Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-06-12

oppose those Democratic policies
because they have been adopted by
the Republicans.
The Democrats of this country
must stand together and restore their
party to the power which was theirs.
They cannot do it by condcmning
that which is good because tho Re-
publicans endorse it, nor can they do
it by going off after strange and
unsound policies in order to secure
some votes which might otherwise
be Republican. The fight of Hamil-
ton and Jefferson is still on in this
country, and will be until it is fought
to finish. Either we will have an
aristocracy or we will have repub-
lie. Are the Democrats to discard
their fundamental idea of the liberty
of the individual and freedom of
thought and action by refusing to
recognize as members of their party
those men who have always fought
its battles in the past, but who in
the present believe that some of it's
policies are not the policies of the
true Democracy? The true Democ-
racy is a progressive party. 1t pro-
gresscd rs no other party ever has
done, and the nation prospered by
reason of its wisdom and administra-
tion of public affairs. 1t cannot pros
per if it is to oppose the extension
of our foreign trade, the creation Of
new markets, the upbuilding of our
commercial and industrial interests
and the freedom of the individual.
If the Republican party, tho record
of which shows it to have been a
party forbidding the free exercise of
speech, concentrating the wealth of
the country in the hands of few,
burdcning the people by excessive
taxation and conducting public affairs
for the benefit of private citizens if
that party is to be allowed to turn
its back upon its record and, by
adopting the progressive features OF
the Democracy, become the party OF
progress, then the Democratic party,
having allowed its opponent to
appropriate its principles, can nc
longer live.
believe that the Democratic
party does not exist for the more
purpose of opposing whatever the
Republican party may suggest.
believe that it lives, as it has lived
in time past, for the purpose OF
adopting that which is right and
discarding that which is wrong, and
conducting the affairs of State sc
as to make all men equal under the
law.
The record Of the Democratic
party upon the money question has
always been in favor of gold and
silver coined at such ratio as will
maintain their parity, and pape,
money convertible into coin at the
will Of tho holder. There is not q
line in any Democratic platform
fixing the ratio of silver and gold
prior to 1896. There is not line
in any Republican platform adyo.
eating or opposing the ratio of 16 tc
or any other particular ratio
There were strong men in the
Democratic party in favor Of the
free coinage of silver; there were
strong men in tho Republican party
in favor of the free coinage Of silver
The Republican party adopted the
first free coinage platform. Although
silver was dcmonctzcd by Re-
publican Legislation in 1873, the
only objection to that Act made
prior to 1896 came from the Rcpubli.
cans who had passed the Mintage
Act, under which silver was dcmonc.
tlzcd. After twcnty-three years
silence the Democratic party con.
dcmncd the Act of 1873, under
which silver was dcmonctized. Th,
Republicans answered by abrogatinp
their previous platform and ondors.
ing for the first time the monetary
system for which they were responsi.
BILE. At that point both parties
split. Silver men withdrew from
the Republican party, and gold me.
as they were called, withdrew from
the Democratic party. There were
moro Democrats who withdrew or
account Of their belief in tho mono.
tary system than thcre were Rcpub.
Leans who withdrew on account oil
their opposition to it. The resul,
was that after magnifccntly Tough,