The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-09-07
They Consider Condition of the
Panty in the Empire State.
lie Declared That Real Leadership l.
Nowhere In Sght-Not on the
threshold of u Great Political avak-
enins-Democratic Party i the Par
ty of Liberals

Albany, \. Y, September 5.-DiS,rlc,
Attorney William Trayers Jerome. o.
Ne" York, was the central figure in
the conference OF upstate democrats.
-et here today 10 consider
the condition of the democratic party
| IN the state Of New York. II was de-
clared by the SPONSORS of the confer
ence, leading among whom was ex-
Mayor Thomas W. Osborne. of Auburn.
that Mr. Jerome was present merely as
speaker, not as a party TO the confer
ence, and that the meeting was not III
the interest of his candidacy. or that
OF any other man for the democratic
nomination for governor.
Mr. Jerome mentioned no names in
his address. He dwelt with the general
purposes, general condition and posi-
Dlllties Of the democratic party. He
declared it as his understanding that
the conference was in the interest Of
no particular candidacy, lest of all
to dictate to or threaten the conven-
ton Of our party soon TO assemble at
Buffalo
He took direct issue with the opinion
recently expressed by Governor Folk
of Missouri, and others, though ne
named no one
Real leadership is nowhere in sight, ;"
he said, and what passes for leader
ship seems to consist of demagogic de-
nunciation of existing conditions, AMI
the advancing of vague schemes OF
socialism and paternalism, which are
essentially revolutionary in character
we are not on the threshold of the
greatest political awakening this IA
ton has ever known, marking the
beginning of a new age, but we are, |
believe, about to return to our senses,
and to earnestly address ourselves 10
the solution of the difficult problems
confronting us by the methods which
the past has shown to be entirely ade-
quate to meet the greatest emergencies.
Our elections. where national polit
ical parties are involved, have become
little more than ignOble scrambles for
office. in which each candidate declares
how good he will be if elected TO office,
and vies with his opponent in claiming
t1'ust-busting and anti-corporation vir
tues, not forgetting to emphasize how
warmly his heart beats for organized
labOr.
In the midst of all this the plain
people 90 about their business Seeing
no real issues at present OF interest IN
dividing the national parties, they
stand Indifferent to each, ready and
free to choose when an issue arises
that interests them.
The republican party" he continued.
had always been conservative, OppOS-
ed to change and Innovation until to-
day half consciously it voices its char
acter by declaring itself to be the
party of the stand patter.
"On the other hand the democratic
party is the party of the liberals. Only
recently has efforts been made TO drag
the party from the path Of progress.
to that Of revolution
The men responsible for the demor
allied conditions of the party machin-
cry should be driven out
From a great vote getting OrganiZa-
ton. they have made it simply a DEL
egate getting machine.
The democratic party, disgraced and
humiliated by years OF mlSmanagement
TO give it no harsher name, would ar
ray themselves behind their party can
didates if they are men of character
on a platform Of real democ-
racy.
And in that platform, they want no
craZy socialism nor revolutionary patcr-
nalism What they want is men and
not measures They have little faith
in new laws while there is not honesty
and capacity enough in public servants
TO work the old.