The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-07-18
A DEMORALlZED PARTY.

is labcring today. In the future some
new party may arise out of it's ashes or
the name democracy, which is taking
one, may be perpetuated in some new
organization, but democracy as it has
been known in this country for three
quarters of a century is thing of the
past. The nearest approach to it's
eclipse is to be found in the wiping out
of the old Wing party. To-day it
would be impossible for any man among
the democratic leaders to PROFOUND q
definition of democracy or a platform
of its principles which would meet
with the approval of twenty five per
cent of that party. In Crawford county
democracy is still strong as a county
organization to dispense county officers
There is practically no real democracy
in the county. The Germans of the
county are not democrats on National
issues and hundreds of them who vote
the party ticket in order to keep the
county organization intact would be
| the worst scared men in the county if
they thought National democratic
principles were to prevail. If demo-
crazy were to be re.christened the
"Opposition Party" it would fnd a
cognomen thoroughly suited to all it's
purposes and covering all of its tenets.
In the South, Democracy means simply
opposition to so-called NEGRO domin-
alton. There is ample evidence that
the south is not enamoured of free
silver and that the last decade has
opened its eyes to the value of a pro-
tective tariff. So far the South is con-
cerned the protective tariff might be
shifted SOFAS to benefit the South at the
expense of the North butth protective
tariff as such will never be abandoned
with the consent of the southern
states.
| In the state of New York democracy
means antlprotection. New York City
is the center of the foreign trade of
this country, its importations are
enormous and very naturally the inn
porters are in favor of such tariff re.
auctions as will make their business
more profitable. The manufacturing
interests of New York are such how
ever that even the democrats OF that
state would hesitate before enacting
any sweeping tariff reductions. Again
| throughout the entire east there is a
com bined and solid front against the
silver heresy. In the west, democracy
is still more difficult to define. The
followers of free silver are becoming
fewer every day
| 1t would be impossible to unite the
democrats of the west upon plan of
tariff changes and all that is left them
is the power Of local patronage as in
this county and the elements of popu-
lism as represented by Mr. Bryan,
Over all this mass of opposing "opposi-
tions" is thin veneer of Opposition"
to the Philippine policy which is Who'll
ly hypocritical, and thin veneer of
posing as the special enemies of the
corporate interests which is largely
hypocrisy on the part of the leaders
although sincere and genuine among a
large per cent of the democratic masses
Experience has shown that democrat
ic administrations have been no more
successful than republicans ones in
dealing with the trust problem and
that the republicans have ever taken
the more aggressive stand in regard tc
the encroachments of capital upon in
dividual rights. Democracy has out
talked republication along this line
Republicanism has out.done demo
cracy, and this in reality is what is tc
be desired. When it comes to the trust
proposition, democracy does as much
talking and as little fighting as. the
modern up-to-date pugilist.
The recent efforts to harmonic de
mocracy have but emphasized the ex
tent to which that party is rended by
internal discussions and has demon
strated the impossibility OF anything
} but q few local successes for tina,
} party.