Arizona daily citizen., 1901-10-11
THE DEMOCRATIC MISSION.

Mr.. Charles A. Conant, for many
wears the Washington correspon-
dent of the Springfield Republican,
has an article i'll the Atlantic Month
" on The Future of Political Par
ties, which, while not wholly sat
is(ac,orv from the Democratic point
OF view, is eminently worthy OF con-
sideration,
He holds that the diversions
and hesitations' which characterize
the Democracy today are due to the
fact that the purely political mission
of the party has been fulfilled; that
the fundamental political principles
for which Jefferson wrote and
wrought have after a long struggle
been realized in so far as they can
I've realized through legislation, and
that the future mission of the party
should be to strive for a social and
economic equality of opportunity at
home. Mr.. Conant claims that
since 1876 there have been none but
forced issues to divide the two great
parties.
Even admitting that from 1875
until 1898 there were no differences
between the parties upon the politi-
cal principles which are known as
distinctively American or Jefferson
ian the same cannot be said today.
There are today political principles
at stake fundamental i'll their ma
ture and as much dependent for per
petuation upon the support OF the
Jeffersonian party as in the days of
the great popular leader. The prin-
Ciples OF Democracy eSpoused by
Jefferson after quarter OF CEN
fury of ceaseless agitation were os-
iensibly accepted, true, by every po-
litical organization They were os-
tensibly accepted because open op-
position would have meant political
disaster to all opponents. The con-
version of the party of Hamilton
took place in one campaign in which
it was demonstrated that the peo-
pie were thoroughly i'll accord with
the party of Jefferson The con-
version was too sudden to be sim
Cere.
Are the political principles OF JEFF
ferson accepted by both parties to-
day as claimed by MI Conant9 AS
suredly not. There is hardly
principle for which Jefferson stood
which is not denounced as theoretic
by the Republican party. Hence
there are political principles involv-
ed today, as in the early days, and
the Democracy has political as
we'll as an economic mission to full
fill.
Yet when Mr.. Conant declares
the Democratic mission to be Ito
demand equality of opportunity for
those within the state in sharing
what has been won for the citizens
of the the state throughout the
world he suggests All undoubted
for Democracy along the
economic line. He says further:
That a great work lies before the
party of popular rights is manifest
from many of the signs of the times.
The rapid accumulation of property |
in the hands of few is a factor big
with the elements of jealousy and .
discord in the future. =
A legitimate field undoubtedly lies
before the party which sets out to
diminish the powers of corruption,
Of deception and of spoliation. con-
ferred by the progress of events up
On concentrated wealth and un-
'crupulous power. It's highest aims
houid be to insure to all something
# that equality of economic and So
ial opportunity which is the dream
{ the most profound thinkers. x
y In this great field of econom-
!, inequalities must labor the liberal {
arty of the future. S
Such has in fact always been the c
ission of the Democracy. Jeffer- I
N foresaw the inevitable consolid- =
ion of wealth with its attending |,
ills and outlined the policy for his t
srty. The Democracy now, as II
-er, has a mission: {, g
7. The perpetuation of the prin- 2
pies of liberty and equality. t,
2. A jealous regard for the rights d
man such as are best insured l
rough maintaining the equality = :.
economic opportunity among r,
Ell. -