Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-05-03
ITS MISSION.

We have frequently remarked upon
what we believed to be the peculiar mis-
sion of the Democratic party, judging 1t by
lis past aud present record. Our interest
ing contemporary the Richmond Times in
a recent editorial : "a Lesson to Demo
Gratis" used sentence which confirms us
in the belief that we have not misappre-
hended the true mission of Democracy.
The Times saws "Its mission is to COM
bat the principles and policies winch the
Republican party stands for.' What a
foolish and hopeless mission is the Demo
cratic party engaged in Foolish, because
it is unwise; hopeless, because it can never
triumph as long a. the Republican party
stands firmly by the principles 1t now adj
vocates.
The Times after announcing the mission
of the Democratic party, in the sentence
above quoted, proceeds with the alarming
statement, that "Without such opposi-
ton the Republican party would soon
overthrow the republic and set up mon
archal form of government" This kind
of charge has been made against all men
and all parties who have advocated a
strong Federal government, ever since the
present Constitution was framed and Of
fered to the thirteen States that formed
the original Union. 1t is the same old cry
of the ultra States rights advocates, who
have blindly held to the doctrine that our
form of government should be: "tmperi-
un il. jmperio." When the Constitution
was adopted by the thirteen states and the
Union was formed rather than Confeder-
acy, the question should have then been
forever set at rest. But it was not, until
secession had been tried.
1t became the mission of the Republican
party to do in the century Just ending
what the Federalists undertook to do in
the closing years of the eighteenth century
that is to show the superiority of re-
public to a democracy. The Federals's
we're accused by the Democrats of being
monarchists, just as the Republicans are
now being accused of being imperiallsis.
The charge was preferred against the Fed
eralsts, because they contended for a
strong, centralized government -tor
Union that was to be perpetual The he
publicans are accused of being imperialleta,
because they have adhered to the doctrine
that the prosperity, happiness and glory Of
our country depends upon the preserva-
ton of the Union formed upon the FEEDER
allst construction of the Constitution, and
the expansion of its sphere Of influence, as
long as there is room to expand.
The Times says at is the business Of
the Democratic party to hold these Repub-
licans in check, to overthrow them if
can, but it'd cannot, at least 20 throw
tangled grass in their pathway" What
a splendid mission for Democracy. Truly
it never learns or forgets anything. How
different has been the mission of the Re
publican party. Its birth came in a great
struggle for human freedom, and it won al
eternal crown of glory in q successful con-
test for the preservation Of the republic
the Union. Then, as now, it was the mis-
sion Of the Democratic party to combat
the principles and policies of the Repubh-
can party. The Democrats may be able
to deceive the people on some lines, but
they will never be able to make them be-
leve that tie Republican party Is any
thing else than the preserver and jealous
protector OF the republic.