Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-13
DEMOCRACY AND TIE sLUMs.


reproach upon the Democracy because
of its great strength in the cities, as il
this were sure proof That the worst ele.
ments are for it. This hasty, crude and
brutal charge win not bear investiga
ton. In the first place, the strength Of
the Democratic vote in the city is from
the common people, the working peo
pie. the middle classes, just as it is
everywhere throughout the whole
country. The low and vile element in
cities-and therefore that proportion oi
the voters who can be bought or other.
wise improperly infuenced-this ele-
mens, we say, does not belong to any
party permanently, but goes according
10 its interests or it's whims, on occa-
sion. In cities where any party is
almos. uuinterruptedly in power the
lower, the purchasable, the cunning
and calculating voter will be generally
allied to it, aud for the same reason
that all other selfish interests are sup
posed to be safest with it; but this is
no expression in favor of the principles
or the policy of any one party. In New
York city the worse elements may have
been more generally with the Democra.
cy, because that party has been in
power, and therefore could confer bene-
fits in many ways. But step over to
Philadelphia and it ia all changed. The
same element goes with the Republi-
cans, and for the same reason.
Bat il we are to look at the question
from other and more specific stand.
points ard illustrations we shall find
complete disproof of the charge that the
Democracy goes down to the low level
of appeal. or to the low level OF material
for it's strength. And more than this,
in all the recent cases instanced as
proving this charge against the DEM
ocraey. we shall find that if the slums
did vote for it's candidates they were
getting the very best attainable ma
terial, and are not to be despised for
their Judgment or their taste. Thus, in
Massachusetts, we find all the cities
raliying TO William E. Russell, who has
been thrice elected governor in for
nerly sure Republican state. There ia
nothing about him that invites the
sluma, for be comes of blue blood and is
q pet OF Harvard college and type oil
the best Boston culture. If the slums
rallied to him they can be complimented
for good sense. Take the case of Gov.
ernor Boise, and particularly that Of
Governor Altgeld. the first governor
elected by the Democrats in forty We ars
in Illinois. Is he socialist? No, he is
an aristocrat, and is worth ten millions.
Is he low in thought or base in purpose,
or ignerant in any direction? No, he Is q
student OF the highest problems of life
and of fastidious tastes as to personal
bearing and literary attainments. The
slums Of Chicago might have voted for
him and helped to complete the revolu-
ton; but not because he was Demo-
crat, nor because he had one thing in
common with the vile or the thoughtless
herds anywhere, Indeed, it would al
most seem as if the Repu ublicans must
have had this latter class in years past,
and now make the charges to which we
have referred in their rage and disap-
pointment, for want of some better and
truer reason for losing their grip on
leadership.
But if we would have the most sig.
nificant proof that what we call the
lower classes, even in such a city as New
York itself, are not permanently allied
to the Democracy or any other party, for
that matter, but are often found to be
our most independent, acute and boldest
thinkers, turn to the time when Henry
George ran for mayor thers-only few
years ago. He went ell through the
city and particularly where the p-or
dwelt and preached to them the gospel
OF their duty and their opportunity.
This quiet, scholarly looking man ap-
pealed to no passions, but talked to
these poor creatures from a just, human
standpoint. Tammany organized against
him, while the Republicans fought him
as 6ercely as they knew how and with
their strongest man. The result was
that Henry George came near carrying
the city, getting over 10000 votes! An
object lesson that taught these two
truths: The slums, if these voters came
from the slums, are not the property OF
the blind devotees of the Democracy or
any other party; and also that they are
capable of thoughtful and independent
action.
And there is deeper fact and phil.
0scphy in this than we see at first. The
lower classes neither worship nor respect
the low type of political worker. They
rather look for better things in leaders.
They tire Of the self-aeserting, noisy
demagogue in their own ranks. They