Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-22
WIIMIN0ToS, THURsDAE, HAH. 81.
nIscHlLANroua nHcoAn.
Roorrnnlzntlon of PnrtIes.

hoorRhniLatlon OF fdFuobs
We read Of meeting held in Newark,
MI, on Tuesday last, ''for the purpose Of
reorganizing the Democratic party" in
that State. The result, Il is announced,
was "a victory for the municipal owner
ship faction"
The declaration Of principles adopted
by this conference favors municipal
ownership and operation Of all local public
utilities, government ownership and opera
ton Of all railroads, express telegraph
and telephone lines, the election Of United
States Senators by popular vote; just and
equal taxation OF railroad and other cor
porations; a return to the election Of
Assomblymcn by election districts in
stead Of by counties; the enactment Of a
corrupt practices act to prevent the de-
bauohing Of the electorate; the enactment
Of law making the giving or the accept
ing Of money by OF from any corporation
70 be used in elections a penal offence;
the extension Of the referendum 70 all
statutes; the enactment Of law safe
guarding employees Of factories, mills,
&c.; universal workday Of eight hours.
Some of these declarations are purely
local in their character, but others have
national scope The latter, therefore,
may be accepted as having a direct bear
ing upon the policies to be advocated by
the Democratic party in It's national COM
paigns At least they will be urged by
the representatives from New jersey in
future Democratic National Conventions,
II this reorganization shall stand.
Presuming that these alleged New
jersey Democratic policies will find favor
with a majority Of the delegates to the
next Democratic National Convention,
where would tho party find itself? It
would find itself pledged TO municipal
ownership and operation of all local public
utilities, with thousands Of Democrats
opposed 20 such assumption. II would
find itself committed to government
ownership and operation Of all railroads,
? reorganization Of party
express, telegraph and telephone lines,
when thousands OF Democrats are un.
alterably opposed TO such q radical policy
More than that; With thousands of Demo
Gratis who hold that such an assumption
Of authority in business matters by th,
general government is diametrically
opposed to the very foundation prin.
ciples of the Democratic party, as pro
mulgated by its great leader, Thomas
Jefferson.
Therefore, in a campaign for the success
Of these principles, the Democratic party
would find itself seriously handicappe,
by the detection OF thousands Of It's voter
las seriously as it was by the silver in
fation folly during the campaigns Of 1885,
and 1900 What hope Of victory coul,
it have under such conditions
IL may be urged that in such cam
paign the Democratic party would be re
iniorced by the votes Of the thousand
OF Republicans who favor governmen
ownership and operation Of all railroad
steamboat, express and telegraph line.
But, in such event, would it be the Demo
cratic party Would it not be the Publ
Ownership party, masquerading unde
the Democratic title
The Republican party, it may be addeC
would find itself much in the same pr,
dicament in respect of this question
Many Republicans favor govenmer
ownership and operation, while man
Others are opposed to il.
And suppose the advocates Of govern
ment ownership should prove TO be in
majority in the Republican National Cor
vention also, and the result should be
declaration in favor of government owne
ship and control Of railroads and 9th,
public utilities Then there would |
no difference between these two gre,
parties on this issue. Would not a thir
party naturally follow, composed Of RI
publcans and Democrats who are oppose
to government ownership and control
public utilities in any form
Under existing conditions, neither
the two great political parties can affol
10 become involved in sponsorship +,
such policies, which are not partisan
any sense as marking the line of dema
cation between these two parties.
campaign along the lines Of govemmei
ownership could not possibly be a car
paign distinctively between Democrat
and Republican parties.
Surely the Democratic party can fiji
a sounder policy, q stronger policy and
purely Democpiic policy IN the adyoca
oi a radical reforms Of our protective tari