Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-07-13
Gssey County 8rrala.
FRIDAY. JrLY L., 1900.
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
"Rather bear the ills we have,
Than fly to others that We know
not Of"

placed itself on record there is very lit
tie at issue between the two parties, aud
any man with such analysis of the two
platforms rs can Ice made almost at a
glance will see that the only thing Ia
determine is which party will probably
pursue the wiSrSt course in conducting
our foreign possessions. On the subject
of monopolies, militariSm, trusts, and
such other matters there is no great
difference of opinion in the abstract.
The difference is in the application of
those principles. The exercise OF mill
tarism 10y the republican party in the
manner that it has been exercised Is
criticised. and we think Justly lay the
democratic platform. hut not word Is
said in the platform about whether It
would be conducted any different if the
democrats were in power, or how. if any
way. the military arm of the country
would he moved differently, On the
subject of monopolies there is no differ
ence in theory between the parties, and
all the democratic platform says is that
its adheremts will make mceasing and
Jealous warfare against them, but sug-
gests no remedy for the evils of trusts
and monopoly that are not being in use
now. 1t is true the platform says that
they are foStered by republican laws, and
"that they are protected by the republi-
can administration in return for cam
paign subscriptions and political sup
port" 1t is not true that they are
fostered by republican laws. There
is too much truth in the saying that they
are favored 10y the republican admins
tration in return for campaign suhscrip-
tions and political support, but it is not
at all certain that it would he any differ
ent under democratic rule. That is Il
party, as is well known, that is never
wanting in gratitude or favor towards
those who contribute either by scrip or
sympathy to its support. To say that Il
man should be deposed because he has
some faults is one thing, and TO say that
another should be substituted without
first ascertaning that the substitute is
not more faulty is quite another thing,
The lG to | chestnut will of course cut
no ice. That is a theory that is so far
gone and swallowed up in the wisdom of
an opposite doctrine that any issue on it
becomes absolutely immaterial. The
same may be said of another doctrine of
the platform, relating to the tariff. Who
ever is president they will be treated
the same. Matters under the control of
congress are not vital issues in conduct
ing the campaign.
So that on the whole it seems to us
that there is no doctrinal issue between
the two parties of today. The only
sembance of an issue between them is
on imperialism and expansion. The
democratic platform contains considera-
BILE logic. 1t asserts that no nation can
endure half republic and half empire.
That is probably as true as was Lin
coins saying that a nation couldn't exist
half free and half slave. 1t is also
probably true that despotism exercised
abroad will lead to its exercise at home,
just as a domestic circle suffers the con
sequences Of mans getting booty
abroad The democratic party also de-
nounces the colonial policy as inconsiS-
tent with republican institutions. With
this declaration we are not at war. All
the platforms blood and thunder about
the sacrifice of lives in connection with
our acquisition of the islands was proba-
bly, followed by crocodile tears, because
the party that was making that platform
has never cried over sour noblest sons"
in times of war, especially when sacrifice
was necessary in order to defend the
honor of the nation, and the heft of that
sacrifice was made in such necessity {:
indeed nearly all of it except sort of
guerilla warfare which resulted. But
however that may be the platform is
doubtless correct in saying that the
treatment of the island possessions may
be regarded as the paramount issue of
the campaign. But suppose the two
parties take issue there Now the
democrats say that they favor expansion
by peaceful and Legitimate means that
they are in favor of extending the re-
public's influence among the nations, not
by force and violence, but through the
persuasive power of an high and honora-
bic example. Now that is all buncombe
1t is either imaginative, hocus pocus
or imbecility. What is nation act
ing as an honorable example" and do.
ing nothing? The exercise of force by
nation depends upon the necessity for
its exercise. Wouldn't the powers look
nice simply sitting on their thrones, Oh
in Legislative halls, looking down with
righteous Indignation upon China and
doing nothing to arrest the most horri-
BILE slaughter going on there. Rnt