The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-20

dent and vice president, but you have
insisted upon u doing so and have
Ihen voted for them: and that, too.
when sometimes no other states did so.
in 1896 you tried Nebraska and
since that day no old democratic north
ern state has accredited one of our
party TO the United States senate and
IN none has there been a friendly gov
ernor. All the democratic training
schools Of the north, elementary, in
termediate and higher, were closed
and have remained SO. The par-y
paralysis was complete and almost ia
tai. In 1904, hoping to cure or palliato
it, you advised returning again 10 New
York for your candidate, only TO meet
the worst defeat in our party history.
1t is now nearly II years since any
mar protesting devotion TO your party
has been chosen in nation or in any
northern democratic state to fill an
important executive Office. At the last
election, perhaps, eight out of ten Of
but no one, | think can know better
thai | how futile our effort has been
IN the past n how unpromising the
outlook is for the future, unless we
throw aside isms and grasp the great
moral issue now so clearly perceived
by the people. The time has come
when the really effective democrats
Of the country should be recognized,
and when they themselves should no
longer hesitate, decline or refuse to
seek or to accept those hOnors which
are their just due for work well done.
It may possibly be that the party will
go TO defeat again, but since 1896. it
has done nothing else under northern
leadership and certainly 1t cannot do
worse.
81 believe firmly that it will do bet
ter because it will at once eliminate
the factions which are inevitable, so
long as their leaders feel that they
have only to capture a few state or
CARNATIONS in the north, nominate
their candidate and then depend upon
the south to support and elect him if
possible. And certainly no faction can
refuse to support a worthy southern
candidate in the light of the loyai,y
Of the south to ever party candidate.
But, if this course would give
southern democrats the recognition
they deserve,it will also put them upon
their mettle. 1t will make it neces-
sary for them to insist upOn devotion
to ideals and principles, to avoid, as
their character and traditions assure,
the voters hen under thirty were
ranged with our opponents and today
the party organizations are lifeless,
their One time leaders are dead or
have abdicated, or worse, have become
republicans, while in more thar one
state the threat hangs yer them that
they may become victims of the spoil
er, the destructive OF the corruption
list.
when such conditions confront You,
why should you hesitate any longer?
Until the demands of Nebraska and
New York and other northern states
have brought forth fruits meet for re-
pentence-or at least so long as they
are threatening to give themselves
and the party over to further destruc-
tion-should you not assert your
selves? You have borne the heat and
have demonstrated their ability not
only to take care OF the interests of
their states and their section, but they
have been the only dam against ag-
erosion at home and the threats of
UlSCI0ulI dUIOdu. AluOuS lutlll dIC
men with the knowledge, experience,
honesty and courage to represent their
fellow partisans without the surrender
of principle and their fellow country
men with safety and honor.
Il, myself, placed at the front for
a time, have every reason to be CRATE
ful to democrats everywhere, espe-
cially to those of the south. l ap-
preciate the honor thus conferred upon
me and have 40 regrets for the past,
extreme policies; to keep themselves
thoroughly in touch with all the e1e-
ments to be found in a national and
progressive party, and to be ready and
willing to anticipate and promote all
the needs of a great country. The
contending ambitions of self-seekers,
the claims of interests purely local, the
demands that grow out of the popular
clamor, the shifty methods Of the dem
agogue and the agitator-all these
must be avoided whether leadership
comes from north or south, east Or
west. The ideas and tendencies be-
hind these things are typifed by the
republican party of the present day
and no attempt on u part to enter
into competition with it can hope
to command success or SO to restore
character to Il party that it may
again attain power.
eff we are honest with ourselves,
earnest and vigilant in the recognition
of those popular needs which are both
safe and democratic, and regardful of
our own ideas and traditions, we shall
again be intrusted with power and We
shall be ready for it. When this time
comes the south ought to be, and in
deed, it must be, the one great effec-
tive force in bringing about such a
happy consummation-sorely needed.
il our institutions are to endure nvio-
late"