Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-29

nize this distinction. In every COM
munity you can draw line separating
the aristocrat from the democrat. 1t
will not be a perpendicular line, nor
will it be horizontal one; 1t will not
separate the educated from the unedu-
Gated; it will not be along lines of vo-
cation or occupation; but it will sep
arate those with the tastes, spirit, as
sumption and traditions of the aristoc-
racy' from those who believe in a
government controlled by the people
and favor political and legal equality.
Identified With the Masses.
Jefferson was born of refined and
well-to-do parents; he was even rich
for one OF that period, and he was edu-
Gated far above the most of his asso-
GATES; he was lawyer and his social
connections were favorable to aristo-
cratic ideas, but he was democrat
He believed in the brotherhood of
man; he asked for no privileges that
could not be granted to all; he claim
ed no rights that all did not enjoy, and
he sought for himself no governmental
care that he did not demand for others.
He believed in the rule of the people,
in their capacity for self-government
and in their right to the control of
their own affairs. He did not doubt
| that they would make mistakes, but
he knew that they would bear punish
ment for their mistakes with more
complacency than they would endure
| punishment for the mistakes of others,
and he was certain that their errors
would be unintentional ones. He knew
that, as they found no profit in bad
! laws, they would strive to correct them
and would profit by experience. He
was identified with the masses and
considered that insofar as by inherit.
lance or by his own efforts he possess
ed any advantage over others he held
that advantage as trustee for those
less fortunate. The people loved him
because he first loved them. He organ
lied a party that has lived for more
than century, and he SO impressed
his ideas upon the party that no de.
feat, however overwhelming, has been
able to crush it's spirit or disintegrate
| it.
Differences Can Be ReconciIed.
There can always be harmony
among democrats who have the pur.
pose that Jefferson had and are will.
ing to employ the methods that Jeffer.
| son employed. There can always be
harmony among democrats who be.
lieve in government of the people
and are willing that all the depart.
ments Of the government shall be oper-
ated by the people and for the benefit
of the people. Differences Of the mind
can be reconciled; differences of pur-
pose cannot. Between one who is at
heart an aristocrat and one who is in
raelity democrat there is a great gull
fixed And, it may be added, among
the aristocrats there will be found the
same division that exists among the
beasts of prey-some have the cour-
age of a lion, and others the cunning
and treachery of the fox, but they can
hunt together if their object is spoil,
whether it be avowed or concealed
Between those really democratic in
purpose there can be no personal OF
permanent alienation, because, having
no Interior motives they are open to ar
guments and amenable to reason; be
ing honest in purpose, they have conf
dence in the triumph of their cause
and are content to employ honest
methods. They will neither conspire
against others nor against each other
: If they make mistakes in Judgment, a.
all are liable to do, they are not only
willing, but anxious to correct theil
mistakes. In politics, as in religion
there is an essential difference be
tween a doubt of the head and doubt
of the heart.
Political Regeneration.
i It is Impossible to secure harmony
between people Of opposite sympathies
and it is difficult thing to change g
mans sympathies; it requires polit
ical regeneration to make a democrat
4 out of an artocrat. 1t is much cas-
Ter task to show a man that the prin
ciples he has been advocating and the
policies which he has been supporting
are aristocratic in their present effec
4 or in their tendencies. The republi
can party OF today is aristocratic il
!, its policies and tendencies, for it j:
controlled by a few in the interest O.
few, but there are many republicans
who remain with their party only be
| cause lHSy w llOI Ii'
change which has taken place in tina
party within the last few years
, When the policy of a party is CONTROL
ed by its voters, then the part.
stands for the will of the majority
. but when the party is dominated b.
small minority then the organization
standws not for the will of the major
ity, but for the will of those who dom
mate it. There can be no doubt of thu
democratic instincts of large ma
jority of the members of the republi
can party, but the party today is 81
controlled by organized wealth tina
the rank and file of the party are no
consulted about the policies nor ar
the interests Of the rank and file con
sidered by the leaders. With the ex
ception OF the tariff question the re
publican party has not in recent years
honestly submitted a single importan