Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-05-01
EDITOR HEARST'S VIEWS
ON DEMOCRATIC DUTY
Bury Dead Issues
Face to the Front"

oI progress. lt Will succeed, as Til
den said, when it has the courage to
be democratic.
The recent municipal elections in
the West have driven that lesson
home for the hundredth time. After
eight years of wandering among blind
trails of retrOgression, each leading
to staggering defeat, the Democracy
turns to the front and finds victory.
The men who led the triumphant
democracy in Cleveland, in Chicago.
IN Toledo aud in dozen other cities
were alive themselves and made their
campaigns on live issues. Such
things as the public ownership of
the public utilities and the preserya
ton of municipal water fronts from
corporate raids won the favor of the
voters, IS they always do Wheueyer
they are fairly presented.
1t is evident that the silver mum
my has been finally sealed in it, sar-
cOphagus. In the old stronghold of
free coinage the party has lost ground:
IN the cities whose people refuse To
tolerate the attacks on the monetary
standard it has gained. Both silver
men and their opponents thus recog
nIze the extinction of the Issue.
1t is evident, ton, that there is no
life IN what is inaccurately described
as "ahti imperialism" Real anti.
imperialism, of course, is imperissble
aud Irresistible. Opposition to the
policy of acquiring subjects" and
governing them through military pro
consuls who suppress newspapers and
deport critics will never subside. But
the programme of abandoning the
Philippines to Ouenth despotism
instead of cndOwering them with
American freedom cannot be made
popular by calling it anti imperialism.
Free silver is cOmbrous financial
system that was useful in its day, but
has been outgrowu. To 90 back 10
1t now would he retrogression, not
progress. So would be the abandon
ment of the Philippines. The de-
mOcracy eau never prosper as aretro-
gressive party. Whenever it has
liOurished it has been as party of
action-one that has embodied Amer
lean energy and courage-one that
has needed only to know that it has
been right and then has gone ahead.
On reactionary issues the democ
racy was bound to be defeated, rs
the Journal foretOld time and again
The minds that tend toward reaction
are naturally attracted toward the
republican party. Most of the votes
of that kind of people will inevitably
go in that direction. Ii is no use for
the democracy TO try to get them
away. But when the democratic can.
didates in any section represent pro
gressive policies and live issues, rs
Carter Harrison did In Chicago and
Tom l.. johnson in Cleveland, the
democracy wins.
Municipal ownership has been the
winning card in these city elections.
There are is9ues of a similar order
that would be equally popular in To-
cal. State and national contests. The
journal some time ago offered pro-
gramme of this kind, and it feels en-
couraged by recent events to call at
tention to it again. Here is what
We suggested as twentieth century
Internal Policy:
First election of Senators by the
people. The Senate, now becoming
private property of corporations and
bosses, to be made truly represen-
tave, and the State Legislature to be
redeemed from recurring scandals.
Destruction of criminal
trusts. No monOpolizatlon of the
national resources by lawless private
com binstions more powerful than the
peoples government.
Third-No protection for oppres-
sive trusts. Organizations powerful
enough to Cypress the people ; 10
longer infant industries"
Fourth-Public ownership ofpGb-
lie franc hises. The value created by
the community should belong to
the cotns~"rity.
Fifth-A graduated income tax.
Every citizen tn cOntrlbute 10 the