The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-24
A POPULIsT's CRITICISMS OF THE
TIMES.

In another column We print this morn
ing a letter from Mr.. G. w. Jackson, the
Popullst member Of the Virginia Senate
from the Twenty district
Mr.. Jackson's letter has two objects In
view. One is 10 complain Of our treat
ment of the Populists; the other is to
prove that The Times is not a Democrat,
and to find out just what 1t is.
SO far as our treatment of the Popu-
lists is concerned we wish TO say that
we have never Intentionally said one
word In disparaCement OF their honesty
and integrity We cannot, OF course,
speak for all Populists. but we know
many whom We think as honorable and
upright men as this State has. All that
we have said Of them to which Mr.. Jack
s)n can except has relation TO their doc.
trines. II Is with entire respect that we
say that, I'm our opinion, the man who
can believe in their theories has more
or less dsordered mind. He differs in
degree from the man We lock up in
lunatic asylum, but not In kind. We look
upon the man who believes that the gov
eminent can convert a piece Of paper or
nifty cents worth of silver into a dollar
men who believe II possible to create
perpetual motion That all these are men
OF disordered mind cannot bear discus
sion.
II. then, regard for their feelings re-
strains us from telling the POpulists that,
I'm our opinion, they are dcranged men, we
must at least be accorded the privilege
of saying that their theories are the theO-
ries OF lunatiCs, that would upset all So
cial order and produce anarchy If they
were accepted as the principles upon
which government Is to be conducted.
A word now. as to The Times and its
party allegiance.
The Times is a Democrat on principle
not Democrat Of the Tammany order,
who understands Democracy to mean vot-
ing for the candidate that his party
authorities romirate. The Times is a Dem
ocrat In the sense Of believing that all
men ahould stand upon a footing of per
feet equality before the laws, which should
confer iavors and privileges upon none
and impose disabilities upon none. That
is the pole star of The Times Democracy.
When those who control the machinery
Of the Democratic party divert the eff
milton Of that fundamental principle, The
Times thinks that. as a genuine and true
Democrat, 1t is its duty to point that fact
out TO its party authorities and TO urge
them 10 discontinue their undemocratic
course Snd bring the party back to lines
which are In thorough accord with that
great underlying principle of Democracy.
For this reason The Times thinks itself
just as much bound to critiCise its own
party authorities when they stray from
the true lines of Democracy as it is to
point out how Republcanism is at vari-
ance with Democracy's foundation prin-
ciple. and how IL would establish favored
and privileged classes and deny many
persons that equal share of the benefits
Of the laws which all should have.
That is The Times Democracy. 1t holds
on with the grip of vice to Democracy's
foundation principle that the laws shall
bear in the same way upon all men 1t
eriticises the Republicans because they do
not aim at securing that result in their
theory OF government and 1t must criti-
else it's own party authorities whenever
they depart from that chart OF Democra-
cy in the hope and the effort to bring
them back TO those. the true lines of
Democracy.