1t is followed by |
an announcement that the Enquirer
will soon declare its formal adhesion to
the republican party. Whether this is
done or not, its desertion of the democ-
racy is an accomplished fact. The
democratic party may be immortal, but
just now it looks much like DR.. Holmes
immortal one-hoss shay on the morn
ing when it went to pieces:
All at once, and nothing first.
Just as bubbles do when they burst.