The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-01-21
SOME POLITICAL OPINIONS,
Why He Is a Democrat Told by
Frank FinlaysOn.
An Interesting Address by the Young
Asselnblyman.
4 Strong Presentation Last Night of
tho Reasons for His Selection
or the Party OF JEFF
fersOn,

IL Nir. rank FluldybOu, tH6 hUlb yOuuk
assembyinsn from this district, talk on
"Why / Am Democrat.
The subject ia one that to be fully
treated would require several hours.
Mr.. Finlayson was compelled to hold
his. remarks within less than an hour
and thirty minutes. As result he
was unable to bring forth many strong
points, but presented the general topic
with his accustomed ability and logical
reasoning.
Alter music the speaker was intro
duced by Secretary Ballard, and pro-
ceeded to speak as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen Il
have been asked by the chairman OF the
association why l am Democrat. In
telling you why | am Democrat
might tell you why became &c. | had
been surrounded by Republican at
mosphere, but before could cast vote
had begun to carefully study the polite
~ status of the various parties. Among
the books | read was Herbert Spencer's
Ideal Government, in which he takes
the ground that the less government
there is for the individual the better,
which he effectively proved to my salts
faction. asked those about me which
party best followed the ideas laid down
in this book l was told that neither
party did. At that time the tariff had
not assumed such proportions as an ls-
ene as it is today. In fact Senator
Stamford declared light protective
tariff to be robbery. Finally at last
broke through the doubt which sur
rounded me then and joined the party
WHICH [ believed and still believe ia the
one which follows the ideas in Spencer's
book-the Democratic party.
AT the beginning of the century there
were two parties. One party, led by
Hamilton, believed in strong govern
ment, sort OF government by the aris-
tocrscy, while the other party, led by
Patrick Henry and later by Thomas
Jefferson, feared that the Capitalization
of power would obllterate the original
IS colonies. and was in favor of main
tanning their prestige. He then pro-
ceeded to give brief historical sketch
of tho progress OF these two parties and
the ones which sprsng from them.
When the Wing party died the Re-
publican party arose. 1t had q mission
to perform. and it did it nobly and COM
pletely. AS to the part Of the two par
ties in that conflict to free the slaves,
there were more Democrats in the Union
army than Repu blicans. During the
days OF the reconstruction period, had
the southern states not come back into
tAe Union freely, the end of the war
would have been a failure. Its purpose
was to preserve the Union, but not by
coercing or forcing the southern states
to re-enter the Union, which ia sup
ported not upon bayonets but upon
brotherly feeling. During the war the
Republicans were justified in levying
war taxes and putting on high pro-
tective tariff as matter OF govern
mental defense. For time after the
war neither OF the parties had any def
mite object, but as the problems OF the
day presented themselves they were
forced 10 choose sides OF those questions.
The basic principle of the Democratic
party is to let alone, and for non-inter-
ference by the government with the in
dividua. The Republican party is
against this, and favors strong govern
mental power.
The two underlying principles of the
Democratic party are don't interfere
the policy of laissez faire, and the
other is home rule. They believed that
the individuals should be allowed the
government OF affairs that concerned
them. The city should be allowed to
govern its own affairs, the state should
be supreme in all matters that concerned
it's domestic condition, and the govern
ment should be supreme IN all affairs
pertaining to ite own special sphere.
On the other hand the Republican
party believes in interfering. The party
of paternalism.
Thomas Jefferson is the father of the
Democratic party, and he has laid down
the principles CT this government. II
he was wrong in the principles which
be laid down then our government is
wrong. In his inaugural address be
prayed for q frugal government and one
that will let alone and not take from the
laborer what he has owned. The
Democratic party was always in favor o.
frugal government.
The Republican party believes in in
terfering with the rights of the indi
vidua. Take as an illustration the
building up of the Pacific transconti-
mental lines. The government granted
away vast tracts of land belonging TIC
the people, and also issued bonds. Some
OF those roads have now gone into the
hands of receiver and how the gov
eminent is to be paid back canno
ace. All the result of this paternalism
by which the rights of the individual
are dieregardeo, is that few people be-
come millionaires. There is senti
mental side to the lslssez fairs doctrin.
by which a man is influenced to joir
the Democratic party. 1t is the policy
which let's people go and do as they
please.
The speaker treated briefly of the
rise of The Popuist and Prohibition
parties, and then proceeded 10 brief,
review the advantages OF tariff fol
revenue only.
Out OF total of %, 100000 laborers il
this country but 1000. 600 were en-
ployed in factories in the east in facto
rice that were supposed to be helped by
the tariff. The advocates OF this higt
tariff admit that only one-quarter 0
these 1000, 900 are helped. The othe
2l,O00, OOO iaborers are engaged III tht
farming industry and transportation
Ii the iAsn-rs were alio SeI - got .hei
staples 20 Erfopo and gst the menu-
lactnrs@ .ooIs o: .na- county ia rotu m
Riiich ronld b. dnno By romovia. thi
laT- II, !. ~on!l bate: the general condi
ilnn II aia.ts and ~cu.d c-oa;e do
.aaaG .or Iao'e l.borsr,. Az result
tha 200 0o0 lstor.,p directly benefited
bY the tarilf could be absorbed II tn
nemand ia olere labor.
The present. condition Of the countr'
is MT duo 20 The election Of Mr. Gleyu