Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-08-19
A FAR1Y OF CONSTRUCTION.
Tho People VIII lie Benefited By Demo-
cratic Legislation.

cratic Legislation.
The first congress, democratic in |
both branches and acting in concert |
with a democratic president, which the |
country has seen for over third of
century and the first democratic con-
gress which hundreds of thousands of |
democratic voters have ever seen, as
scmbles at Washington. The exigency
which brings it together in advance OF
the usual date of assembling is i'm
portant, but il is not SO important as
the fact that the party Of the constitu-
ton is once more about to assume full |
control of affairs, and that the people |
once more are TO know what demo-
cratic government actually is. not by
the professions and promises of its ad-
vocates, nor by the Misrepresentation
of its opponents, but by actual expert
ence.
So many years have elapsed since
the party was able to carry out its will
in federal affairs, aud no much OF i.s-
time and energies have been devoted to
checking the dangerous schemes Of re-
publicanism that large part of the
country, especially OF its younger vot-
ers, have formed the idea that democ-
racy is the party of obstruction and ne
cation, and that it is not capable OF
constructive craftsmanship. The his
tory of the country bellies this belief,
for the greatest positive achievements
in our national history for many years
were the products of democrats, acting
on the lines of democratic principles.
The periods of our healthiest industrial
growth, of our greatest national ex-
pansion and greatest contentment
have been periods when the country
gave willing acquiescence to demo-
cratic beliefs and saw them in conse-
quence work out the blessings to free
people, interested in their observance.
1t is true that the party will have
much to tear down before it can begin
to build up. The present silver law
must be done away with before sound
currency law, adaptable to all times
and conditions, can be enacted; the
tariff laws must be changed thoroughly
to bring them into accord with the
democratic belief of taxation for rev
enue and public purposes only; fedora
supervision of elections must be abol
ished; the shipping laws must bt
altered to admit of maritime growtf
proportionate to our inland growth
and the pension system must be made
a roll of honor In so far as democratic
policies shall be necessary removals o.
. notifications of republican policies
they will destroy only to build on ;
, broader and more durable basis, ant
| they will insure more equable ant
more general distribution OF the nat
ural blessings with which the countr.
is so richly endowed and Of the benefit
that flow from our form OF government
, "In most of the great practical ques
4 tions of our times said the late Sam
, uel j. Tilden, "the democratic part
, has opposed the interference OF govern
: ment, even for the best objects, and bt
f cause it was solicitous for those OF
: jects has preferred to trust them t
wiser, safer and more efficien
| agencies" Within few weeks tn
n democratic party will once more be !
O a position to clear the ground for tn
e development o. the country and of tn
r individual citizen along the lines of tn
r greatest adaptability of each. Al
4 proprately, it will begin to clear ava
the encumbrances of republican legi
IS lation by repeating an act requirin
v the purchases by the treasury OF silve
h which is in fiat contradiction OF dem'
Il cratic theory, in defiance of econom
d law, and in theory and practical worl
0. ings has proved a failure. more en-
>. phatically condemned by the America
people than any of the long series
s republican national measures, of whic
IS it and the Mckinley tariff are the la
O. and fullest fruits.
20 The democratic party is not only
self constructive; it aims to give eve1
citizen the fullest opportunity, accor
ing to his own Judgment and attai
ments, to build for himself.-Albar
* | Arruc