The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-02-04
Start Work Right Now
On Our Next Campaign

ing the future course OF tne Denio-
cratic party, William Gibbs McAdoo
writes the editor, enclosing a copy Of
a speech delivered by him before the
Democratic Club of Southern Cali
fornia at Los Angeles, January 8, say
ing:
"This address covers my idea OF
things which should be done immedi-
ately to promote Democratic sue
cess"
Mr.. McAdoo's speech, in full, is
given below:
1t does not follow that party VIC
tory at the polls represents the tri-
umph of great principles. Elections
are too frequently determined by TRAM
sient causes which have no proper re-
lation to the true issues involved. Po-
Iitical victories that deserve to endure
must be founded on principle and mo-
rality; or inaugurate some great epoch
in human progress; or insure the cor
rection of grave abuses and the estab-
lishment of reforms demanded by mo-
dern society and necessary to the well
fare and happiness of the masses Of
humanity.
Judged by these standards, the Re-
publican party failed in the Novem-
Der election, for it cannot be truly
claimed that its victory was won upon
principle or morality or that it holds
out any promise for the advancement
of human progress should there
fore, call this victory merely the cap
ture of the government machine.
Without adequate vision, if any vision
at all, Of the supreme obligation OF
modern civilization to destroy war for
its own preservation, without compre-
hension of the essential part America
must play in world affairs, and with
out more than parochial view Of
Americas domestic problems, what
reasonable ground exists for hope that
The Republican party will use the pow
ers of Government in such way as to
satisfy the aspirations of the Ameri-
can people and solve the numerous do
mectic problems which press upon us
daily with increasing and insistently
serious demans?
Triumphant In Defeat
TIE Democratic party, although de-
feated in the election, emerged tri-
umphantly so far as principles are
are concerned. 1t remained true to
the loftiest conceptions of information
al and domestic duty, and incurred de-
feat rather than win by compromising
principle or surrending to any form of
expedicncy. 1t thereby preserved the
foundations upon which future victor
les may surely be won.
But we must remember that, how
ever righteous the principles and wise
the policies may be, they will not pre-
vail unless they are fought for by
highly organized bodies of men and
women who belive in them and are
willing to make sacrifices for them.
Many just cause has failed for want
of intelligent organization and direc-
ton. In these days OF vast elector-
ates, the need of effective organiza-
ton is more than ever essential.
speak of organization not in the re-
stricted sense of party machines, but
in the broader sense of a cohesive and
enthusiastic body of men and women
bound together by common purpose
to set forward great principles, di-
rected by able officers and backed by
sufficient means to enable them to
keep the rank and file of the party and
the Independent electorate of the
country constantly informed through
well-directed publicity Of the things
for which the party stands.
The Democratic party has never
been effectively organized. This has
been it's principal weakness. Stand
ing as it always has for the rights OF
the common men and women of the
land, as against special interests and
the insidious and never-ending greed
of privilege, it deserves confidence
but has repeatedly failed to command
a majority Of the popular vote, be-
cause its case has not been put fairly
before the people. Andrew Jackson,
the anniversary of whose immortal
victory at New Orleans we celebrate
tonight, was the first great Democrat
to realize the Importance of party or
ganization. jackson was a soldier as
well as statesman. He knew how ir-
resistible are the well-trained forfcfes
of organized bodies, whether military
or civil, against the disorganized and
unframed forces of the opposition.
During Jackson's leadership the Dem
oeratic party was invincible. 1t can
be made invincible again if we profit
by experience.
have heard many Democrats say
since the November election that the
Democratic party will win in 1922 and
in 1924 because of the mistakes the
Republicans are going to make. There
never was poorer ground upon which
to base the hope of victory than the
conjectural mistakes of ones oppo-
nent. He may do exactly the reverse
of what he is expected to do, and
when the real fight comes one may
find himself unprepared because the
battle is not conducted according to
his plans or assumptions. We must
be prepared to take advantage of Re-
publican mistakes, but our chief re-
lance must be upon our own organ
lied strength so that, whether our an
tagonist makes mistakes or not, we
can lick him in the fight. 1t is upon
the virtues of the Democratic position
and upon an effective and intelligent
organization that we must rely for
party victories and supremacy Of
democratic principles.
Explaining Our Defeat
The recent Democratic defeat was
due in large measures to a lack Of