Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-08-03
DOO or PARTY DUTY
Reflections by the Ex-Governor on
the Necessity Of United Action
il Missouri Democrats are 70
Win.

KANSAS Cry, July s0.--Ex-GoSel-
nor Dockery expressed here TO-DAY DIS :
ideas upon the future course oil ene :
Missouri Democracy. he said;
at was a stricken field for Democ- .
racv at the last general election. The
disaster was pronounced and universal
where Republicanism was not com
uletely victorious the forces OF De-
mocracy held their lines BY grea'iy
reduced majorities.
democratic states which for gen-
Grafton had kept the faith with ioyar
ty and fidelity fell away from tne
standard. Even Missouri, the leading
democratic State Of the Union, TOOK
her Mace in the opposition column.
"The mysterious stranger was wei
coined with eifusive cordiality by the
triumphant hosts Of Republicans. Ine
Democratlc defeat, was in fact, DIS
astrous rout. 1t was Waterloo, sedan
pultowa all In one. The catastrophe
was unprecedented in our history.
nMissouri gave a majority exceeding
| % 900 to the magnetic chleftainoi tne
Republican party, and the entire
state ticket, except Governor, was
defeated on strict party vote bJ
more than $4,000.
"Of the l59 members OF the Legis-
Iature chosen In 1904 the Republicans
elected ninety, the Democrats only
lslxty.nine. The Republican majority
in the House was twenty-five, and on
Joint ballot ten, Democratic ascen-
( dency in the upper branch of the
/ General Assembly being maintained
0 by holdover Senators,
ii Francis Marion Cockrell, for three
D decades the idol of the Missouri De
: mocracy, was defeated for reelection
n Inv distinguished Republican, who
: for more than a quarter OF a century
n had been standing up for Missouri
and an office.
uRut this is not the story. The
great cities of st. Louis and Kansas
CITY, a decided majority OF the nearly
~ / 200 county officers elected, the tw'
Judges of the Court of Appeals, an'
twenty-three OF the forty-two Clrcul
Judges elected were all wrested iron
Democratic control. Only thirty
seven Of the ia counties remalne'
= solidly Democratic, while the list 0
y close counties increased to more ina
no forty.
' "And as if to make our humiliatio
:. complete, Cowherd, Sullinger Wilson
Hamlin, Tichacek, Robo, Russell, Ber
ton and Lamar, in all nine of our aole'
-, congressional nominees went down
y the wreck of Democratic hopes
a "This is a concise statement OF u
greatest calamity that has ever owe
taken Missouri's Democracy. Ooy
:, ously it is imperitive that we though
-. - fully analyze conditions if this cor
n 4 mOnWeulUU Is w bC lOoSOASN ~ -
mn old-time Democratic prestige.
80 "It must be apparent that colo
,,,s less, insipid assemblage of nation
,,,, M principles, together with internal d
- senslons in our ranks, furnish,
in great part, the explanation Of patton
Mo and State overthrow.
~ at is also indublately true that t
~ general prosperity prevailing eontrl
7 uted greatly to the continuance OF /
the vorable conditions, might have be
beaten in the last national electlC
SO but mistakes Of leadership chang
llo, possible defeat into a sweeping
ted verse.
ms "The national platform was me-
displriting exposition Of the Dem
cratic creed. 1t was not altogeth
Objectionable, but there was littl
led either in language or tenets, to inspi
son the masses of our party and arou
full the battle spirit. 1t was the expires
in ion Of the so-called ultra consery
ere tism.
"lf the Democracy is to enter Il
Id, national contest Of 1908 with a ia
Ia, chance for success, it must be upC
IN, broad, aggressive, worldwide polici
N, In harmony with the spirit of Il
10, times and the well known doctrin
by, Of the party.
"In this age Of throbbing activitit
'ol political parties cannot content then
n selves either with the policy OF stanc
ry ing still or Of fault-fnding. The
B. must do things The national Demo-
ne racy should make ringing chaleng
y for reform in the various department
ee Of the general government. A sweeE
X. ing reduction Of the numerous Fedel
IS al expenditures should also be demar
D. ded, that the dangers of a growin
n treasury deficit may be avoided.
v "As see itnow, the central though
E. OF the platform should look to tn
5. commercial supremacy of our coun
(. try. To attain this there should be
k reduction Of the tariff; new merch
s ant navy; a war navy, strong enough
T. to protect American interests; The
completion Of the Isthmlan Canal
4 regulation Of railroad rates, and tht
/, destruction OF trusts. or these issue,
: the greatest is tariff reform. Twice
only during the last half century ha.
: the Democratic party elected Presi
= dent, and in each of these successful
campaigns the controlling issue was
reform of the tariff. Legislation
e along these lines will aid In giving
e constant employment to American
labor and unceasing prosperity TO our
/ industries.
"The platform should avoid social