Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-01-19
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1905.
PARTY REORGANIZATION.


party in Virginia is a necessity. We mean
that what is known as the State organiza-
ton should be reconstructed and made
more active and efficient. 1.-THE claim of the
organization that it has been doing its
best to build up and strengthen the party
is correct, the results of its effort have
been so unsatisfactory as to warrant the
conclusion that it does not possess the
proper qualities to secure the desired end.
If On the other hand the organization has
been all the while looking after the per-
sonal and political interests Of its indi-
yidual members and followers at the ex-
pense of the welfare Of the party, It's in
capacity is made more conspicuous and
censurable. That i. has committed a
grave mistake in not making determined
and thoroughly organized contests in each
election, State and National. since 1896,
Is proved by what has been accomplished
il the Ninth Congressional District by the
district and county organizations. Here
these local organizations have been COM
pact and energetic and the party has been
constantly Increasing in force and merit
In marked contrast with the work done in
this district the State organization has
adopted policy of inaction that has made
the party in other districts subject OF
ridcule rather than terror to the Democ'
racy.
A favorable opportunity is now furnished
to make the Republican party victorious
in Virginia, if it is we'll organized and IN
diligently lead. The National Democrat
ic party is not only disorganized, but it
seems to have been paralyzed by the ter
rible defeat it received at the late Presi-
Dental election. Its most intelligent lead
ers are frankly admitting its policies and
principles have not been so stable and
d, OPPRESSIVE as to commend them to the
esteem of good citizens. Admitting this,
they are forced to allow that the progress
sive spirit and honest leadership of the
National Republican party have won the
confidence and support of the people.
No where were the candidates and poll
cies Of the Republican party more bitterly
assailed during the recent presidential
campaign than by the Democrats in Vir-
GINA. The Republican party and Presi-
dent Roosevelt were declared to be inn
pure, dishonest and dangerous. And no
where in the Union are the Democrats
more prompt in confessing that they have
misunderstood and misrepreseuted Presl-
dent Roosevelt and the future policies Of
bis party than in Virginia. We will not
undertake to conjecture or say why the
Democratic newspapers and leaders in
this State have been 60 radically changed
in tone and expression. No matter
whether they are sincere and disnterested
in their present expressions or whether
they are selfish and calculating, they have
changed so completely in their attitude 20
the President that it will necessarily
weaken the confidence of the honest
masses of the Virginia Democracy in the
judgment, if not sincerely, of their former
and present leaders. Even before the
election, confidence in Democratic princi
Piles and leaders had been greatly shaken.
Judge Parker received only about half as
many votes in this State as did Mr..
Bryan in 1896. One of the Parker cleo
tors recently declared that eighty thou
sand former Democrats in Virginia did
not 20 to the polls on the last 9th of
November. If this is true, we are satisfied
that they were not 60 much dissatisfied
with Judge Parker as they were Disguised
with the uncertain and eyer changing at
titude of the Democratic party on all pub
lie questions.
Now, what is to become Of these eighty
thousand former Democrats in Virginia?
They evidently are not going to cooperate
with the Democratic party again, without
they are forced by circumstances to do SO.
1t they can find the Republican party in
Virginia as aggressive and its leadership as
patriotic as it should be many Of them
will cast their fortunes with our party.
The suffrage clauses of the constitution
have also driven many voters from the
Democratic party. A large number Of
these refused to register, and numbers Of
others who registered were deprived OF
the right TO vote by the poll tax prerequi-
site. AS these register and acquire their
right to vote again, they will be certain to
align themselves with some other than
the Democratic party. If they are lost to
the Republican party it will be occasioned
by its incapable or repellent organization.
There ought TO be complete reorgani-
cation of the party, because the rank and
file have DO confidence in the ability or