The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-08
The cause of the Defeat.

Mobile Register.
 Many things contributed to bring about the defeat of the Democratic Party, but the chief thing was.- in our opinion, the existence of financial strin- gency, colloquially termed the panic.
 Ordinarily, period of strnigency with the consequent decrease in indus try and unbuilding of commerce. affect ing employment injuriously reacts upon the political party in power. the public sentiment charging that party with responsibility for the conditions. There Is an exception to the rule, how ever. when the opposing party does not convince the public that 1t offers im- mediate relief from the distressing con- 9ltions. The Democratic Party. in this Instance did Indeed offer relief. but it was general and not specific. a relief to be obtained by widespread reform in the attitude of the government to- of the relations between employers and employed. and better opportunity for obtaining fair remuneration for indi- vidual effort. This offer. however, was seen to be too remote in its accomplish ment and too indefinite to apply to the present situation. What the people wanted was some assurance of the immediate resumption of business: give and could not give. All that the leaders of khe party could say was that there would be no additional disturb ance of business by reason of the elec- tion of It's ticket: and the public in part rejected this as unsatisfactory and in part rejected 1t as untrue. In fact, there was widespread belief that the election of the Democratic ticket would prolong the financial de- pression. and even intensity 1t, and the people decided to continue the existing regime rather than take any chances with one that might prove worse: Better the evils we have tban fly to others we know ont of"
 It Is The Registers opinion that the result would not have been different with Johnson, or any other candidate on the Denver platform. The popular dread of the effect of a change of ad. from a fairly conservative administra- ton to one that would be controlled by many radical tendencies. was so deep. iy seated as to prevent Democratic success under any sort of leadership the party convention at Denver could pos sibiy have selected.
 It will be asked, What next? The answer is not difficult, but the accom- racy, if too radical to command the con. ndence of the public, must become less radical; in fact, must return to its old. time conservation. It must give prom. ise of more stable government and more prosperous times than the oppos- ing party can give; offering measures that will be of immediate effect upon the economic conditions of the coun- try, and imperilling no legitimate from the public mind the apprehension that 1t is to run amuck with the busi- ness of the country if placed In power to do so: 1t must by its platform, as we'll as by the conservatism of It's can ing them that the success of Democ- racy means increased general pros perlty-not remote but immediate.
 Dntorsunsateiy Tor % sucn progrsm: :,,ras tns likely to attract support from this. that and the other quarter. has we'll nigh compromised all It's old princt- ples and it has formed alliances that cannot be dismissed instanter upon making the discovery that they are not potent for victory at the polls. glance to Jeffersoniail doctrines had no business to associate itself with any class or promise to promote class leg islation: yet, having done so. t will resume the old and safe position. Tn truth. the tendency will naturally be the other. way--and toward greater de- se Ras'ns direction iS s of greater e % rsdicaiism forcing conservative people out of the party and making them either non participants in politics or driving them Into the opposing party.
 The drift has been steadily In that direction for some years despite two other defeats In national elections, and. third defeat, and it is a disaster. we have stood by the ship until the end and participate in the sorrows of the shipwreck; We doubt if the materials but time will tell, and we shall walt and see. Of one thing we are sure; that the rebuilding of the ship on right lines from the salvaEe will be ex- tremely difficult, and that it may be easier to throw away the old and be- gin anew as the makers of our consti- tuition did when they. found the arti- cles of confederation inadequate to the need of the republic.