The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-10
DEMOCRACY.
The Times has received the fo'lO"'"s
letter: 1,,o a 1906.

The Times has received 'ne '''''
letter: ,s 1r,e 1906.
To tho Editor Richmond Ilmes'
Dear Sir.-Wn you please deHhe " '' -
ore democratic principles. as apPneu 70
the Democratic party III 0"o
States? o...,,ia, rrin-
o,ntcs. those without which there Is no
Dsmocratic rarity, and beyond when are
,,ot necessarily to he construed as Demo-
oacy? co,t,ftTrEE.
vvs 10 not sign any names. as the I'M
rortance OF this subject ana me ln'elNsI
therein which your editorial columns pc
sneak Justify us i'm believing you VIII De
ready and pleased to carefully answer our
request through the medium oil your
columns.
1t is not our custom TO answer anohy-
NOUS comml nicntons. We generally
throw such I'm the waste basket. a man
who IS serious in any matter whatever
should always be willing 10 avow his con-
lection with 1t and suspicion Of bad
faith IS aroused when concealment Of the
person is made.
A question of Il Is sort, however. is one
shat Democratic newspaper ought TO be
ready and glad to answer upon its own
initiative. and we therefore give con-
sideration to this communication that We
have never before given to an anonymous
ore.
history teaches US that II hos teen the
fate of all peoples TO begin II cir natiohal
life under the rule Of chiefs. In the early
stages Of a people. before they have en-
urhtaumont and knowledge, the strong
men rule and the strong men tyranlze'
As every people has progressed in civil
alton and knowledge We have 1ouhu
thfm asking ly what title is one man TO
cay that he is better than another man.
and what gives one a right TO command
while another is bound 10 obey? When
The question has been wch agiiated ana
discussed the answer has always COME
from each people that one man has no
natural right OF dominion over another
and vhat. IN the language of our Declare
tiou Of Independence 'all men are torn
free and equal There has therefore
grown up in every society of which his
tory tells Us anything section CT party
that has protested again ST the rule OF all
hy one or few and has demanded that
each member Of the society shall have
the game voice in the rule and control
Of T. e whole that any other member has.
This section of opinion has had given to
Il for many centuries the name of
democracy word composed Of the
two Greek words demos" the people.
and "kratoa" the power or rule. The
word means the rule Of the people them
selves by the people. as opposed to the
idea Of the rule Of the people by a few
special and privileged ones. That is the
essential idea of Democracy" II is to
be a state and condition I'm which each
citizen is the exact equal before the law
Of the land. Of every other citizen. each
is to have the same voice in the rule
and control OF the country that any
other has. and the laws that the country
has are to favor none but all 70 bear in
exactly tho same way upon all.
TO illustrate 10y conditions existing in
this country. The Republican party seeks
TO enact protective tariff and other laws
which Will benefit some citizens at the
expense of others. Democracy at once
says that is contrary to the rGture Of
things and IS consequently unjust and
opposed TO the IDEA Of Democracy Tho
Republican party OF this country con-
sequenty stands for the old-time oligar-
chical and monarchlcal idea of rule. The
Democracy ought to stand for total op-
rosiuun 10 an forms OF that idea and
for rule that will keep each citizen UNI
der The same protection and in tie same
enjoyment OF he laws that any other
citizen has,
1t should 6c plain. from these remarks
mat Democracy real object is TO secure
TO an men equal. even ana exact JUS
tee. while Eepublicanism has fayorites
who enjoy privileges at the expense Of
the whole And. with this idea kept be-
fore the mind II ought to be easy for
any man TO tell at once whether pro-
posed measure is truly Democratic or
whether Il is not II It will operate In
such a manner as 20 give one man or
set OF men privileges and advantages that
ali do not have. or so as to impose bur
dens upon some men that are not Imposed