The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-31
DEMOCRACY AT A LOSS.

or all the discussions resulting from
the actions Of Congress and the fact
that party artillery is being trained for
the fight of the coming fall, none is
more interesting than that now being
INDUCED by editors OF Democratic
journals. upon what shall be done by
the party to win the coming election
and that OF 1904. The last mail brings
the answer that most astute politician,
but more astute editor, Clark p. How
ell. of the Atlanta Constitution. Mr..
Howell writes at length, and after he
has concluded there is little left for the
Republicans to wish in the admissions
that the difference between the two
parties is about that between tweedle
DUN and tweedle dee.
The Constitution ever has been
Democratic. Cleveland Democratic IL
you will; but nevertheless a staunch
supporter OF the party's policies
through thick and thin. 1t is therefore
with satisfaction that Democrats will
find that Mr.. Howell declares that the
party must set it's face ''resolutely to-
ward the rising instead of the setting
SUM- This he further explains to mean
that the Democratic party must rec
ognize national conditions as they ex-
ist, and deal with them as concrete
living things"
With this statement OF the need for
a new Issue for the party rather than
the old ones of Chicago of sc and 90,
the Constitution jumps into the sub
ject and finds really only three points
upon which 70 fight. The tariff, which
should be reformed, but not done away
with, is set forth as the first item. Mr..
Howell writes as il this was original
with himself and Democracy. ignoring
the fact that the Babcock plan. ard the
reciprocity measures. all are simply the
reformation OF the tariff law until it
shall give the people a continuance of
what they have, greater prosperity
than has been known for generations.
with widening markets and greater en-
joynent OF life.
When the paper takes up the discus
sion OF the Philippine question, the
complete lack of initiative is best
shown. The fact That the islands are
ours is recognized and the declaration
made that they must be kept until
there can be an agreement between the
people there and the national govern
ment. The people are declared to be
incapable OF self government and the
stand is that the Nation shall give
them government until they attain that
standard. Closing this subject the
Constitution says: THE Democracy
should stand for the constitutional
government of the islands"
1t would take a casuist to discover
any difference between the two parties
on the sentence quoted. Every one
wants to. give the islands a constitu-
tional government and the Supreme
Court has declared that Congress has
all the power needed to make laws for
the islands. and to administer and pro-
vide for the administration OF any laws
1t may see fit. What, then. is left?
What arguments can the Democracy
produce to indicate that there would
be greater peace under their laws than
under those passed by a Republican
majority? There is no elasticity in the
Constitution. Its provisions cover all
alike. Both parties in Congress must
remember the Supreme Court. The fact
then is that all the fuss that Tom Pat
terson is making in the Senate commit
tee investigating the conduct of the
campaign in the Philippines, is for eff
feet and not for any practical benefit,
for his party has no remedy to offer.
islands" This the Republicans are en-
forced to give, IL anyone can be led
TO imagine that there is intention to
act otherwise.
After this the screed against trusts.
which is much along the line of the
Sherman law. itself a Republican
measure. only serves to intensity the
opinion that Democracy is out OF issues
and contents itself with opposition.