The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-02

the thought that possibly the fact that
man of such talents, national re9u-
ta.ion, accredited ability, and with such
past, (and / believe 1 use the word
past advisedly) Democratic record as
Colonel Henry Watterson. should de-
nounce the Chicago platform as mon
strous. and say of it: 1T not only
means national Republication and spolia-
ton, but it is an open door to a revolu-
tion," might influence some persons who
have faltn in his integrity, and were it
not for such expressions coming from
such sources, would he supporters of the
men who have been nominated to exc
cute the will of the people as outlined
in that platform. He says further thar
there are from two TO four millions OF
staunch Democrats whose votes can be
made just as effectual in suppressing
anarchy as the votes of those Repub-
leans who directly support Mckinley.
Those Democrats" says he, must
have some abiding place. A sound
Democratic ticket would get them all.
The proposition of a sound Democratic
ticket being put in the field to midi
Tectly support Mckinley, as the gen
Ileman's language imports is an anon
alous one, and must certainly detract
from any sound Democracy which it
may profess, or proclaim.
It is evident from the language of the
illustrious Watterson that he finds fault
with the financial plank. Let US, then,
ask the gentleman and his coadjutators
if this be notrDemocracy, what then is
Democracy?
Let the question have direct reference
to the Democracy which is formulated
by the party bearing the name, ana pro-
T7111irra eI in ,aIn II ri q
political bands which have from the
formation Of the government held to-
gether a number of our citizens; the
political bands which Jefferson called
Republican, and Jackson called Demo-
cratic, and Watterson and his allies
choose to call Anarchy.
While 1 believe with, 1 trust, the ma
jority of the people in a majority OF
the states of the United States today,
that the seed of independence sown
over a hundred years ago by our fore
fathers, has, like the century plant,
blossomed, borne fruit and the fruit
is ripe, that the time has now come
for this generation to reap the harvest,
and to prepare the soil and plant new
seed that fruit may be borne for an
hundred years to come for future gener-
ations to enjoy, and that if the soil of
the old parties be found to be sterile 1t
is our duty to plant the seed in a new
party irrespective of name, for after all
there is nothing in a name, it is the
result that we seek and parties are
but the way. I also believe that if
there be men so tied TO the word De-
mocracy; so enrapt with the idea of
consistency; so determined to act in the
present and future as they have in the
past, as is indicated in the statements
of the honorable gentleman who as
sUmes to speak for four million Demo-
crG.s. it is a duty they owe to them
selves as well as to their country that
they permit not themselves to be de-
ceived into following the shadow rather
than the substance. That if they wish
to support a sound Democracy they
must first determine what a sound De
mocracy is. They will readily learn
that ii is not the sound Of the voices OF
a few men VINO have led Sc long that
they believe it to be anarchy to refuse
to follow. That it is not submission Of
the majority to the minority. That it
is not the endorsement of the actions
ef q few men when such actions are
contrary to the demands of millions of
men, though it may be when such ac-
tons are contrary to the demands Of
millions of dollars as men and women,
and not dollars, are the idols OF De-
mocracy That it is not a blind, idola-
trous admiration of any man or class
of men, but a sublime devotion to the
cause of humanity.
The position of Colonel Watterson and
his allies is but an historical repetition
of a condition of the minds and action
of men observed by Addison, when he
wrote these words:
1T is the restful ambition of a few
artful men that thus breaks a people
into factions, and draws several we'll
meaning persons to their interest by
specious concern for their country"
The colonel is doubtless one of those
artful men and hopes to stampede his
millions by the seductive phrase
sound Democracy" Sound Democra-
cy should mean a Democracy whose
principles are Interchangeable in their
nature when applied to the same sub
ject matter. He doubtless means by
that phrase, sound money Democracy,
and by sound money likewise means
the gold standard. This is clear when
he says the Chicago platform, which
declares for gold and silver, means
national reputation.
A party which has existed since the
beginning of the government, as the
Democratic party has done, should
have a record; and the Democratic
party has a record upon the financial
and currency questions which the
eloquence of a Hill, the dictatorial rea-
soning of a Whitney, the sublime self
assurance of a. Cleveland, can neither
change nor efface: nor can the saduc-
lively dazzling yellow tint of Hanna's
barrel with Lombard street as a
background obliterate.
The Democratic party was in power
g greater part Of the time from the
adoption Of the constitution until the
year 1860; through all that period COW
ering about three-quarters of a century
silver and gold were not only coined,
but were each recognized and used
as money. National Indebtedness hay
ing been necessarily incurred was
lquidated with gold and silver alike;
no creditor was given the right to
demand the one to the deprecia ton of
the other And Notwithstanding the
fact that England had established the
gold standard. no Democrat ever pro-
posed in congress or out of congress,
IN the party or out Of the party, TO
establish such standard for America.
1t can be as truthfully said of par
ties as of men, by their works We shall
know them. But the Democratic party
has net been silent. For the first few
presidential campaigns the distinctive
issues between the parties were pre-
suned to be so we'll understood as to
need no platform declaration of prin-
ciples: but in 1886, a time at which
most of our present self-constituted
seers of Democracy belonged to the
American infantry, the Democracy Of
New York, of which Whitney, Hill and
Cleveland claim to be the opponents.
gave US the first recorded political