St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-04
PURE DEMOCRACY.
HON. GEORGE l.. BECKER DlS.
CUssEs HIS PARTY.
He Clearly Outlines Its Princi.
pies and Its Purposes-An
Il Able Paper.

Gen. Becker was asked by the editor
OF the Northwestern Chronicle to make
Tor Its readers statement of the prin-
clples and purposes of the party which
III this state had made him its standard.
bearer this year. In response. Mr..
Becker sent the following reply:
ct The organization Of the Democratic
party In the United States dates back
to the days of the American Revolution.
through all these years its principles,
| which are rudimentary In this govern
ment. have been the same, and they
nave their earnest and steadfast. advO-
Gates IN every part of the country, eX-
Tending from ocean TO ocean and from
the lakes to the gulf. 1t stands today
as the only unseclional party in the
and the universally of its presence is
entitled to respectful hearing and
proper consideration.
Its history when completely written
is the history of the American republic.
shall attempt is this brief article an
analysis OF its doctrines as applied 10
practical elf-gOvernment.
Thomas jefferson, its founder, was
the author Of the Declaration of indie
pendence, which, among others, contains
these memorable words:
1--WE hold these truths to be self
evident; that all men are created equal :;
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights; that
among these are life. liberty and the
pursuit of happiness; that to secure
these rights governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed"
These words are the cornerstone and
the inspiration of the Democratic party
and upon them are based, as upon
solid and unyielding rock. all the hopes
which the world has of government
by the people. of the people and for the
people III this and all coming genera
tiOnS.
Our government is instituted for the
protection of our lives, our liberties
and our property-leaving each ndivid-
ual citizen to work out his destiny in
his own way, subject only to such limi-
tatlonS as the constitution and the laws
i'll the interest of all may impose.
1.-THE Constitution and the Laws,
the watchword of American Democracy
we will observe the one, we will
secure equal rights for all and we grant
especial favors" to none.
If in the process of time the country
departs from course which secures
these ends, if the country ever ignores
these principles of self-government, our
system aud our laws provide for reyo-
lutlon-a peaceful one, 1t is true, but
none the less revolutionary the fire.
quently recurring elections which give
the people AN opportunity to right
ab ;ses, overthrow usurpations. and to
provide for guards for future security.
Such an opportunity is now presented
to our people in the approaching cleo
ton for state officers and for members
| for congress.
1t is a high responsibility and a
solemn duty, with which each citizen is
clothed-the elective franchise. 1t
should be exercised soberly, carefully,
conscientiously, and intelligenIly-so
exercised, the decision will be right,
and will command the obedience of all.
1t is an old maxim of the Democratic
party that that is the best government
| which governs least"
| In these days we nave too much legis-
lation, state and federal, embracing
every conceivable subject. Ii We con-
template the enormous mass of s'a.utes
which are annually enacted we may
| well despair OF ever knowing what the
band. profession of lawyers, whose
business 1t is to ascertain and advise us
| what the law is in any given caSe-and
these men. whOSe lives are devoted to a
study OF the subject, most commonly
and frequently fail to agree in any given
case. Hence the great mass of litga-
ton which crowds our courts-eXpenSiye
alike 10 litigants and the public.
| There are too many laWs-there should
be less legIslatiOn-let laws be enforced
| strlctly-upon all alike-and let there
be more independence and individuality
! upon the part of the citizen.
AS general rule government which
will attempt more than 1t ought will do
far less than it should-a government
which undertakes things beyond its
| reach Is certain not only to tail, but is
likely to produce effects directly the op-
! poSite of that which it considers desirable
and SO 1t follows that the party which
promises the most ill the way OF
Special or Class LEGISLATION
will be conspicuous only for its fail
ures.
We cannot make men good and true
and honest and thrifty and economical
| by legislation. They who think we can
| mistake the end and Overrate the force
and power of government. The history
| of some of the states of the Union
which have legislated in this direction
| iustties all that can be said upon this
topic.
The theory and practice of the Demo-
cratic party with reference to actual
administration is that the expenses Of
the government should he carefully
watched - that they should be kept
within the narrOweSt limits consistent
with the public welfare-and that the
revenues to pay such expenses should
be borne by all alike id proportion to
their ability to pay.
"kqual Rights to ALL"
special favors to none. This is one of
the foundation principles of the Demo-
cratic faith. Because of this the Demo-
cratic party has ever been for a tariff
for revenue and for revenue only. 1t
does not believe in protection in any
form or shape-it would never tax one
citizen to enrich another-and so is UNI
alterably opposed to monopolies and
trusts in every form and to the system
which promotes and encourages their
growth.
In like manner the Democratic party
has ever favored the use of gold and
silver side by side as the lawful money
of the United States. Whatever legis.
luliOh ehCiO udo DcSu Ill lulS country
dlvorcing these metals and diScounten.
ancing the use of one or the other has
not been the work of the Democratic
party, but has been enacted in spite
OF it.
My own view is that it is the duty and
the prerogative of this government to
furnish the currency to be used by Its
people-that it should be redeemable in
gold or silver, or both, at the option of
the government, at fixed ratio to be
established by legal authority, and that
this duty and prerogative should never
be delegated to any other authority
such currency founded upon the faith
and credit of all the people OF the United
States MnuId al WAYS he good at hama