The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-01
DIsCoRDANT PRINCIPLES AND
CUrS

To the man who has attained clear
conception Of the fundamental prtn-
ciple that separates political organiza-
tions, defines their purposes and di-
reefs their policies nothing is more
frequent than to meet other men still
in the mists, attached to and sustain
ing a political organization while hold
ing opinions that directly antagonize
It's vital principle. There are but two
conceptions of government and its
shading off in various degrees, holds it
the proper function of government to
stand in the relation of parent to
his minor children, guarding them, sus-
tanning them, providing them with oc-
cupation and directing their energies
in such lines as his superior wisdom
may deem best for them. While no
political party that has as yet OBJ
tanned prominence in this country goes
to this extreme, it is the basis Of the
policies of Republicanism, upon which
Populism has erected another story
into which it invites the electorate to
move.
The opposing concept is the Demo-
cratic, that holds government to the
single function, chiefly, of securing to
each person the right Of doing what he
will provided he infringes the equal
rights of no other one. AS Henry
George put it in one Of his speeches
the other day: What one does, as
long as It Injuries no one else, is no
one else's business" Being no one
else's business, it cannot be every ones
business. and government is simply
every one of us. Democracy recognizes
as one Of the fundamental facts of
human existence that each person must
depend upon himself; that it Is only
thus that strength of character is de-
veloped, and that strength of a nation
is merely the strength of character of
its citizens. These are simple tests
that any person, even if not of high
intelligence, can apply to every pro-
posed use Of the power OF all OF us,
centered in what we term government.
Does the proposed act infringe any
natural right Of any man the enjoy
mant and use of which Injuries no
mans equal right? If so, the Demo
crat viii oppose it; the socialist will
espouse it, if, as is always the case,
It is cloaked with a pretense Of the
general welfare.
But, in spite Of the simplicity of the
test, it is the commonest thing to
meet Democrats who give their sup
port 10 the most ultra plans Of social
ism, and, on the other hand, to find
Rep@blicanS and Populists who, in the
abstract, are believers in the ultimate
proposition that is the basis of De-
mocracy. We have, for instance, Mr.
Bryan at one time proclaiming free
trade and denying to government the
right or power 10 compel any one to
share his earnings with any other man,
and at another insisting that the DOW
er Of the government should be used
to compel contribution from all to the
gains Of q few producers. We have, on
the other side, Mr.. Shaw, the Repub
lican candidate for governor of Iowa,
rroclaininG opinions that find no basis
except in the principles Of Democracy
uttered i'll advocacy Of the cause Of
RepublicanisIa, received with acclaim
ly Republican audiences and pro-
nouHced orthodox by the Journals CT
his party.
In one Of his speeches he said: All
that any party or any standard or any
legislation can do is to see that every
man has an open field and q fair fight
It cannot exempt him from the fight
Fight he must, and the best that the
government can do is to see to it that
no one strikes below the belt. From
the beginning Of time 70 the present
and TO the end of time those who earn
and save VIII have, and those who re-