The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-09-07

Ottumwz, Iowa, September l--Mr.
Charles A Walsh. the Iowa member
of the democratic national committee.
and who was secretary OF the National
committee during the two Bryan cam
paicrs. has rendered his resignation
as 4 member OF the national COM
uutee. giving his reason for 50 doing
in the following letter which was
mailed today:
Ottumwa, Iowa, Sept. /, 1884,
Hon Thomas Tagsart, French LEX.
Indiana,
Dear Sir Permit me 10 herewith
hand you, as chairman OF the demo
cratic national committee. my resigna-
ton as Z member thereof, represent
ing the state OF Iowa thereon.
Ordinarily | would not deem i nee
essary TO make known my reason Tor
taking Such action; but having nm
ally determined upon il, ID view OF tLe
tact that LhaVe been elected ana tWlCe
reelected 10 the national committee,
covering q period OF twelve years, ana
prior thera.O having been q member
of the state, congressional anu other
committees during the entire period
of my life since arriving al my major
ity: and knowing that such resignation
coming at what might prove TO be an
inoppOrtune time, SO las as the inter
ests of my own friends ari loyal sup
porters are concerned VIII meet
should it go unexplained, | give YOU
reason therefor which show tnat
| could in honor pursue no other
course.
For the future intend To be in po-
SitiOn 10 supnprt, o. not support, as
| may see it,. the candidates OF the
democratic party
| have reached the conclusion that
the perpetuated Of corrupt corpora
ton, boss-cOntrol of political affairs is
made possible by the slavish subser-
viency of the individual To party name
and by lack of independent action.
While | have heretofore always
been known as a partisan democrat
and will always be a staunch supporter
of democratic principles, as | under
stand them. it has been steadily borne
in upon me for a long time, as | came
closer and closer to a knowledge or the
inner workings of the party system,
that from the standpoint of the true
democracy, there can be nothing worse
or more injurious, to the country than
the yellow dog party feeling that
impels good men to support ticket
OF unfit nominees mercy because they
bear the party label
Within the democratic party. as
Wit tho raDIhlir3n there two
contending factions, the vastly more
numerous. but during ordinary times.
the least influential. being the great
rank and file which believes in the
principles Of Jefferson, a diffusion Of
power. a constant opposition TO very
form of special privilege. asking for
themselves nothing but equal rights
and opportunity before the law. The
other faction, numerically inS.gnlh-
cant but representing the predatory
forces of special privilege and those
who seek TO use all government as
an asset to their private business Is,
by reason of wealth and lack of con-
science in using it vastly. more power
full and usually controls the party plan,
its organization and its nominees.
The first of these factions ordinarily
pays very little attention to the matter
of securing control of the organization.
but Loyalty supports its own party
candidates; while the other deems the
of prime impOrt tance. Sc
curing the nominees, f pos sible, but
in any event making sure OF control
Of the party machinery. conscious that
if candidates opposed TO its interests
are names they may be easily and
quietly betrayed at the polls If the
management is in their
hands.
AS an instance Of now important
the corporation element believes con
troll OF machinery TO be, | might men
ton the fragrant violation OF all party
precedent in the appointment Of the
present democratic national executive
committee
The executive committee had AL
ways, prior 20 the campaign Of 1904,
been appointed chiefly (and so far as
my recollection goes wholly from
the regularly elected members Of the
national committee and usually being
made up Of those members from the
more doubtful states which 1t was
necessary 70 carry IN order 10 elect
How was the real campaign organiza-
ton formed in 1904?
An executive committee was made
un, carefully limited 10 seven members
and thOss. seven members were VIII
liam +. Sheeham. chairman, OF New
Yory City; August Blmont. Of New
York City; James Smith Jr., Of New
Jersey; Thomas F. Martin. Of Virgin
ia; James NJ Guffy, OF Pennsylvania;
John r Mclean, Of Ohio and the city
Of Washington, and Timothy E. Ryan,
Of Wisconsin.
The first four mentioned were not
members Of the national committee.
Sheehan, formrly a discredited |
Buffalo politician. builder Of the most |
vicious political machine ever known !
In Erie county, arrested for the fla |
grant violation Of the civil service |