The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-08-08
FRrrpoM. Nd. August l, ls9e.

Z
/ MEssRs. EDIToRs.-In large sense every
! presidential election in this country may be
\ called a crisis. Under Republican form of
\ government the national policy must be de-
/ termined by the action of political parties.
/ Such parties secure and administer power by
the rule of the majority. In view of this |
| feel impelled to address my neighbors and
friends upon the present political situation
and what seems to me the duty of Democrats
in the premises. That am without political
aspiration and that | speak solely because of
my desire to aid so far as possible in the cor
rect solution of the problems now before u.s.
must be understood by those who know that
the kindness of friends has filled the full
measure of my ambition, and also that life
can hold little for me beyond the very pleas
ant memories of the past
| want to speak as a life long Democrat, to
Democrats. Not merely as partisans, but
rather as American citizens who have en-
braced one side Of the contest which has been
waged in this country since the foundation
of its government and must in some form
forever continue to divide its citizens into OPP
posite political camps. / speak as Demo
crat who follows the teachings of Thomas
Jefferson, accepting his guidance as to prIn-
ciples but never warped in judgment by
failure to distinguish between principles and
policies Principles are eternal; policies to
give them effect may be changed by varying
conditions. As | read his published writings
and recall his administration of affairs, moth
ing is more clear than that he had certain dis
tnct ideas which he wished to see established
in this country For instance, he was a firm
defender of Democracy as embodied in the
Declaration of Independence and opposed to
the Colectivism of Hamilton. He believed
firmly in the capacity of the people for self
government, and denied the assertion of Ham
iton that it should be the province of govern
ment to legislate in favor of the rich that the
rich might care for the poor. He believed
firmly in the rule of the majority of numbers,
denying the proposition that intelligence
could be measured either by wealth or birth.
He was essentially man of the people and
sought in every way to prevent the ENGRAVING
upon the fundamental law of the land any
provision that might be used to create ia
vored class rolling in luxury at the expense
of the producing classes.
With such guide, what shall be said of
the proposition that Democrats are not to be
held to a performance of their duties because
at the late Chicago convention there were
declarations and nominations not favored by
minority of the members of that convention?
1t can never be reasonably expected that a
political platform intended to secure the suf-
frages of the people should embrace all that
may he deemed essential by very large num-
| Der of the voters by whose action it may be
ratified. 1t has not escaped the attention of
even the most superficial observer of events
that as Il people we have entered upon the
| discussion of issues practically new to the
! electorate. That we have been forced to this
discussion by condition of affairs only pos
sible by the practical overthrow of the princi-
! Piles Of Jefferson, ! believe to be self-evident
When the great leader of the Democracy
lived he labored for country in which, to
use his own words, "We have no pauper
class. The statesman who could look over
this broad land and fail to see pauper or Il
tramp, saw also in the condition of Europe ct
the time u terrible lesson as to the evils of
class legislation. He desired that the sacri-
fees made for liberty on this continent should
not be nullihed by a governmental policy
that should force us to the condition of the
oppressed of other lands. And yet he did
not for a moment believe it would ever be
possible that even n majority would come to
full agreement. Accepting the doctrine of
the rule Of the majority and the absolute ne
cessity for the existence of political parties
under Republican form of government, he
appreciated the fact that valuable progress
could only be secured by yielding of radi-
calism and Fastening of conservatism. And
liberty should be secured and extended.
Now let us apply these principles to the
result of the Democratic convention at Chi
cago. And we must do this with no feeling
of luminosity because men calling themselves
Democrats have assumed to denounce the ac-
ton of two-thirds majority of their party in
terms to be criticised if aimed at the most
pronounced supporters of Hamiltonism, the
most ultra protectionist We must make this
plain at the outset. If it can be Faithfully
said that two-thirds of the great Democratic
party have surrendered TO craze, or that
they are seeking to write ''Repudiation'' upon
the national escutcheon, then we may forbear
any further effort and moan the final destruc-
ton of our liberties. But it is neither true
nor possible. The Chicago convention was
called under forms which have the authority
of almost century of observance. In its
every procedure it was guided by the accepted
rules of parliamentary law. Its decisions
reached were as binding upon the members
of the party as have been the proceedings of
any convention since the days of jefferson.
1t may startle some conservatives to discover
that the party has been called upon to declare
in favor of propositions against which they
have been preiudiced rather by the influences
of their environment than by careful effort
to ascertain whether or not they are embraced
in the Democratic creed. The shell of their
conservatism has been Jared before, This
seems to be the first successful effort to crack
it. So wise councillor as Jefferson never
supposed that the details of administration
suitable for the government of 6, 600, 900 peo-
pie who had never seen a locomotive nor
even dreamed of an electric light would be
accepted by the 10000, 900 citizens who are
now entitled to reap the benefits of the gov
ornamental principles embodied in the funda-
mental law.
And what is proposed to us by the men who
denounce the Democracy and propose its de-
feat? Simply the re-establishment of the
most odious form of centralsm ever known
in this country. Democrats are asked to aid
in the election of man who in his every
public action has shown himself the blind and
devout follower of Hamilton and the oppo-
nent of every principle held dear by Thomas
Jefferson, His success would mean the
turning back of the dial of human progress
and the undertaking Of another battle for hu-
man liberty under conditions intensified by
the proponents of special privilege and class
legislation. We have escaped the Force bills
sought TO be thrust upon us by the present
nominee of the Republican party and still
hoped for by the men who have mortgaged
his prospective administration. Is there a
Democrat in Maryland who is willing to as
sumo this risk? 1t is asked that we shall
turn back upon our record and aid in placing
in power the chief advocate of High Taxes
the author and defender Of tariff law that
has been twice emphatically condemned by
the people and now not even sustained by his
own party. do not believe the Democrats
of Maryland can be so misled. l shall be
sorry to see signs that in this county any sig
nifcant number will be willing to so far for
get the traditions and principles of their party
as to aid in accomplishing such fatal result.
JAMES G. BERRET.