The sun., 1900-04-24
TdREsHING OLD STRAW.

TdRESHING OLD STRAW.
In their statement of the issues of the
coming national campaign the Demo-
Gratis are threshing old straw. They are
continually discrediting the wisdom,
ability and success of modern statecraft
as exemplified in the history and success
full conduct of national affairs, by appeals
to the opinions and deeds of men and
past age.
They talk Of Jefferson, Monroe and
Jackson as if they had been born to be-
come the perpetual law givers of the
nation. They talk OF the laws, organic
and statue, of the constitutional and
statutory decisions of century ago as if
they were the products of divine wis
dom, and although applying to condi-
tions not only totally different. from
present conditions and necessities, but
made by men who could not anticir ate
present conditions, were intended to be
unaherably the laws OF this nation for
for all time. This is conservatism that
involves repression and retroeresison.
This is not only unwise in the presence of
the present mighty interests.involved in
our national life, but it is unAmerican,
! judged by the principles laid down, and
the work done by the very men whom
the Democrats are now quoting and
whose sayings they would impose as un,
a'terable law.
Aside from its representative character
as government by the people, the distin
gushing feature Of the American govern
mental policy is the provision for fre
qnent and rapid changes in its personne
and policy. The raas nable cause .fo
making a government of this character
is that it would afford an easy method
for r1ctifl ing mistakes, and getting ric
of incompetent or unfaithful governors
In doing this the founders OF the republic
acknowledged the limits OF their owl
abilities and anticipated a like limit ol
the part OF their successors; withou
anticipating exactly what has occurred
they made provision for discarding tn
policies which they approved and th
methods that they adopted. What thes
wise and patriotic men could not hav
anticipated has come. Upon every lin
OF public interest and human progres
the distance travelled in the last hal
Ct injury was to them an immeasurabl
, distance. They could not, did nc
anticipate nation that would EN-
, brace continent. They could nc
! anticipate the changes that hay
been made in the organic Law
> nor yet the volume or character {
' our statute law; they could not antic
; pate the character and volume Of th
, country's business, nor yet the disco,
3 cries and inventions that have change
; not only the face of the world but th
; character and needs OF its people. The
! could not have anticipated the progre!
, of human thought nor the immense il
crease of human ability, nor yet the di
, c0veries of new truth that have swe,
{ away the old creeds and that have pra
r tically created a new earth. In the pre-
' ence of this mighty present, we say
reyerently and with all due respect |
4 the wisdom and exalted patriotism
n these men, these old time masters, will
/. out the experience of living in it an
q being OF it, would have been impotel
i. pigmies among giants.
. To say that the leaders Of an age thi
. could not build decent wheelbarroy
e that could not print good book or
: new spaper, were born to be law give
e of an sge like this, is to talk nonsenst
e That these leaders were great men i
!. their day is true. Their greatness anon
: their fellows depended upon the cond
j. tions under which they lived. They wei
g fitted for them. Their greatness is be
d shown in their departure from old ideal
I. in their repudiation OF old and estal
e lished rules and precedents and in tt
adoption of new and radical ideas
i attempting to do that which was ne
a and of doubtful expedience. 1t is in thi
: their example and teachings are of Ii
!. most value to'this age. We can just
y and reasonably emulate their patriotism
and courage, but the wisdom of this az
t must be it's own. Il has better work I
d do than threshing oil straw even i
q politics.