The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-30
NEW PARTIES.


apparent trcpidation of good many poli' |
ticians on that head. New, or third, par
ties have been springing up IN this country
every few years since the organization oil
the national government, and all have been
short.lived and evancscent, We have had
the the Anti. Masonic party, the Free Soil
party, the Know Nothing party, the Liber'
" party, the Greenback party, aud various
other organizations of similar magnitude,
meeting similar local successes, and all
alike OF brief duration.
There are now, and have been since the
organization of the government, really but
two political parties in tins country; the
one the Federal party of Adams and Ham
ilton. and the other the Democratic party
founded by Jefferson and Madison. The
one was based on liberal construction OF
the constitution, of strong central govern
ernment-a nation with big Manning
to absorb or belIttle the local or state gov
ernments. 1t favored vast expenditures
magnlfcence IN The national adElnisira-
ton, with a vast army of Office and
a minutely ramitled system OF administra'
tive functions, ami all sorts Of public
Improvements at the expense OF the ma
tional treasury, involving heavy taxation
to maintain this superb system OF outiays.
The other-the democratic party-con-
tended for strict construction of the con
sutution, local self government, tor the re-
striction of the central power, for Keeping
down the number of federal office holders,
for combining the federal government strict
ly to its national functions, and for econo
my, simplicity and purity IN the conduct
of national affairs.
Ii is true, the federal party by name is no
longer IN existence for it died from It's
opposition to the war Of 1912; but It's eXls
tence was in reality prolonged by the Ma
tional Republican party, which Inherited
all lis distinctive principles and aims in It's
advocacy of liberal construction OF the
constitution, a strong central government
vast system of internal improve
ments, and so on. That party went out
with the administration OF John Quincy
Adams, having been killed by the famous
Adams Clay coalition Then, without a
change of ann or principles, 1t became the
wing party, the advocate of national
bank, vast system of internal improve
ments, q liberal construction OF the con
stitution and splendid government for q
nation with a big n. Dying With the de
feat of Scott in 1852, the same old Jacob,
though at first presenting hairy hand, re-
appeared in the republican party, with the
same liberal construction OF the constitu-
tion, the same peacIsaat for splendid gov
eminent with countless horde OF pubic
officers, the same contempt for the dignity
aud authority of the states, the same in'
ternal Improvement schemes vast expen-
ditures and heavy taxation, that character.
lied the old federal party. Against this
party to-day, as in the days o; Adams ana
Hamilton, stands arrayed the same demo
cratic party, conteudlng for strict con-
structon of the constitution, for the main
tenance OF the authority of the states, q
reduction of national taxation and eXpen'
tlitures and the army Of public officials
md for economy, simplicity ana purity in
the conduct of public officials.
Side issues, like the antimasonic Juror,
the knownothing furor, the aniisiavery
crusade, &c, skilfully manipulated 10y the
opposition, occasionally gave 1t temporary
successes, but it was not until the untortu-
nate position of the democratic party at the
commenceMenI of the civil war that the
opposing party was able to MAINTAIN itself
IN POSSESSION OF the government through
4 The unlimited power which that strug.
ole placed IN its hands, hut after the extra.
ordinary exigencles of that contrast passed
away, it was able to proiOng its possession
of that power only by "!he grand fraud OF
the ages" through which Rutherford Il.
Hayes, who had been defeated, was inaugu-
rated as president in the place of Samuel
]. rilden, who hal been excited.
The present national prohibition move
ment is but al outgrowth OF the same led
eral notion Of the omnipotence of the gen
cral governmental authority and the little
ness and insgniflcance of the state and
local municipal institutions. 1t is the
same federal idea, that the government is
everything, the individual nothing, and
there is no such thing rs personal rights.
Against this The Democrats MAINTAIN
that the state city and town governments
are altogether competent and the proper
agents to regulate these matters as the eXi-
gencies of each locality may dictate. Tn
der the laws of Illinois as they now stand,
each community can determine for itself
whether il will toierate'or prohibit the sale
of liquor or restrain the traffic by high or
low licenses, and thus the majority OF those
living close together can judge OF their
own needs aud decide what is best in their
own particular case without the informed.
ding OF o.her. communities differently stu
atei and hundreds Of miles away. This is
Z The democratic idea-the Lincoln idea of"
government of the people, by the people
for the people
And thus il Is seen that this prohibition
question presents no new issue-nothina
which the democratic party has not encoun
tered in variety Of forms heretofore, and
with which. now as then, il is abutdantly
prepared again To deal.