The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-06-21
SPEAKER CLARK ON THE SlTUA-
TON


Hon. Frank Harris, Ocala, Fla:
My Dear Sir--I am advised of your
election as a delegate to the demo
cratic national convention, which
meets in Baltimore ON the 25th of
June. In my judgment, this conven-
ton bids fair to be one of the most
important gatherings of the Ameri-
can democracy in many years. 1t
will meet under extraordinary politi-
cal conditions. We have the greatest
opportunity that has confronted a po-
litical party in the United States in
half a century. 1t is for us to deter
mine whether We shall properly meet
this great emergency and demon
strate our worthiness of the conf
dence of the American people, for in
my judgment the Baltimore conven-
ton will name the next president of
the United States, if it acts wisely.
The republican party appears to be
merely a disorganized mass of coz
tending factions. The unbroken rule
of the republican party, covering six
teen years of the most memorable de-
velopments in American history, has
terminated in confusion. The party
that has controlled the government
for many years is now but a remnant
of it's former self-without leader
ship, in state of chaos and disorder,
FORGETTING any right it may have ever
held to the favor of the people. We
should meet this disorder with order;
We should demonstrate that we con-
stitute party that stands unitedly
for the best in the government, and
for a definite program, looking to the
public interest, and which the peo-
pie can understand.
Where the republican party offers
to the people only uncertainty, We
should propose to meet conditions
with constructive policies abreast of
the times. Where the republican par
ty displays to the country its lack of
cohesion and consequent inefficiency,
let the democratic party, in whose for
tunes you and |, as democrats, are
concerned, present our cause in a diff
ferent way, backed by every democrat
in the land. The Baltimore conven-
ton is entrusted with the important
duty of formulating and declaring
democratic policies and of naming the
democratic candidate. We should set
forth our policies in such way as
to guarantee to the country that the
democratic party is party of prog
ress under united leadership. The
candidate nominated by the conven-
ton should unequivocally accept the
declarations of the convention as a
solemn pledge to the people, a pledge
to be kept, not to be ignored. 1t is
not necessary to point out to man
of your experience and judgment that
the democratic party could thus pre-
sent a most striking contrast to the
contending forces seeking fulfillment
of their own varying purposes. now
constituting the republican party, as
it will stand before the American
people in the coming campaign.
My name is to be presented to the
Baltimore convention, and am ad-
vised that fully one-half of the deis-
gates elected to that convention are
already instructed or pledged TO vote
for me- We have just gone through
an extended canvass of the various
states. Advocates of numerous dis
tinguished democrats, men of high
attachments, sterling personal quail
ties, great intellectual force and ex-
ecutive capacity, have contended in
friendly way with my friends, and
among themselves, with a view 20
securing the vote of the several
states. Fortunately, however, there
has been no such unseemly scramble
for the presidency as that INDUCED
in by republican aspirants. Our con-
test has been waged without acri-
mony and without engendering any
bitterness which might rise to haunt
us when we come to close the ranks
and move forward toward the desired
achievement in November. l con-
graduate you; / congratulate the par
ty; ! congratulate all that this is so.
| would never consent to any course
which could possibly contribute in
the least to the division of democrat
ic forces. particularly at this lime,
when democracy is, moro than ever,
the solace and hope OF the republic.
The pre-convenrion contest is prac-
tically over, and while naturally
feel concerned as to the outcome,
have above all other things an in.
terest in the success Of an effective
dor,onra+;o proorauo and rhc daSfora.