The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-22

1t does not appear to us that Mr..
we publish this morning, makes out
any better case for ostracising some
millions of Democrats in this country
than the free silver people do for their
financial system. In the first place.
the analogy which he draws between
a political party and a church, a lodge
or a legislature is obviously faulty.
He says: eff the congress Of the United
States proposes an act that is not in
accordance with the United States con-
stitution, it is no good" And so he
applies the argument to party plat
form. Now, If every congress that as
sembled could change the constitution
of the United States at it's pleasure
and make a new one to suit it's tenn
per, proceeding thereafter to legislate
according to the constitution of its
own framing, the two cases would
be alike. 1t is the very fact that
congress is bound by written consti-
tuition, which it cannot alter while a
political convention has only princi-
pies and traditions expressed in past
platforms to go by, that makes Mr.
Craven's proposition entirely falla-
cious.
According to his argument, there
would be no such things as principles.
Everything is a matter of expediency,
ay1d rio
by fundamental conceptions of mans
duty toward his neighbor and himself.
but by the vote of a mass meeting or
the shouting of mob. On the basis
of his system member of the Epis-
copal church. for example, would be
forbidden to call himself an Episco-
palian, if, by accident, q lot of Unitari-
ans should come in at one of it's con-
ventions and pass resolution denying
the doctrine of the Trinity; and a mem
Der of lodge of Good Templars would
have to become a confirmed topper, if
his associates should prove false to
any platform is largely the re-
suit of the chance of the moment.
while party principles have their
roots in history and strike deep
into the moral nature of man himself
To them his highest obedience is due.
And where we find, as we do in the
present instance, that more than $50
newspapers throughout the country
which have consistently adhered to the
Democratic faith, more than one-third
of the members of the Democratic ma
tional convention itself, and not less
. than two or three million Democratic
voters declare that the Chicago plat
form and nominees are not Democratic
but Populistic. their opinion is entitled
to some weight.
1t is not uncommon to find
men who are not satisfied with
liberty to think as they please
and to act as seems right to them
but who want to dictate to all others
exactly how they shall think and act,
under appropriate pains and penalties
The reading out process" indeed, is
40iIC q Ae~AAAiioA lAlH6 pOilLlCdl MS
tory. 1t is the last refuge of the in
tolerant; but we have not ever OBJ
served that it conduces to party
growth, or that it was one of the steps
leading up to party victory We
hold that the principles represent
ed by the Democratic party from
fits earliest beginnings, which are also
the principles that alone seem to us
consistent with public and private
honor. cannot be overturned in a day.
We hold that men like the Hon. Dan
tel w. Lawler and the Hon. Thomas
Wilson, who have been the chosen
leaders Of their party in the state of
Minnesota, and whose Democracy is
born in them and win never perish un-
til they Gle. have and will retain, un-
der any and all circumstances. as good
right to the name Democrat" as a
man who formally severed his connec-
ton with that party two years ago,
who has been IN avowed Populist,