The Cairo bulletin., 1908-04-01
DEMOCRATS MEET
ON HISTORIC DAY
STATE CONVENTION CALLED ON
ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTH OF
STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.
BRYAN HIS ONLY PEER
In Point of Popularity--Lincoin In
tended to Make Douglas Com
nander of Union Army
Death lntervened.
Special to The Bulletin.

Special to The Bulletin
(. Springfield, H., March 3l.--Th
! Democrats. in calling their state con
!, lyentlon TO be held In Springfield
/ April 2,3 have chosen date OF ifie-
torlc significance That is the ami
vorsary of the birthday of Stephen A.
Douglas, the greatest Democrat iii
rois ever produced. The date might
! be accepted as god omen for tha
party We're 1t not also the anniversary
Of the day on which the famous M,
tional convt ption of the party cen.
yened at Charleston. S c.. In 1SG0---
the convention which ended in
split in the Democratic party from
which there was no recovery untIl
Years after ~ e.<~s. ar had settled
the or sti"~@ which caused the
SCH ~ course the Democratic
I lIf@ ummittee hit upon this data
lTJrely by accident. but II calls u
minds some interesting chapters in
tho history Of Democracy.
u Is now half a century since
stephen A. Douglas led the Demo-
Eiacy of Illinois to victory what was
to be the last victory of the party. II
fact, for more than third OF a cen
tnry. Douglas had a wonderful hold
hpon his party, not only In Illinois.
but throughout the north. The party
vas triumphant in Illinois throughout
his political career, up to 1860. when
Douglas as candidate for president
for the first time tasted the bitterness
of defeat at popular election WIZ
liam Jennings Bryan Is the only man
Ia the past half century whose place
In the affections OF the rank and file
OF the party has approached that a
the Little Giant"N Douglas had tha
advantages Of living in what was then
| a Democratic state. which kept him
IN the United States senate There
his Influence was felt throughout the
nation. sorth as well as north II
was only the unfortunate fact that the
great issue that pressed upon the ma.
ton was sectional issue-an issue
that drew line not only through the
nation but through the Democrats
party as well-that kept Douglas out
of the White House. Before 1853
Douglas enjoyed great popularity IN
the south. but after the Dred Scott
decision his popular sovereignty" doc
trine was looked at askance All
through his career he was a consist
cnt advocate of nationality He was
for an "oeeanbOund republic" and
Daniel Webster never eclipsed him
in his fervid advocacy of an indis,
soluble union Necessarily. therefore
when the party divided upon sectional
lines. Douglas lost his prestige in the
south aud he lost also his opportunity
to become president. The southern
feeling against him I'm 1850 was bitter:
he was denounced as a black aboli
tionist." The death OF Douglas in
June, 1861. no doubt had an important
influence upon the history Of the
Democratic party in Illinois. ii not in
the nation. Had he survived dozen
more wears, it is quite probable that
he would have achieved his high am
probably as the leader of a
reorganized Democracy, possibly as "a
Republican II Is well settled now
that he would have become n general
In the Union army-Iiucoin. In fact.
making him commander
If the Union forces The military re
'own that would thus have come ia
Douglas would have made him a great
'atlonal hero and II Is certain that
ie would have reaped from il a vic.
Ia,
he Civil war found the Democratic
,arty without leader Of the con
ability OF Dauglas. aud it
equired many years to find Moses
O lead the Democratic hosts out OF
he wilderness.
In the domain Of statesmanshir
{ may be said that Douglas rose fat
bove Bryan: for he was in a place
# power and achieved things. whera
IS BRYAN has had 10 be content with
.roclaimlng what in his opinion. ought
o lee done Yet when 1t is consid-
red that for twelve years Pryan has
een the foremost Democrat in the
ation in point Of personal influence
Within his party his acreer seems
uito as remarkable as that Of the de-
arted idol Of the Democrae~. the
Little Giant" Had Douglas lived
ntil the day Of this years Democratic
cnveuti0n he world have been %
ears Of aga. He passed from earth
early forty-seven years ago. Such
re the mutations Of time that scarce
= a vestige Of the political issues Of
le DAYS of Douglas IS now left. and
hen the Democratic state convention
.eets here. probably not many Of the
srticipants will give a thought ta
ie wonderful men who for twents 4
sars led the Illinois Democracy 20
'ntinuOus victory.
Recent events make il clear thst
e coming Democratic Convention