The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-08-06
THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS.
sD.HARR1s 8 SON puBI1aHras AND EDITORS
Cleveland Plain pealer.l

4Mc WAm&eKDuS FO1AtACAA kaOMWs
Nearly nineteen years ago Samuel j. Tilden
made speech at Rochester on the evils of fed
eral centralism. some portions of which are so
pertinent to the present situation that it is well
to recall and reflect on them. Disunion and
Capitalization, Mr.. Tilden said, are equally |
fatal to good government. "Disunion would
generate the centralism of military despotism |
in the separate states; centralism attempted |
over areas and population SO vast would break |
the parts asunder and fill our continent, as it
has filled every other. with rival nations
The condition of the Central American states
today illustrates the first part of the statement
The disunited republics are practically but SO
many military despotisms in which the consti-
tutional method Of changing rules at stated
times exists ON paper only. the actual process
being by revolutions at irregular periods. The
same result would be reached by a centralism
carried TO its logical outcome of revolt and dis
ruption.
"Our wise ancestors" Mr. Tilden continued,
'devised the only system possible to avoid these
opposite evils. They formed a federal govern
ment to manage our foreign relations. to main
tain peace and unity between the states. and to
administer few exceptional functions of COM
mon interest; and they left the great residuary
mass of governmental power to the states.' -
There can be no honest difference OF opinion as
to the purpose of the trainers of the constitu-
tion. The instrument speaks for itself, bearing 6
out in every line this Interpretation of its in
tent
In few words Mr.. Tilden then described the
underlying principles and the evident tenden-
cies of the two great political parties contend
ing for control of the republic The creed OF the
Democratic party. he said, is compressed in
two ideas. 81 first, to limit as much as possible
all governmental power. enlarging always and
everywhere the domain of individual judgment
and action; secondly, to throw back the govern
mental powers necessary TO De exercised as
much as possible upon the states and the locali
ties, approaching in every case the individual:
to be affected" Whatever positions may a
any time have been occupied by individuals
factions or localities Inconsistent with thess
ideas it is true now as when Mr.. Tllden spokt
that they dominate over the Democratic part.
and find in it their best representative. Recon
events and pending legislation tend to yerif,
the assertion of Mr.. Tilden that the opposit
ideas-to meddle with everything properly be
longing to individuals and to centralize al
governmental Fowers-express the tendencie
of the Republican party. Under their inspi
ration the federal government is rapidly seizin
upon all the powers of human society 1t ha
assumed to regulate the suffrage and threaten
Co Jake cOnIEOl Oh al GlGcGLOnS- LII pSTNCTts Ill
power to raise revenue into a means of dicta
ting what kinds of business men shall emplo
their labor and capital in. Of giving bountie
and granting monopoiies, of enriching favore
classes by 1mpoYerishing the people. 1t ha
drawn within its power all the banks, it ha
begun to create insurance corporations and
means to take Jurisdiction of all railroa ad com
panies. Its career of usurpation. if continue
afew years longer, will involve all the busincs
all the contracts and all the property of indi
viduals and will populate Washington with th
lobbies of thirty-seven states.''
The force bill. the Mckinley tariff bill. th
bounty bills and other legislation pending in
Republican con gress and under Republica
administration testify to the truth of Mr.. I'll
den's statement as to the road the Republica
party is taking. Unless the founders of tt
union were utterly wrong it is a dangerol
road. a road that leads first to centralized de
potism and through 1t to disruption and di