Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-10-11
GOV. STONE
Makes His First Speech Of the
Campaign at Carthage.
The Salient Points of the Speech-The Cues
ton of State Observation-Disclosures
ments of FederaIism-A
Western Man for SO.

CARTHAGE, Mo-, Sept. 30--GOv. Stone
made his first speech of this campaign
here last night. In part Gov. Stone
said:
MR. Observation-Disclosures the oldest OF
our political questions has become the newest,
ana 1t is also the most important This cues
Ton relates to the respective rights and powers
of the state and federal governments under the
constitution OF the United States. 1t is the old
est because it is coeyal with the republic itself
II Is the newest, because the controversies be-
tween state and federal authority, provoked by
recent events, which in Illinois and CalifOr-
MA developed almost into open conflict, have
attracted a rev and more intense present in
SefeSt to the subject II is always the most
important, because it affects the organic ma
ture OF our government, because upon it hinges
not only the character. but the .Derpetuity OF
our institutions, and because more than any
other it directly and permanently concerns the
personal rights and liberty of the citizen. 9th
er prominent questions OF the day. like those
relating to revenue and finance albeit of the
highest importance TO national prosperity, are.
after all but questions OF expediency, of public
policy. OF mere administrative import The
very nature of such questions almost neceSsari-
Il makes any given solution of them a tenn
porary solution The most patriotic considera-
tons. looking only to the public good. may
ut one time demand the modification. even
the reversal OF a mere policy wisely
entered upon at another time not
with this great question of government
tai organism. This is q question not of
policy. but of principle. 1t is fundamental
not merely incidental: it is permanent. not
mutable: 1t is organic not administrative. 1t
Is question which goes to the very root. and
involves our national life. 1t is the same great
question which separated Hamilton and JEFF
ferson- It is the old fght between federalism
and democracy When our national govern
Inent was first established. these two antagon-
istic forces-federalism and democracy-were
present contending for the mastery One
sought to establish q great centralized govern
ment, practically monarchical in form. and to
ciothe with undivided sovereignty 1t sought
to dlyeSt the states of their sovereign attri-
butes and to compress the whole in one consol-
idated mass-into one single omnpotent SOY
ereignty. The other sought the reverse of
that 1t sought to establish national gov
eminent of limited and purely delegated pow
ers- Instead OF consolidating all sovereignty
into one great central government il sought to
create q national government of limited powers
defined by specific grants in written const-
tuition: to make it a sovereign as to those
granted powers only, and to leave the Sover-
eighty of the states undsturbcd to all pow
ers not granted Federalism denied the capac-
ity of the people for successful self-govern-
Tacnt. and maintained that the public good
could be best promoted. and the public safety
alone secured, through the agency of strong
centralized government far removed from di
rect popular restraint or interference. 1t con-
tended that. in practical effect, democracy and
nObocracy were synonymous 1t was strongly
opposed to state sovereignty. because state
sovereignty was too democratic: because it
meant the reservation of too much power to
the people and the consequent subsection of
public authority to popular control Democ-
racy. the contrary, maintained the very
opposite OF all that. 1t had absolute faith in
the ability of the people to govern them
selves, and with strong hand upheld
the standard of popular supremacy 1t
stood the uncompromising advocate of local
T.
yielding in its opposition to unrestricted
federalism. which it denounced as a scheme to
promote powerful special interests. menace
to personal liberty, and sure precuror 20 i'm
perialiSm.
DEMOCRACY ON THE DEFENSIVE.
But in recent years federalism has been more
arrogant adroit and successful than formerly
in It's assaults can not be unmindful OF the
fact that democracy is on the defensive.
Federalism has been gaining and democracy
losing ground. The old party still stands forth
the battfe-scarred and veteran defender of To-
cal sovereignty and the inestimable right of
the people to govern themselves: but am
not obiivious of the truth which. unhappily. is
too apparent that the party. and the cause it
represents. have suffered grievOuSly in recent
years. Strange things have come to pass.
The democratic faith. the doctrines
OF Thomas jefferson. have been discredited
by some who Shonld have been the first to
vindicate them There are those who have be-
assaulted. where duty required defense; who
dealt a blow where love and loyalty should have
lifted a shield. Democrats have been so tossed
about In the storm of recent events that they
may have become unsettled. and some have
lost their way.
am amazed. Mr.. Chairman to find so many
democrats undecided as to where duty and ale
glance call them. My heart burns with indg-
nation when behold the contempt with which
the time-honored principles of my party are
trampled upon and / deSpiSe the SubterfugeS
under which assaults upon them are justified.
This is day when democrats ought to be
tiiant with triumph and it's immortal principles
dominant throughout the land; but. instead.
driven about from post to pillar. with
out unity. cohesion or corporation. diSputing
with each other about our party policies and
the very dogmaS OF our faith We need
a more fearless and rugged manhood. and
less obsequious timidIty; lOftier devotion to
principle. and less of fawning adulatiOn; more
old-faShioned Observation-Disclosures democ-
racy. with which all genuine democrats are
familiar. and less of that more modern and
spurious article, which few democrats can rec
ognize and many utterly repudiate 1t is time
to.call a halt and take bearings. We
should renew our hold on the faith of the IA
theirs. Democrats at least should understand
what democracy means and what the demo
cratic party really stand for.
protest against the right assumed by the
federal authorities of exercising police power
in the state of Missouri, or in any state of this
in national convention has declared that it is
incxpedient and dangerous to exercise doubt
full constitutional powers" The authorities of
this state are both willing and able to suppress
local disorders and preserve the public
peace without any arbitrary or offfciouS exter-
nal interference. look with diSfavor and re-
sentiment upon whatever infringes upon the
sovereign rights of this commonwealth. dis
approve of it not only because il conflicts with
those great fundamental principles of general
tn yh ha re- iatl
but also and especially because it conflicts
alike with the oft-repeated declarations of the
Missouri democracy and the wise provisions of
our state constitution.
If platforms are without meaning if they are
nothing more than campaign receptions, If
their principal object is to catch votes and pro
mote success at the polls. rather than to de-
clare vital principles and important purposes
then the platform declarations of the party are
without substantial Significance. But if party
platforms are, as 1 hope, constructed a
higher plane than that; if they are in fact
what they pretend to be, and ought to be,
the honest expression of party conviction and
party purpose. then, to this great question
of local sovereignty, whatever any official may
do or individual say. there can be con-
troversy as to the position of the democratic
party itself. And il the great fundamental
principles of the democratic party were ever
essential to the perpetuation of our institutions
or important to the cause of human liberty,
they arc Just as much to-day they were
when Thomas Jefferson stood forth as their ex-
ponent. or Andrew jackson lifted his iron
hand to defend them.
pENoUNCEs THE A. p. A.
Gov stone next discussed the subject of re-
Isxiou.. liberty. protesting. he expressed It.
against any direct affinity between religion