Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-09-23
WHIT IS Democracy


Ii inspires progress in every age and coun-
try. IL is alike the dictate Of the deepest
philosophy. the broadest common sense ana
the loftiest patriotism. 1t breathes in poetry
and romance, actuates the reformer, tenohes
freedom of religion. thought and industry,
and promotes science, invention and enter
prise In church and state IL makes peer of
the scion, of the millionaire and the son OF
toll. The prince and the beggar nre each
links in the chain of human brot!erhood
md equals before the throne of the Al
mighty Democracy recognizes the indiyid-
ual and fo7tifes his interests by the ram
parts of law. Social order is essential TO
equal rights, and property is essential to
social order. Democracy therefore entofcea
social order by equal protection to person
and property
Such is the definition oi Democracy
given by General Durbin Ward at Nenia,
o., September IL, 1885. The entire
speech is replete with eloquence, truth
and political philosophy, and "a we read
it DER we feel that ior us TO make any
comments or to undertake any cxplana-
tion OF the speech and it's theme, is to at
tempt that to which we are not equal
The speech was delivered in response
TO Senator Sherman's speech opening the
Ohio campaign for the Republican party,
n speech that marks John Sherman as
one whose usefulness is long since gone.
1t is said that the good which men do is
often inferred with them, but in the case
OF John Sherman it may he said that the
good that he has done was inferred long
years before he himself departed this life.
"a hn tril tn hn
Democracy that General Ward pays.
Democracy is the instinct OF humanity"
Yes, that is Democracy. 1t is the recog-
milton OF the grand fact that in this world
man with his wants and his longings, his
hopes and his aspirations, are the great
things to be considered, and the truth
that governments are instituted for the
realization and protection OF these sacred
things. Democracy has to do with the
dealings OF man with man. 1t guaran
tees to each man all rights not
Infringing upon another mans
rights. 1t teaches the doctrine that gov
ernments are instituted for the benefit OF
man; that man is first and government
second 1t teaches that no form OF gov
ernment is so good a guaranty
OF liberty and freedom as the common
sense OF man; and that representative
government is but recognized and ac-
ceptcd expression oil this common sense.
Democracy recognizes man as the creator
in politics, and governments and kindred
.tttt, hut nd
this theory il declares that the creature
can never be superior TO tho creator.
Were it otherwise, the lesser would be
the greater, the inferior the superior; and
such in nature cannot be.
General Ward defined the relation OF
the States to the Union in these terms;
"In this Union there are constitutionnlly
no Sections there are only 'States.' Each
State has equal right over its local affairs.
and equal 'indestructibility' in the Union
of the Constitution. Every act, whether of
the nation or 4 State which invados the
power of this indissoluble' Union, or the
right of local government of those indie
structible' States, 10 equally revolution and
treason to the spirit of the Constitutin which
ordains their coordinate existence, and de-
fines treason against them i'll the following
pregnant words: Treason against the
United States shall consist only in levying
war againsr them, or in adhering to their
enemies, giving them aid and comfort.
The nation has no more right to make war,
direct or indirect, upon tho organic existence
or institutions of a State, than State has
10 secede from the Union, or to make war,
direct or indirect, upon the supremacy or in.
stitutions of the nation
And that definition is correct. but iol
many years past that definition has been
ignored by the Republican party, and the
course OF that party towards the States has
been to treat them as sovereign or subject
as best suited its immediate interest
1t was one oil Senator Sherman's chief
hopes 10 again raise up the political di-
vision BY sections, but it failed, failed
signally and covered him with shame
and ignominy. He talked and acted Il,
though he were campaigning in the days
OF Davis and roorbs, and he is no
further advanced than they.
General Ward paid high compliment
TO President Cleveland when he said:
"Conscious as am that Cleveland's ad
ministration will close forever the gulf be-
tween the sections, and peretuate forever
the States and tho Union feel that the
struggles of the Democracy for a genera
tion arc crowned with success We can now
congratulate ourselves that the Union of
our fathers, resting on the constitutional
pillars of State autonomy, Is restored and
cemented, not by the blood of civil war, but
by the political equality and fraternity OF
all sections and races"
Under Cleveland aud the Democratic
party the Union will be restored TO its
proper place, and while the General Gov.
ernment will be supreme in national af-
fairs and those things over which the Con-
stitution gives it control, still the rights oi
the States will be respected and preserved
The one danger OF the Union since the
close OF the war has been to centralza-
tion OF the power in the General Govern
ment, and with such Capitalization
there is ever the danger oi 1 usurpation
of the rights OF the individual and the
enforcement OF such usurpation by the
police or military power OF the govern
ment. Following in the wake %
Capitalization there como standing
armies and stringent laws. 10 protect
the citizens? No, 10 protect thc
centralized power. Generalization il
doubt as to the capacity and integrity
OF the people to govern themselves anC
control their own affairs made supreme
and backed by law and arms. such has