Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-08-05

nized and accepted by the term de-
mocracy. 1t stands, first of all for q
representative form of government
by all the people regardless of class,
section, race or color lines. 1t stands
; for local self-government; for the
principle that majoritles must rule
in conventions, elections and legisla
lures; for individual, religious and
political liberty; for freedom OF
speech and press; for trial by jury ;
the right of habeAs corpus; against
unreasonable search of persons and
their effects; for equal rights to all
and special privileges to none; the
supremacy of the civil over military
authority; the independence of the
three Coordinate branches of gov
eminent; in fact, for civil liberty in
/ its broadcast sense, and comes nearer
being the embodiment of the bill of
rights as interpreted in our ccnsti-
tutional law than any political doc>
trine or party yet devised under
our free republican institutions. IT'S
tenets are well understood to con-
vey all that is precious and essen
tia! to free people, and have clear
ly defined by conventions, both po-
litical and constitutional, as well as
I by legislatures and Judicial assem-
blies from time immemorial.
Its true meaning has only been
written down and expounded by
photographers and philosophers, but
its very essence has been absorbed
by our citizens of communities, states
and nation. In other words, it has
become a household word, aud is in
seperable from our historical growth
and glory and the future progress of
our country, as the declaration Of
independence and the constitution
of the United States. It represents,
in fact, one of the great political
forces and principles upon which
our government is founded and
maintained, the centrifugal force by
which central government is avoided
and local self government is made
possible as. contradistingui he'd from
the force of Capitalization as repre-
sented by the republican party. Its
doctrines as thus defined are broad
enough and deep enough to embody
every reform that may become nee
essary for free people as new emer-
gencies arise as civilization advances.
To part with the name of democracy
would be parting with great deal
of its substance as we'll as its forms,
and would give rise to new construc-
tions of party tenets and lead to end
less confusion if not hopeless disin-
tegration of the political forces that
now make up the rank and file of the
: democratic party. Let Us hold fast
rather to that which is good and in,
augurate reforms within old party
lines, and there can be no better
rallying ground than the Chicago
} platform of 1896 offers.
The dissatisfied elements of the
republican party and of the populist
party, in fact all people who hope to
ipaugurste purer and better govern
ment by means of the practical re-
forms, as outlined in that platform,
will Join hands and forces under the
banner of democracy in 1900 as they
did in 1896, with the almost absolute
assurance of suCcess
If this great declaration in the in
terest of popular government which
was the result of one of the greatest
civic struggles in the century, is not
worthy of the support of every true
American who understands the trend
of political events, what other plat
forms would be? If the practical
political reforms therein announced
do not offer the way to political free
dom of the people and genuine re-
form of government methods, what
other platform would? 1t has pass
ed through the trying ordeal of the
most significant political upheavals
and has come out of the struggle
stronger than ever, and so has iti
c able and fearless defender who wa'
nominated by that great party as it,
presidential candidate.
, 1t would be suicidal policy, in m,
!, opinion, to change either in the mex
presidential election, and a public
calamity to change the name of tht
party which called forth both tE'
: party and the candidate; or to des
9 troy the chance of electing demo
cratic house of representatives in the
56th congress by resorting to untriet
political expedients. Political pur
5 ity and reforms are growth lik'
D every thing else under heavens, ant
must he brought about by evolu
, ton, not revolution in politica
me thods. This is the duty. worl
and aim of democracy, which point
to the only path that leads to sue