The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-07-19
PARTY PRINCIPLES CONTRAsTBp.

The menace to their (the people s.
prosperity has always resided in
Democratic principles. Republican
National Platform.
That is substantially the disap-
proving criticism of the Federalists
of hundred years ago, and is the
meat of the adverse comment of
their various successors down to
and including the Republican party
of to-day. Moreover, it will be re-
peated by other fieeting political or
ganizations after the Republican
party shall have gone to destruc-
ton.
The basic principle of Demo ocracy
the equality of all men-has been
antagonized by every anti-Demo-
cratic party since the adoption of
the Constitution. In the early days
OF tie Republic that principle was
strenuously opposed by the FEEDER
alists, who favored an aristocratic
republican instead of a democratic
republican form OF government for
the new nation. The Federalists
advocated loose construction of
the Constitution, and the centraliz-
alton of the governmental power.
The Democrats have always insist
ed upon strict construction of the
Constitution, and the exercise by
the Federal Government of only
suoh powers as were delegated by
the Constitution. The Federalists
asserted that the people were not fit
TO govern themselves, while the
Democrats Cor Republicans as they
then called themselves) contended
that all the functions of government
should be exercised by the people
themselves. The anti-democratic
attitude of the Federalists revealed
the necessity for fortiiying the new
Republic against the insidious at.
tacks of political aristocracy, with
the result that the first ten amend
ments to the Constitution were pro-
posed to the several States in 1889.
This was a signal assertion and vim
dication of Democratic principles.
When the Federalist party was
wiped out of existence It was sue
ceeded in turn by the National Re-
publicans, the Wings and the pres
ent Republican party. All favor
ed loose construction Of the Con
stitution and an extension of the
powers of the Federal Government.
But these schemes failed of con-
summation until William Mckinley
was made President. Party eX-
pediency has now taken the place
of Democratic construction of the
Constitution, and the power of the
Federal Government is being eX-
tended by neglect of the perform
ance of obvious duties and by the
commission of offenses against the
Constitution.
Democratic principles are what
they have always been, and are the
antithesis of modern Republican
principles. Briefly they are as fol-
lows; All men are created equal;
all men have an equal right to par
ticipate in their own government;
religious belief shall not be bar to
political preferment; exceptional
commercial privileges shall not be
granted to any man or set of men;
no protective tariff or any other tax
shall be levied upon the whole
people for the benefit of the few;
the Constitution admits of only one
construction, and it applies with
equal force in all sections of Ameri-
can territory. In word, the Demo
cratic party has stood, now stands
and always will stand for equality,
while the Republican party stands
for favoritism and all political evils.
Philadelphia ketoyd