The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-01
PARTIES AND PRINCIPLES,

What is a Democrat, anyway" ex-
claims an administration attorney, with
a rising infection.
A Democrat is one who believes in
American institutions and trusts the
people; who believes in civil and relig-
ious freedom, in popular government,
in liberty regulated by law, in meas
ures that insure the greatest good to
the greatest number. A Democrat is
one who honors the memory of the ma
TONS founders, believes the truths Of
the Declaration of Independence to be
imperishable and Interchangeable, up
holds the constitution of the republic,
and insists that the constitution and
the flag must stand together or fall to-
gether-one and inseparable, now and
forever. A Democrat believes in a sys-
tenn of taxation that is equally just IN
its operation and takes from the citi-
zen in proportion 20 his earnings and
possessions, in legislation that diScrim-
mates neither against the poor nor
against the rich, in laws that afford
ample protection to life and property,
and in claiming nothing for himself
that he is not willing to concede to his
fellow. A Democrat believes in the
fallibility of the executives and takes
no stock in that exploded AK
ION of royalty that the king
can do no wrong" A Demo-
crat believes in the financial independ-
ence Of this republic; that it is rich
enough, and great enough, and strong
enough to maintain a financial system
of its own: that the principles for which
our revolutionary forefathers battled
are as sacred today as they ever were.
g g @
And now, it may be in order to ask
what is a Republican? When you say
a man is a Republican these days what
do you mean?
Do you mean that he has any par
ticular opinion on any public question?
Or do you mean that he is like the local
Republican platforms sooner or later,
Sutherland says a man should be
without fixed principles? Don't you
mean that ne merely votes the Repub-
lican ticket, good or bad, and swallows
Republican platform sooner or later,
whether he believes in them or not?
There is not a public question, not
an issue before the people of this state
or nation, upon which the local or ma
tiOnal Republican party dares to take
a decisive stand except in favor of the
single gold standard, and the Republi-
can candidate for congress in this dis
trict is trying to dodge that issue. The
best men among Republican leaders
are thus afflicted. There is Senator
Hoar, who denOunces the imperialism
enthroned in the White House. but says
he expects to vote to continue it. There
is Senator Mason, who repudiates the
Toryism of the party in power but de-
clares that he will continue to affiliate
with it. There is Senator Wolcott. who
declared for bimetallism and within
two days voted for the single gold
standard. There is Senator Beveridge
who eloquently portrayed the evil and
injustice of a Porto Rican tariff, but
announced at the close of his speech
that he would support it. They know
the wrong and yet the wrong pursue"
q g q
There is the president in the same
rudderless boat. Four months ago he
declared for free trade for Porto Rico.
and now he favors an unconstitutional
tariff. Four months ago he said that
it is our 'Splain duty" TO give the Porto
Ricans free trade under the American
flag, and now he is making a personal
plea with congressman to vote down
his own recommendation. Then, his
record UPON this question of forcible ex-
pansion is quite as embarrassing to his
party; fifteen months ago he declared
it to be criminal and contrary TO Am
erican morals: now he wants to hold
the islanders, but TO treat and tax
them as foreigners. He demands to
know "who will pull down the flag"
but doesn't care who tramples down
the constitution.
But who will say that the Imperialism
of this administration will keep through
the summer? Who knows? 1t passes
for Republican doctrine. but nearly all
the old-time Republican leaders are
against 1.-THE Republicans OF the
greatest ability and the highest cherac-