Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1889-09-27
Popular 6 7ernment and NglIiao,.ion

Congressman Oats. Of Alabama uhl
was QUO Of the most conspicuous l.,ler
in that Democrats 6ilibas,er;so IN ih
last Congress by which t,e ma;o,-,v ra
reopen edly deprived Of tie rich, ~ l..is
l''e. graciously announces that tbe mi
uoriiy This winter will be reasonaj,le aps
decoui, provided the Republican ,,isri.
y "acts fair aud square" Bn, ifth,
Republicans attempt to ride pnsf
shoi, which Nlr. Oates explains brs1y
ing It they attempt to so altar d. f1le,
that measure rau be taken ID rs les,
than q two-thlrds vote, 'the Democrat.
will fghs back Mr.. Gate, s,y. dis.
tinctly: Il ann opposed TO a bare miior.
ity having that power" When anna.
jority is l0l and the minority 100. the
minority is as apt to be ia the risht as
the majority This statement Of Demo-
cratic opioniou and purpose illustrates
very clearly the is'uc which is IikeIy to
arise between parties
The ground Of opposition to this N,m-
ocratie theory Is not merely that DE ma
jointly is more likely to be right ban rh
minority, but that something must be
done in order to carry on the Govern
mont ana 20 Serve The public interests.
The people have inrusted to tie major
ity, however small, aud not to tho mis-
nority, the responsibility oe determining
what shall be done 1t is still TIC Dem
ocratic theory, as it was in 1860,
shat the decision Of tho people may be
nuliied by minority Whenever it
I pIeases. 1t is still the Republican theo-
ry, as it was in 1850 that the decision
IF the people must be respected and
obeyed, because in no other way can
self-goverument be made success; il
no other way can the Interests Of the
people be served and the wisdom Of
their wishes tested by ozperien@.
The y Y Tribune was strictly and
scientifically correct in describing Mr..
Oates and his associates as unrecmstruct-
ed rebels, who resortel to revolutionary
means to defeat government of the peo-
pie Democracy does not trust the peo-
pie, does not believe in the people IT,
telligcnce or honesty, relies forsuccess
upon popular Ignorance and shallow
falschood, or upon popular seldshness
and measures of dishonesty. When
beaten, it has no hesitation ia restoring
to notification of the peoples decision,
because it neither respects nor is loyal
20 the sovereign poEer in this country
A majority, whether large or small
often blunders. That is not a reason
for defeating the will of a majority by
revolutionary means in country where
majority government is the only govern
meut possible Unless a majority can
rule, nothing can be done. Paralysis
Of the majority is legislative anarchy ~
Measures and methods which deprive
the majority Of It's right to decide What
shall be done are strictly ra7ol.,sieasrs1.
for they block the wheels Of govern
ment. They mean that noting shall
be done, and the work Of governing shall
stop, unless the minority can have its
way The right Of temporary resistance
to measure, long enough to arouse
public opinion and bring il to bear upon
a majority, is not here in question, for it
is with no such limitation or purpose
that Mr. Oates proposes resistance, aud
with no such limitation or purpose that
Democrats in the House have repeated
" stopped all legislation in orler to de-
feat measures they did not like
The Republicans have been inrusted
with rosonsibility for legislation during