The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-08-05


ent Democrats that keep the
marty defeated. Where they are
weak the Republicans have
found a way of using weak
kneed and pie hunting Demo-
Gratis to turn the scale in their
favor. But how do they pay
them? They got Kentucky that
way: is Wilson giving them
anything? Taft has dished up
some occasional pie In the south
ern states, but he Is trying to
break the solid south and has In
variably picked men who can be
worked over into Republicans.
He may say what he will and
claim to be what he may, but
Democrat cannot accept office
under a Republican administra-
ton and remain above suspision.
The foregoing is an editorial
quoted in full, from a contemporary
which prides itself on being a
straight" party organ, ]. O.; the
mouthpiece of the party organization
The editorial is valuable. not nee
essarily for its literary style or the
soundness of its ethics. but for its
expression of what the organ means
when II refers to the party"
Parenthetically we would suggest
that wherever the word Democrat oc-
ours the reader may supply Repub-
lican. II he wishes. and thereby ac-
auire an estimate of the principles
and ethics Of a party organ, of what
soever party.
The article is introduced by the
unequivocal declaration that there is
no such thing as an independent
Democrat. much as Henry Waiter
son would say. mo prohibitionist can
he a Democrat Before anyone
presumes to disagree with that state
ment. let us inquire further as to
what our contemporary means by a
Democrat. Perhaps. we can
gather that from the context.
1t would be uncharitnble for us to
suggest that after our contemporary
has positively declared an '1ndepend-
ent Democrat is no Democrat at all
II is illogical when It argues that
these independents keep the party
defeated" If they are not Demo-
Gratis what right has a Democratic
organ to scold them? II they are
Democrats. what right has 1t to say
they are not Democrats?
But let us go further. 1t asks the
naive duention: The Republicans
"got Kentucky that way. How is
Wilson paying them?'
Now we begin to grasp the logic
of the opening declaration that
there is no such thing as an indie
pendent Democrat. The party is
the organization as applied to the &C
QUESTION and distribution of Offices;
a Democrat is an active participating
member OF that organization. The
mere citizen, who ask for no selfish
share in the spoils of politics, but
believes in free trade, free silver. the
abolition OF trusts, the national bank
guaranty and the limitation of fed
eral authority; but votes for Repub.
licans for local Office, II he considers
the Republican candidates capable OF
giving better service, is not a Dem
ocrat" within the purview Of the
foregoing editorial.
No Democrat, who scratches the
ticket. is longer a Democrat. lie Is
read out OF the party even in the
sense OF a silent. non-participatine
partner in the good things. which the
Democracy of the party organ enjoys
when Democracy is triumphant. We
have heard that same argument APP
piled to Republicans by the same
sort of party organs; but their mum.
her is growing delightfully."- less
Time was when New York. Chicago
and Cincinnati, the news centers OF
the country. had nothing but strict
party organs Today there Is not a
great newspaper In the land. which
is not independent. True they have
their preferences on tariff questions
and national Issues; as every think
ing being must have. The interest
ing fact is that the party organ abb
solutely has no opinions or principles
Of It's own: but whatever the party
organization (the Office getting. dis
tributing and participating element
of it, says. goes with the party Or
gan. It's mission is not to direct