The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-19

taken 1QCO account III lEeluluS Ua1!0 AZ So
lation. It said: Our established indus
tries and enterprises should not oe enoan-
gered."
For more than half century every
Democratic Convention condemned ma
tional bank and firmly supported metal
lie currency In 1856, 1884 and 1855 the
Democratic party declared ID Iayor on
gold and silver and paper convertloie lnOo
coin on demand In 1892 it favored the
coinage of both metals under an lntelna-
tional agreement. In 1sSS the Repuolcan
platform read:
1.-The Republican party is in favor OF ene
use Of both gold and silver as money anu
condemns the policy of the DemocraIlc
Administration in It's efforts Go demone-
tie silver"
In 1892 the Republican platform was
identical in principle upon this question
with the Democratic platform OF Aeoo, 1909
and 1858.
There have been protection Democrats
ever since Madison and Calhoun favored
the protection doctrine. There nave oeen
free trade Republicans from the founos-
ton of the Government.
Such men as Samuel J: Randall, Jonn
Randolph and John c. Calhoun always
spoke freely and clearly whether or not
they were in accord with the platforms OF
their parties The Democratic party mas
ALWAYS favored freedom Of speech and ac-
tion. The Republican party has always
sought to so centralize the Government as
to carry out the idea OF Alexander Hamll-
ton. The Democratic party has peen
party that has had for its policy the great
est good to the greatest number while the
Repu blican party as a party. has believed
with Hamilton, it's founder, in bestowing
benefits upon the few and only burdens
upon the many. until these latter day
saints" have led the Democratic party
into socialism. while as to expansion and
subsidies the Republicans have taken ad-
vantage Of the situation and boldly got
upon the Democratic platform.
They are now upon the currency ques-
ton practically where the Democratic
party stood up to 1896. They are now ad-
vocating the reciprocity OF Jackson and
Pierce. They are now advocating the
in the Democratic Convention of 1886 in
the matter of building the Pacific Rail
road. They wans to apply that principle
to our foreign commerce. Whenever the
Republicans are forced 60 abandon their
own policy they take up Democratic poll
cies, and the Democrats are asked to op-
pose those Democratic policies because
Ihey have been adopted by the Republl-
cans.
The Democrats of this country must
stand together and restore their party to
the power which was theirs. They cannot
do it by condemning that which IS good
because the Republicans endorse 1t, nor
can they do it by going off after strange
and unsound policies in order to secure
some votes which might otherwise be Re
publican. The fight Of Hamilton and
jefferson is still on in this country, and
will be until it is fought to finish.
Either we will have an arisrocracy or we
will have republic. Are the Democrats
to discard their fundamental idea OF the
liberty OF the individual and freedom Of
thought and action by refusing to recog-
nize as members Of their party those men
who have always fought its battles ID the
past. but who in the present believe that
some Of its policies are not the policies OF
the true Democracy? The true Democracy
is a progressive party. 1t progressed as
no other party ever has done, and the ma
tion prospered by reason Of its wisdom and
its administration Of public affairs. 1t
cannot prosper if it is to oppose the exten-
sion of our foreign trade, the creation OF
new markets the upbuilding OF our COM
mercial and industrial interests and the
freedom Of the individual. If che Repub-
lican party, the 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 a
few, burdening the people by excessive
taxation aud conducting public affairs for
the benefit OF private citizens; II that
party is to be allowed to turn its back
upon its record and, by adopting the pro-
gressive features Of the Democracy, be-
come the party Of progress, then the Dem
ocratic party. having allowed its oppo-
nent to appropriate its principles, can no
longer live.
Lbelieve that the Democratic party does
not exist for the mere purpose of oppos-
ing whatever. the. Republican party may
suggest. ! believe that 1t lives, as it has
lived in times past. for the purpose Of
adopting that which is right and discard
ing that which is wrong, and conducting
the affairs OF State SO 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 a
ratio as will maintain their parity and
paper money convertible into coin at the
will of the holder. There is not a line in
any Democratic platform 6x!ng the ratio
of silver and gold prior to 1896. There is
not line in any Republican platform ad-
vocatiog or opposing the ratio Of l6 to !
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 the Republican party
in favor of the free coinage Of silver. The
Republican party adopted the first free
coinage platform. Although silver was
demonetized by Republican legislation in
1873 the only objection to that Act made
prior to 1896 came from the Republicans.
who had passed the Nintage Act. under
which silver was demonetized. After
twenty-three years silence the Democrat
ic party condemned the Act Of 1873. under
which silver was demonetized. The Re.
publicans answered by abrogatin2 their
previous platform and indorsing for the
Erst time the monetary system for which
they were responsible At that point both
parties split. Silver men withdrew from
the Republican party. and gold men, as
they were called. withdrew from the Dem
ocratic party. There were more Demo.
Gratis who withdrew on account of their
belief in the monetary system than there
were Republicans who withdrew on ac,
count of their opposition toit. The result
was that after magnifcently fought
campaign the Republicans We're success
full, and the Democratic leaders all ugreed
that this Republican success was due to
those Democrats who had left their party
and voted either the Gold Democratic
- " for ~ +;ol-