The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-20
The Opposltion Party of The Future.

Iu1 OppObtUlDn 1dIO1 OI tlb nuburO.
The recent overwhelming victory of the
Democratic party at the polls seems to
have dazed the party of grand moral
IDEAS" and the decentralization seems so
confusing that some ask if it will not lead
to the destruction of that party. 1t is OBJ
served, too, that some efforts are being
made to consolidate the prohibtionists aud
peoples party into one, accompanied with
whispers that 1t will be the party to con-
front the Democrats in the contest for
political supremacy in this country.
The Republican party may go out Of
existence, so far as name is concerned,
though we scarcely believe it, and those
who compose IL may seek out new allies,
reconstruct their broken and routed
columns and marshal their forces under
new name. Under such circumstances
they would doubtless modify their political
doctrines, or seek to disguise them under
new terms, as did the parties of which the
Republican party is the true and literal
descendant: but in some form or other,
whatever name may be assumed by those
who are now Republicans. the cardinal
doctrines of the Republican party will be
seen lurking to allure and destroy. And
as we are confident that the fundamental
doctrines of Republican party will
survive any change of name or re-
statement of doctrine, SO are we conf
dent that neither the Prohibitionsts nor
the Peoples party, nor both united will
ever become formidable factor in the
politics of this country, unless they should
unite with the Republican party in the re-
adjustment of party lines and principles as
the abolitionists united with the old Wing
party in 1856 and formed the Republican
party.
But the Prohibitionists or the Populists
standing alone or even together, can never
become formidable political factors. Why?
Because those parties do not have incor-
porated in their organization any great
foundation principle in respect to civil
government. They have gone off on what
may properly be called side issues, which
are mere incidents to the great problems
that affect the political issues not only of
this country but of the world.
There are two views only that may be
taken in respect to government-its sphere
and purpose. One 10 that governments are
instituted to protect society, to insure to it
domestic tranquility, TO preserve it from
foreign interference and TO protect the in
dividuals composing it in their right to live,
in their right to peacefully possess their
property, in their right TO be free and pur-
sue happiness in their own way so long as
they interfere not with the public peace
and well being, or trespass not upon the
rights of other individuals In this view,
when government accomplishes these pur-
poses, it ans wers the end of its creation.
1t is the servant of the people to accom-
plish these objects, and so much power as
is necessary to accomplish them is given to
it by the people.
The second view regards government as
possessing in some way or other paternal
powers to be exercised not only in preserv-
ing the domestic tranquility of society,
insuring it against foreign in
vasion and protecting individuals
in the enjoyment of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness; but also in fostering
industries, regulating the private business
of the people. and under The plea of sternly
regulating freedom by law, invades the do
main of liberty and dictates to the people
how they shall live.
This view takes government out of its
legitimate sphere according to the first
view, and constitutes ii something Of a
master instead of servant 1t scarce need
be added that the latter view Is the one en-
tertained by Republicans, while the former
is the one believed in by Democrats; that
the latter is favored by those who distrust
the people and ask that an authority be es-
tablished to dictate to them in their man
ner of life, while the former trusts the
people and asks that they be free, and that
government be confined strictly within the
limits assigned to it in the constitution
which called it into existence and clothed
it with it's limited powers
In fact the contention between the Dem