Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-21
psmoeraeY's Defensive Battle.

The results of the tariff are not the
hardest strain upon the good nature
of the composite Democrat. He has
suffered as a consumer. because of less
work and continued high prices, as a
producer because of competition with
foreign agricultural and industrial
workers. He has been panied. also by
the look of pity from his neighbors
because of the administrators spine
less, characterless, and humiliating
conduct of the nations foreign affairs.
But the thing that sticks in the crop
of the great majority honest Demo
crat, is the pitiful disregard by high
administration officials OF party
pledges and the party honor so long
boasted by the rank and file. The
ready violation of platform pledges
without so much as by your leave =
grinds upon the conscience of men
who regard a party promise as bind
ing as an individual promise.
The hardest thing the Democratic
senators and representatives have
before them is to face the voters with
apologies or attempted explanations of
their own or the Administrations re-
pudiation Of platform planks and
campaign professions.
Viewed from any standpoint. the
Democratic party 10 in bad" 1t came
in on the wrangle of it's opponent; 1t
has stood q minority In power on a
huke It has demonstrated its in
efficiency every day. along with the
costly showing up Of its pretenses. Not
even the most optimistic Democrat
can speak the truth and say that he
sees any trend of popular sentiment
toward his party. The Washington
up this way:
AS in 1912, the hope Of the Demo-
cratic party lies solely in the division
of its opponents. and as in 1912, indi-
cations are plan that the Democratic
vote will be much smaller this year
than in the past twenty years, smaller
than in the presidential year, when it
was smaller than in 1896, 1900, or 1908.
In 1912 hundreds of thousands of
former Republicans voted for the Dem
ocratic candidate. not that they had
changed their political principles but
through desire 10 defeat the Progress
sive or Republican candidate for the
Presidency.
The Democrats received directly for
their candidate in 1912 the votes Of
hundreds of thousands of angry He
publicans. angry with their own fac
tions, and willing to help elect the
Democratic candidate as a rcbuke to
their own party, knowing its defeat
was inevitable.
If it had not been for these tempo
rary, transient, and now departed re-
Inducements the Democratic party
would have been the third party in
the popular vote of the country.
There was absolutely no organiza-
ton of the Democratic voters in 1912.
None was needed to win. Victory
was decreed from the hour the Repub-
lican party split at Chicago.
The lesson. however. of Democratic
disorganization and Democratic loss
of voters was revealed In the returns
of the election in November. 1912, and
it is a poor politician of any party who
does not learn from il the weakness of
the strict party vote of that year.
The Republican recruits OF 1912
have, in nearly every instance. de-
parted from the Democratic camp,
while the real Democratic voters are
alienated. disappointed, dissatisfied.
The Democratic forces today in
nearly every county, district, and
State are totally demoraliEed.
The rank and file have always been
proud of their leaders keeping faith
with the people as to platform pledges
and campaign promises, and they can
no longer retain that pride or point
with pleasure to the record which is
now black with Reputation Of the plat
from pledges and the stains of broken
promises.
The platform pledges and the candi-
dates promises are all that the voters
of the Union have offered By any po-
litical party: when those pledges are
worthless and the promises valueless,
candidates of the party have little rea-
son to expect either popular support or
popular approval.
There 10 a firmly grounded moral
sentiment in the voters Of the United
States which Is in revolt at the recent
blows to political morals and national
honor.
1t is reported In California. in Colo.
RADIO, in Louisiana, In Indiana Ia
Pennsylvania, in New Jersey, In Mas
saehuaetts now. and next November
will bring news of It in every district
and every State of the Union.
The Democratic line Of voters 10
much thinner than 1t was In 1912.
Hope and confidence have little part
in the Democratic campaign of this
year.
1t will be a. defensive campaign from
start to finish with every Democratic