The Dispatch. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1891-06-10
DEMOCRACY VS.. REPUBLICANISM.

DEMOCRACY VS.. REPUBLICANISM.
There never was a time when men,
young and old, were so anxious to
learI Of the principles advocated by
any political party, as is the case at
the present time in Utah, with respect
TO the tenets of both the Republican
and Democratic parties. This is coed
sign, and TIE DISPATCH is most
heartily glad to see it, for it betokens
the dawning of an era of peace and
prosperity for our fair Territory. One
of the many who is aroused to the
necessity of becoming informed in
this particular, writes as follows:
For the enlightenment of myself
and other young men, please answer
the following question: What is the
difference between Democracy and
Republicanism?" and oblige. ~
To state all the differences between
the two great political parties would
require degree of elaboration that
may not he devoted to it in news
paper, for the difference is wide and
attaches to every branch of govern
mental policy as well as to the public
service itself We would advise our
correspondent to study the platforms
Of the two parties, especially those
that have been adopted since 1856,
when the Republican party came into
existence. BY a comparison of these
declarations that have been framed
and promulgated every four years, he
viii be able to discover the marked
difference between the two, both as to
aspirations and operations; and for a
political illustration of the difference
he viii have to read the history of his
country under Democratic and Re
publican administrations. We NAV.
however, aid him by briefly stating
some of the principal points of differ
ence in theory, well as in practice
and policy.
The Democrats believe in the largest
liberty to the individual, consistent
with the safe government; and there
fore that the natural rights of the
citizen should be interfsred with by
the laws or the authority as little as
possible, in all matters of domestic
economy, of personal habits, customs,
Of manner of living, or labor. and. in
fact, of everything that relates to the
life and conduct of the person.
The Republicans believe that large
liberty to the individual is not con-
duciye to strong government, the
theory being that with too much free
dom, the tendency of the man is
towards recklessness and the disre-
gard Of the rules of good order, the
liability to disorder, rioting, and in
stab litY Of institutions being iii
creased as the citizen is allowed wider
freedom Of personal action.
The Democracy strives for absolute
equaAty before the law of all citizens,
recognizing no class distinctions, but
holding that one man is as good as an
other, whatever his station in life, so
far as the application of laws and rules
are concerned.
The Republicans are the lineal de-
scendants of the Federalists, and can
not rid themselves Of the idea that
there should be classes in government
and society, though there are none in
nature; they are aristocratic and i'm
perialistic in thought and sentiment.
and naturally the tendency of their
legislation is in the direction Of Great
ing social barriers in the community. |
The Democrats hold that the Con- |
stitution to which all the States have
assented, confers upon the Federal
government all the power to which the
latter is entitled, and that the assump-
tlon of more is unauthorized. uniusti-
liable, unlawful aud dangerously pre-
sumptiye. The States are supreme
within themselves as to their internal
affairs, and the Federal government
cannot rightly interfere with them SO
long as they maintain Republican
form of government. In other words,
the Democrats hold that all civil rights
not granted and set forth in the Con-
'titution are retained by the States,
.he idea being that the States are the
power, and the Federal government
simply the machinery unitedly agreed
upon for mutual conveniencs.
The Republicans take the directly
view, assuming that the pow
II and authority are centred in the
general government, the States being
subordinate and restricted iu their
functions TO the narrowest limits. Act
ng upon this theory, the Republican
'alty has from the first been grasping
nd presumptiye in its legislation and
administration, reaching out all the
lme for more power and steadily
iwariing and subordinating the au-
hority Of the States. The tendency
u Republican thought and policy
would eventually result in the obliter- !
'tIon of State lines and the admins