The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-25
THE HOPE OF STATE DEMOCRACY.

The gathering OF the democratic
state central committee yesterday af-
forded the opportunity for much in
formation on the hopes of that party
in the state. Leaders who have studied
the situation We're frank in their
statements that there WAS no hope of
democratic success except it come as
a result of a disruption of the repub-
lican party in the state. This was the
burden OF all the talk on the question
vention. The theory is that at that
time the party will be divided-the
sheep being separated from the goats
and that one faction or the other,
presumably the one which does not
secure the nominations, will join the
democrats in securing the overthrow
of the republican party in the state.
They cite in private certain municipal
elections which Indicate the willing
ness of part of the party to join
hands with the democrats to defeat
the regular republican candidates.
even when the opposing candidate is
a democrat. Basing their conclu-
sions upon these facts, they hope to
secure a sufficient disruption of the
party to carry the state.
If any man is not convinced of this
condition of affairs, he has only to lis
tor t<, III y,11 - 4
Gratis who are responsible for the sue
cess of the party. Here is fact
which proves the truth of the story.
At the committee meeting it was OPEN
ly urged that the date of the conven-
ton be fixed after the republican con-
vention was held. and the reasons as
take advantage OF the fight which they
assumed was certain to come in the
state convention. Tracy R. Bangs Of
this city even went so far as to cal
culate the time necessary for the dis
satisfaction to be gathered and dis
cussed by the state press. for the ben
eft of the democrats. So strong was
this sentiment that but one voice was
raised against it in the committee. and
when the vote was taken on the ques-
ton of fixing the time there was but
one single vote in the negative.
The action OF the committee and the
plan of the party indicate that both
are alive to the possibilities of sue
cess. and that they propose to leave
nothing undone to accomplish their
ends. Nor are they subject to criti-
cism for the action, for it indicates
splendid political management Nu-
merically they are in the minority,
but If they can find sufficient num-
Der OF those who have heretofore af-
1iliated with the republicans and
profited by their success, and who are
enough traitors at heart to betray the
party for thirty pieces of silver, they
hope to have enough to elect the en-
tire ticket. AS men the democrats are
the equals in intelligence of republic
cans. But as party with their party
principles woven into the fabric of the
government of the country they have
proven disastrous failures. by their
fruits ye shall know them" In the
last forty-six years the party has been
intrusted with the administration Of
the national government for eight
years. and the history of the disaster
which followed the enactment of the
only law of importance which they
placed upon the statute books, is far
too fresh in the minds of those who
lived from 1892 to 1896 to need repi-
tition for recollection. Now the party
is like the man who never having
touched sculptor's chisel, but stand
ing by while the sculptor carved from
the marble block the worlds master
piece, is struck with the ambition
to do likewise. and, Selling the chisel
only succeeds in running that which
In other hands would have been per-
lection. The party has been weighed
In the balance and found wanting. On
the other hand the republican party
has never been recreant to it's trust
It has declared it's principles, has en-
acted them into laws, and the results
have given the nation a period of I'M
paralleled prosperity that has amazed
the world.
The present plan of the democrats
and their allies is to not only secure
control of the state government. but
to carry out a plan, the object of
which is to assist in turning the legI-
lative branch of the national govern
ment over to the democratic party
also. and by this means again re-es-
tablish the financial conditions of the
last, Cleveland administration, when
sOup houses were more plentiful than
days work. and when the great army
II men employed in the factories Of
the country were compelled to sub