The sun., 1897-12-04
The Thousands and the N1illions.

Our esteemed contemporary, the Rich
Democratic party and of the Importance of
that moribund and impotent little rem.
nant Of the smallest of minorities, the Ma
tional Democracy:
but the work OF the Sound. Money Democracy 10
not DONE They stand for the cardinal principles of
Democracy and It is their duty fight on in defence
OF these principles absolutely necessary to tho
preservation OF the Democratic party in its integrity
The work Of education has not been without its
eTect. and Its influence 10 being felt every day II
must Democrats awakening to the fact that
there can be no commerce between Democracy and
Populism. The two factions OF the Democratic party
are nearer together than they were year ago. In
our opinion. they will be even nearer together a
year hence than they are now. and we believe that
when the convention meets In 1900. platform will
be adopted that will be broad and sound enough for
all Democrats to stand and work together. the
advancement Of Democracy and to the good OF the
nation"
Whatever the so-called National Demo-
Gratis stand or have fallen for, they have
no right to the Democratic name, and they
exert no influence upon the real Democratic
party. The historical Democratic party has
disappeared. In its place is Democracy
more radical and fiercely agrarian than the
original Populist party itself. The new
Democracy Is opposed to wealth. 1t is op-
posed to law and courts which make it diff.
cult to riot with impunity against wealth
as represented by corporations. 1t Is op-
posed to the trust. the present cheapest and
most effective way of carrying on enormous
business enterprises; and this opposition is
not so much dependent upon any definite
injury worked by individual trusts as upon
an unreasoning sentimental hostility to
wealth and its combinations. Jealousy of
wealth, of capital: that is the basis of the
present Democratic creed. Accord ing to that
creed, the country is divided into the "toil.
ing masses" and the privileged "classes, /"
variously known as monopolists, the Money
Power, the money changer, and conspira.
tors engaged in crushing the toilers. The
crushers are also members of a conspiracy
to maintain the gold standard, and they
can he repressed only by means of the free
coinage of silver. They can be injured by
means of an income tax from which the
great body of citizens will be free.
The germ of the present Democratic doc
trine may be sought partly in the beliefs OF
the old Changers, partly In the radical pro
| grammes of the Farmers Alliance and In,
dustrial Union, which developed into the
Peoples party. But by 1895 the Democ
racy OF the South and West had become
just about as radical as the professed Pop
ulist party; and the union between the two
parties essentially one in their discontents
and their desires, was easily accomplished
Formally, the Populist of 1897 may differ
| from the Democrat of 1897 In believing
that free silver should be supplemented
by the issue of irredeemable paper money
That is about all the difference, for the Pop
ulist demand for Government ownership o.
the means of transportation and communi
cation, although not yet adopted by tn,
| Democrats, seems not unlikely to be so, fol
1t is In unison with the hatred of corpora
tions which is characteristic of the new De
mocracy. The ancient Democratic distrus
of the Government and unwillingness to ex
tend the sphere of action of the Government
seem to have disappeared for the most part
even In the South. The existing Demo
cratic party is not concerned about the Con
stitution. 1t means to punish capitalist
and fatten the "toiling masses" by laws fo
the purpose. 1t has ceased to hold the in
diyldualistic theory of government. It Il
first of all socialistic.
1t is far from being the fact that "ther
can be no co~mefce between DemOcrac!