The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-02
FIDELITY TO PRINCIPLE.

FIDELITY TO PRINCIPLE.
10 be Democrat is no easy task.
The Democratic party represents the
conservation Of true American princi-
pies, summary whereof is found in
the noble maxinl-"Equal rights to all,
special privileges to none"
The opposition to Democracy, under
whatever name it has masqueraded, Fed
eralist, Wing, Republican, has ever
sought to have the people create special
privileges to select classes The theory
upon which this effort has been predi-
Gated is this: That society can promote
its general welfare by enrcting certain
individuals and by concentrating wealth
III certain channels and that the artificial
prosperity thus created will, by some
mysterious process (never defined but
always strenuously declared to be opera
tive), become diffused throughout the
body polite. In accordance with this
theory, we have, during the history OF
these United States, witnessed the es-
Enlistment OF great federal banking
institution, the enactment OF subsidy
customs tariff which has borne the at
tractlve lnlsnomer OF protective tar
if, and the adoption and maintenance
OF absurd and snscienti6c navigation
laws. Later, we have witnessed the de-
struction OF the mcretary virtue OF sill
yer, by a concession to the banking and
money-lending interests OF Europe.
The evil results OF opposing the laws
OF exchange which Divine intelligence
has ordained and OF substituting there
Tor systems OF restriction based upon
narrow ard selfish notions, have become
distinctly manifest. In this free land,
where the marvellous bounty OF Divine
Providence was, originally, the COM
mon property OF all the citizens, our
easy going governmental policy has al
lowed the private appropriation OF the
forests. the mineral deposits, and the
ccntrol OF the chief highways. In order
to enrich these private "grabbers" of an
inheritance designed for all humanity,
we have sheltered them by our tariff
laws against foreign competition so that
humanity in general should be put to
artificial tardships in order to obtain
some share Of Natures munihcent boun-
ty. The bene6ciaries Of our tariff have
formed huge combinations of capital for
the purpose OF making united foray
upon the common people and killing do
nestle competition. These combina-
tons, called trusts or by some other
sweet, alluring name, unite with the
holders OF loanable capital to con-
troll the worlds system OF metallic
coinage SO as to render money scarce
and dear and property cheap. At the
same time, they join the holders OF
highway control generally called rail-
way corporations in system OF pool
ing, consolidation and traffic agree
mcnts,' by which the public is subjected
to the arts OF merciless extorton. Thus
do we OF the present age behold, roam
ing through the commonwealth, linked
together as the United States of Amer
lea, vast hordcs OF artificial monsters
engaged in dcvouring the common sub
stance. When society arms itself to at
tack them, they hand us our national
flag and tell us that the monetary sys-
tenn which robs lis and feeds them is
sound money and honest money:
that patriotism, honesty and regard
Tor business interests require us to
wave the flag, shout Gold, gold, gold!"
and dcsist from hostile measures.
When we propose to libcrate trade, re-
monetizc the old-timc metal of COM
mcrcc and destroy monopoly, they again
hand us the flag, whisper tempting
schemes OF conquest, territorial aggran-
dizcment and imperialstic supremacy in
our ears and send us to the Orient to
annihilatc an Asiatic republic.
BY these devices they seek to divert
HE attention OF Americans from GOV
Ornamental abuses. disarm the hosts OF
reform. and secure new realms for the
rule OF monopoly
The gallant Democracy, however, is
neither deceived nor inundated
Planting itself firmly upon the rock OF
principle. the great Jcffersonian ppliti-
cal association OF the Union stands forth
as the stcadiast champion OF popular
rights, equality OF privilege, freedom OF
trade and the bimctalic coinage OF the
constitution and the fathers
Alas, in the general chorus OF Demo-
cratic assent to the vitaf principles Of
Democracy some discordant tones are
heard. A few timid men who always felt
in their shrinking souls that adherence
to Democracy placed them outside the
pale OF fortune and imposed stigma OF
social inferiority; and who secretly
longed to reach the high social estate