Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-07-30
LIBERTY AND EQUALITY THE
ISSUE.
Republlcanlsm Means Caste and Tyr
rany-Democracy Means Liber-
ty and Equality.


Hon. Frederick E. White, demo.
cratic nominee for governor of Iowa,
was temporary chairman of the dem
ocratic state convention and deliver.
ed the following strong address, which
deals philosophically with the funda-
mental principles of our political par
ties Mr.. White said:
Republicanism is founded upon the
distinct idea of a strong central gov
ernment-the government deriving
its powers not in all cases from the
consent of the governed, but a gov.
eminent possessing inherent power
power within and of itself-power to
do what it chooses, and whatever it
pleases to do, to be in all cases bind.
ing upon the people.
Democracy is founded upon the dis
tinct idea that governments are Or
ganized among men for certain we'll
defined purposes; that inherently
governments possess no power Iwhat-
ever; that all power to be exercised
must first be delegated by the people.
The logical result of democratic
faith is enlarged liberty-all the liber-
ty possible. The logical result of the
republican theory of inherent power
in government is liberty dismissed
liberty destroyed.
Jeffersonism today constitutes the
browning glory of all our institutions,
as it is, indeed, the only barrier the
cumulative wisdom of the ages has
been able to erect to protect free
people against the approach of des-
potism. If you should ever, either
through ignorance, Indifference or
actual connivance, let 20 the Jeffer-
sonism but one thing will happen
must happens inevitable. and that
is the radical change in the entire
structure of the government. You will
then have fastened upon you either
socialism or despotism. Judging from
the accommodating evidence on every
hand, fear that when that evil day
comes it will be a..despotism-not the
despotism of ecclesiasticism, not the
despotism of on Old fashioned feudaI.
ism, not the despotism of an immedi.
ate militaris1n, but the despotism OF
money. the most merciIess, the cruel
est master of them all. Are present
conditions just and natural. such as
ought to prevail? None but veritable
demagogues and reckless partisans
will dissent from the statement that
the conditions throughout our coun
try are not only not satisfactory but
deplorable; not only deplorable but
actually alarming, and becoming
more alarming with the lapse of each
succeeding day. These conditions are
sought to be intensified and made
perpetual by certain class of people
who are the direct pecuniary benetic
faries, and while comparatively few
in number, are powerful in their in
tiuence. The vexatioue part OF thu
problem is that the multitude wht
are the victims are afflicted with al
inexplicable Indifference, the mos
remarkable part of their conduct be
ing their traditional immobiity.
The cause of true reform suffers i'm
mensely because a great many people
acf in, hot ai
freedom remains unimpalred as long
as they are not actually sold upol
the block. This monster delusion ha!
in the past from time to time defer
red, and is now deferring, the regen
GRAFTON of the political life of THU
nation. 1t Is this wretched hallunci
nation, Supplying the powers o
comprehension among many people
that gives the opportunities ant
furnishes the license to the pirates il
our midst to devour our substance
with impunity. Once let the people
learn that they may be reduced to
condition of practical servitude whil'
still permitted the use of the forms
and ceremonials to which they were
accustomed in state OF actual free
dom, but which are now empty forms
and shallow, meaningless ceremon'
falls, devoid of power and harmless
OF purpose; let the working classes
once thoroughly comprehend that
power to FIX wages and determine
prices is the omnipotent power in
this material world-the power that
can most effectually create the auto.