The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-10-02
WHAT Is DrnoCRACY,

WHAT Is DEH0CRACY'
The following article from the OBJ
,eryer. Waterloo, N. Y, SO clearly
md tersely answers the question at
the head OF this article that we adopt
It instead Of preparing an article
Of our own. 1t said:
A Democrat believes in a govern
lnent in which the people rule, and
not the bosses. A Democrat believes |
in a government for the people and
not for classes or monopolists. A
Democrat believes in Home Rule. He
holds that the States should do for
that which they can do
for themselves better than the Fed
eral Government can do for them. A
Democrat is opposed to all centraliz
ing tendencies. He believes in
strictly equal, fair, just and economi-
cal government. He accepts the well
known principle Of Statesman that
1t is possible to govern too mnch, and
that the least government possible
consistent with safety. efficiency and
with protection Of the citizen in life,
liberty and property Is tho very best
government for 3 free, law-abiding
and virtuous people.
A Democrat Is believer In the
Constitution with its safeguards and
limitations. He believes in the re-
served rights OF the States. and in
keeping tbs general government linn
tied in It's powers to those e~p.sssly
granted in the organic law. A DEM
ocrat is utterly opposed to all force
bills, all invasions Of the States under
the plea, whether Of necessity or any
other, by the aggressive and grasp
ing Central Government. A Demo-
srat believes in low taxes-the very
lowest conysstsnt with efficiency in
the Federal and State HovernMente.
He believes in the strictest honesty
and fidelity in all public servants. He
does not believe in heredity in Office,
but he believes in frequent elections:
He does not believe In Q tariff for
monopoly-a protective system that
makes the rich richer and the poor
poorer; that limits the field for Amer
Jean products to the narrow, decep-
tive home market, and that is laid for
the special benefit Of the money Dew
II.
A Democrat is always against class
Legislation OF any kind-such as the
tariff and other measuree-that are
intended to foster few at the ex-
pense of many-to favor one class by
taxing all other classes. A Democrat
is one who believes in equality to all,
and that all men should bear their
proportion OF the burdens Of taxa
ton for the support OF the govern
ment. A Democrat can never agree
to any principle or measure which is
SO narrow as to favor only q special
class or guild. The Government has
been prostiius.i fer the support,
protection and enrichment n the
manufacturing class. This is wrong,
IL unjust, is unequal, is undemocratic,
is Oppressive. is yiolativs Of the very
genius OF our government. The Su-
preme Court-a Republican Supreme
Court at that-has decided that this
is simply robbery And SO it is. In
the Democratic party there is no
place for pirates and free hooters
there is no place for class favorites
whether they be called by one name
or another. A Demovrat believes in
q government OF the people and by
the people and for the people. This
completely shuts out the possibility
of q government Of the rich and by
the plutocrats and for the money
mongers. 1t makes it impossible to
have a government Of corrupt and
vicious politicians and by fat-frying
and bayonets and for hungry, desper-
ate, dirty demagogues and bench
men of the Republican party.
1 But why extend thisf More could
be said-possibly much more. A
Democrat loves his country, loves
liberty, loves equality before the law,
loves q free constitutional Govern
ment and believes in his soul that the
great doctrine of States Rights is the
very bed rock OF a Republican form
Of Government. II you are Demo.
crat in name be q Democrat in prin.
ciple.