The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-05
DEMOCRACY AND REPUBLICANISM.

The principles of the Democratic party
tend to mob rule-to anarchy The princi-
pies Of the Republican party tend to cen
tralization of power and ultimately to des-
potism. Such is the charge and the re-
joinder between these two great parties.
Then our Republican friends, following in
the wake of such stern old apologists for
monarchy as BLACKSTONE and others
straight away say: as any government is
better than no government, or anarchy, the
principles OF the Republican party are
safest and best calculated to preserve the
peace of society and the good order of the
community. The Republicans, no doubt,
IS earnestly as the Democrats would deny
any intention to run their principles to the
extreme here referred to, but for the mo-
ment let US try the result by looking at the
respective tendencies of these parties, in
order to see if the Republicans, even from
this standpoint, have any advantage over
their opponents.
1t is admitted that mob rule is utterly
bad that it is one of the very worst forms
that tyranny can take on, and that if it were
a possible condition for any considerable
length of time ii would be the evil of all
evils to be avoided. But notwithstand
all these admissions in respect to the bad
ness of the extreme 20 which il is said
Democratic principles tend, Democrats
need not shrink from preferring that ex-
IRENE to the one to which Republican prin-
ciples tend, for the reason that anarchy is
an impossible condition for any considera-
BILE length OF time 1t is a thing of mo-
ment, day; and usually-nay, we may say
always, follows some sudden revolution
that has been provoked by despotism in
some of its many forms. 1t is a condition
that is not the result OF the permanent
working of popular institutions, but is due
70 sudden and convulsive outbreaks against
monarchial or aristocrstic despotism. 1t
will be found at bottom that despotism. not
Democratic principle, is tbs cause of all the
anarchy that has prevailed in this world.
But in the midst of the worst anarchy that
has ever existed the facts of mans nature
have asserted themselves and made them
selves felt for good. The fact is, that man
being by nature a social, gregarious animal,
that he naturally loves peace and order
and security, and that all his
tendencies are to obtain these things,
he quickly rscovers from that cha
otto state called anarchy; and as revo-
buttons never turn backward, lie usually
comes out Of the smoke and dust and hell
of temporary anarchy with the character
of his liberties something improved, or, at
least, better understood, and will recon
ssruct his government upon better basis
than on that which formerly existed. 1t |
may be a bad quarter of an hour through |
which peoples and nations may pass to at |
tain that end, but usually the rest of the |
day he's been the better for it.
Now turn to the extreme TO which Re
publican party principles tend to despot-
ism. The excnse for centralizing power in |
the hands of king, or an aristocracy, or a |
parliament, or in general government,
such as that of the United States, is that it
is necessary in order to protect society
from popular uprisings, and for the preser-
walton OF peace and good order, and the
protection of the individual as against the
populace But the devoted advocates of
power are somewhat blinded to the very
emphatic teachings Of history. They seem
to forget that it is the disposition of
In on every possible occasion. and
upon every conceivable pretext: and that
once intrenched behind the ability to per-
petuate itself, and itself made the judge of
The extent of its own prerogatives, it is not
long before the power that was given to
protect is used to Cypress; and that which
-as intended TO preserve peace and good