Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-16
SENATOR WAILACD.
THE PAST AND FUTURE OF DE-
MOCRACY

rnmental affairs away from the intelli-
gent rule of the masses and vested it in a
power as yet formative and underlined.
Among these were the civil war, the crea-
tion and peculiar manipulation of the pub
lie debt, reconstruction outside the cOnsti-
tuition, universal negro suffrage, a plethora
of paper money, loose public morals, enor-
nous growth of private fortunes, and a
close connection of the government with
the banking interest. Each had its
weight in sapping the foundation Of a gov
ernment by the masses, and in shaping our
course toward a different rule. Whether
that rule is to be suffrage qualified and
rarefied, or suffrage controlled by the
power of aggregated wealth or monopoly,
or a senatorial Oligarchy, or hereditary
government, is beside the present inquiry,
save as they each and all show distrust Of
the people, and build their foundations
upon universal suffrage, debased, corrupt
ed and dominated.
The tendency toward q sO-callcd strong
or government is as manifest as arc the
causes that have given it form. 1t is in
the nature of things for government to
grow stronger at the expense Of the gov
erned but the plain proof Of the existence
of this tendency is found in the opinions
of the federal judiciary, in federal legisla-
tiOn over matters heretofore within the
control of the people of the states, in the
modes of execution of those statutes, by
which local rule. local courts, and personal
liberty are OverthrOwn, and in that ramiti-
cation of executive patronage which sends
its mandates t. the extremities, and at
will gathers in a single hand enormous
contributions and unscrupulous obedience
from ninety thousand paid officials. "Ex-
ecutive patronage will bring us to q mas
ter" A network of holders, bound
each to the other, welding time and
money and power of place to pack primar-
les, dictate nominations, crush indepen-
dent thought and action and subordinate
local centrol to the will of. an executive
who governs in the name of party, points
the road with unerring certainty to the end
that Franklin, the wise man, predicted.
Further guide-boards on that road are
seen in large donations Of money by cor
porations, monopolists and wealthy men,,
and carry elections in the interest Of an
aristocratic class who dislike and distrust
the people in the domination of en-
ploye by employer in the marked ballot ;
in the third term candidacy and pilgrimage
IL
organizations, which are but over-zealous
ill-concealed demand for energetic govern
ment, which has been tho fundame ntal
thought of the opponents of Democracy
| since the days of John Adams.
| The issues of 1893 and 1900 again coli
front the people. The theories of that
day arc again to struggle for the mastery.
The government of the republic is already
centralized. The canvass of 1880 teaches
this. The federal executive has been felt
from the ward caucus to the vaults
of the treasury, from tie primary
to the presidential election. A high fed
eral official quits his place to take nOmi-
nation for governor of the pivotal state,
and at once the executive arm is extended
to his support. Marshals, detectives, COL
lectOrs, secretaries, and all else that arc
needed, locate themselves within the state
aud it's suffrage is debauchcd and it's un-
doubted will reversed. A suffrage, first
debascd, then corrupted, then obedient, is
centralizatiOn in its worst form. This is
but one means to the end sought. The
mission of the Democratic party is decen-
tralization. Its duty is to restore the gov
ernment of the republic to the intelligent
rule Of the masses of the people. 1t must
teach and practice the doctrines Of its
illustrious founder. 1t must appeal to the
people themselves in their own interest.
1t must preach the eternal truth that the
individual citizen is the unit in government,
from whom proceeds all power, in whom
is vested all rights save those which are
granted by him for the good Of the
whole. The people at the base,
the states and the federal government
each supreme within its sphere, is the
system to which it looks for liberty, and it
must teach that he who looks to paternai
government, to Capitalization, or to empire
looks to despotism. Care for and perfect
the government, and it will protect the
liberties of tho people, was tho thought of
Hamilton. Give intelligence and informa-
tion to the people, teach them that it is
their government, and their interest to
preserve law and order, was the thought
of Jefferson. Paternal government and
vigor in the federal head on the one hand,
information to the masses and
energy from the extrcmities on
on the other. The former gave the repub-
lie alien and sedition laws, direct taxation,
federal marshals and centralized rule in
1893. The latter swept these out of exis-
tencc in 1900; carried us successfully
through two foreign wars; acquired an
empire of territory, and governed the
country for sixty years. We must choose
between these two now. The Democracy
must again plant itself upon the axiom,
Governments arc made for men, not men
for governments. 1t must be true to the
people and aggressive in it's fealty. Domi-
mated labor must be taught its rights and
its interests. Capital must see it's safety
in the intelligence and justice of individual
rule, and not in the exercise of arbitrary
will. Honest performance of every gov
ernmental contract now in existence, but
a change of policy by which the debt
shall be managed in the interest of
the people and not of the creditor
equal taxation on every form Of property
thorough inquiry into taxation for revenue
and its readjustment upon u basis Just to
every interest and to all the people no
forfeiture of the franchises
of corporations and punishment of aggrc-
gated wealth, or individuals, for coercion
of employees, or the use of money in Cleo
tions !; our own carrying trade made to be
our own preserve and a divorce between
government and banks, are thoughts which !
find place in such an issue. The cry of a |!
" Solid South - is exhausted and impotent |
at last. 1t has served it's purpose. Di- |
vided councils upon questions of admins
tration have kept the Democracy a mere |
party of opposition, and concealed the |
silent approaches of the enemy to strong |
government. It will continue to be a |
party in opposition, untrusted and untried. |
until it defiantly asserts its ancient theo-
ries and goes to the people for their vindi-
cation.
The Democra party is not dead: