The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-04-12
Past and Present Parties.

In ante.bellum days there was species
of politician belonging to the democratic
party known as the northern man with
southern principles" Franklin Pierce
was conspicuous man of this class, and
James Buchanan was another. Both of
these men were elected President of the
United States, one term each. They
were in favor of, or at least not opposed
to, the extension of slavery into the
territories. This class of hybrid politician
was the choice of the slave oligarchy or
aristocracy of the slave States.
The outcome of this policy was the
"civil war;" which was in fact very
uncivil episode. The result of the war
was the destruction of chattel slavery and
the downfall of the slave aristocracy.
The war disrupted the democratic party
organization, and the policy of the old
federal party was injected into the repub-
lican party, which was the organized war
party against the slave rebellion. When
the rebellion was overthrown and wal
party's mission ended, the political ma
chinery of the republican party was in
the hands of the wealthy class which
formerly was embodied in the federal
party, i'll the days of Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton.
Power has remained in the hands of
that party ever since the war, and they
have steadily pushed the principles of
government of wealth as opposed to the
philosophy of Jefferson, ofgovernment by
the people and for their benefit primarily
This is the present condition of party
affairs. The republican party is the Or
gained party of wealth and privilege, and
is pushing with might and main to crys-
talize that system of government in this
republic, which is classified among the
various systems of government as Plu-
tocracy, a system in which the primary
purpose of government is the protection
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of property. The
welfare of the masses is but a secondary
consideration of this system of gov.
eminent.
European governments have largely
shifted from absolute monarchies to plu-
tocratic government. Commerce and the
concentration Of wealth is the controlling
policy Of all the European powers. In
this system England leads and blazes
the way.
The republican party is close imitator
and COPPER of England, hence its inordi-
nate mania for foreign colonies to be
managed as crown colonies are treated
AS in ante-bellum times there was
noudescript politician known as a
"northern man with southern principles"
that figured in the democratic party and
was favorite with the slave aristocracy
so at the present time there is found in
the democratic party hybrid element in
favor of the aristocratic policy of wealth,
or of placing the dollar above the man,
as expressed in familiar phrase. They
are democrats with republican principles.
Grover Cleveland, David B. Hill, Vim. c.
Whitney, ct. al, are conspicuous figures
of this class; the "et. al" embraces the
whole gold standard class who claim to be
democrats but are in harmony with
the republican party OH that party's
principles.
While the democratic policy continues
to coddle and coax this class it will never
succeed in making Roadway against the
plutocracy which the republican party is
straining every nerve to firmly establish.
1t can only gain partial success in local
and State scrambles for the offices, but
never Roadway as national party.