Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-24


apparent. With the-aristoerati party he
classed those who Tear and DISTRICT the
people and wish to draw all power from
them into the hahds OF the higher classes
With the demecfEtic party he ciassed those
who identify themselves with the peonle.
have confidenceJ2n them, cherish and con
slider them as the most honest and safe
though not the most wise, depository of
the public iHter45ts Every well-fnformed
student of history will recognize this dis
tinction. In every Community you can
draw a line separating the aristocrat from
the democrat. IT will not be a perpendicu-
lar line, nor wiilsit be a horizontal one. IT
will not separate those of iIlustrious lineage
from those of humble birth: it will not
separate the rich from the Door: It will not
separate the educated from the unetaucated:
IL will not be along lines of vocation or oe-
,cupation, but it will separate those with
the tastes, spirit, assumption and tradi-
tons Of the arfstocracy" from those who
"believe in government controlled by the
people and favor political and legal
equality" ~ss
How Harmony Must Be Attained.
There can always be harmony among
democrats who have the purpose that JET
ferson had and are willing to employ the
methods that Jefferson employed There
can always be harmony among demo-
Gratis who believe In government
of the people and are willing that
shall be operated 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 reality
democrat there is a great gulf 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 courage Of the lion and others the cum
ming and treachery of the fox, but they can
hunt together If their object is spoil,
whether 1t be avowed or concealed. Be-
tween those really democratic In purpose
there can be no personal or permanent al
ienation, because having no Interior mo-
tives they are open to arguments and
amenable to reason; being honest In pur-
pose, they have confidence In the triumph of
their cause. and are content to employ hon.
est methods. They will neither conspire
against others nor against each other. If
they make mistakes in judgment as all are
liable to do, they are not only willing, but
anxious to correct their mistakes. In poll
tics, as in religion. there Is an essential diff
ference between doubt of the head and a
doubt Of the heart.
Where Harmony is Impossible.
1t is impossible to secure harmony be-
tween people of opposite sympathies, and 1t
is difficult thing to change a mans SYM
pathies; it requires a political regeneration
to make a democrat out Of an aristocrat.
1t is much easier task to show man
that the principles he has been advocating
and the policies which he has been support
ing are aristocratic In their present effect
or in their tendencies.
The republican party today is aristocratic
in its policies and tendencies. for it is con-
trolled by few in the interest Of few,
but there are many republicans who remain
with their party only because they do not
understand the change which has taken
place in that party within the last few
years. When the policy of party is con-
trolled by its woters'tthe party stands for
the will Of the majority, but when the
party Is dominated by a small minority,
then the organization stands not. for the
will of the majority, but for the will of
those who dominate it. There can be no
doubt of the democratic instincts of a large
majority of the members of the republican
party. bat that party today is so controlled
by organized wealth that the rank and file
OF the party are not consulted about it's
policies, nor are the interests of the rank
and file considered by the leaders. With
the exception Of the tariff question the re-
publican party has not in recent years hon.
estly submitted single important issue to
the arbitrament OF the ballot or even to the
Judgment of the members Of its own party.
1t has written ambiguous platforms and
forced Its policies through Congress after
elections.
In 1895 1t usedsa promise of International
bimetallism to conceal its real purpose to
fasten the gold standard on the country
In 1900 1t practiced the same deception on
imperialism and on the trust question.
Even within a month 1t has refused to an
nounce Its purpose In regard to the Philip
pines and has put off until after November
the passage of the subsidy bill and the con-
sideration of the trust question. The lead
ers OF the party show their lack of vital
faith in the doctrines of self-government
by their unwillingness to take the people
of the country, or even the voters Of their
own party, into their confidence
Hope Of the Democrats.
The hope Of the democratic party lies in
bringing this fact to the knowledge Of those
who have been in the habit Of voting the
republican ticket. One aristocratic party
III the country is enough. Democratic sue
cess must be won, not by initiating the
publican party, but by xrosing It; not by
making the democratic party aristocratic.
out Dy convincing the people that 1t is
really democratic and can be trusted to de-
fend democratic ideas and to cultivate
democratic ideals. AS there are many in
the republican party who have adhered to
the party Notwithstanding the change that
the organization has undergone, so there
are some who call themselves democrats
who have themselves undergone a change
which has alienated them from the demo-
cratic party or from any party worthy of
the name.
To attempt to patch up an apparent har-
mony between those who are not In SYM
pathy with democratic purposes Is not only
a waste Of time, but would prove disas-
trous. The men who deserted the party in
1895 may be divided into two classes-those
who left because they understood the issue
presented and those who left because they
did not understand the real nature of the
contest Until the former are completely
changed In their sympathies they cannot
return to the party without injuring 1t.
The latter will be reconciled to the party
when they themselves become aware of the
real character Of the life and death strug-
gle now being waged between plutocracy
and democracy. l say plutocracy. because
the aristocracy Of today is one Of wealth
rather than of birth, and 1t includes not
only those who have been alienated from
the common people by the possession of
great wealth. but those who. although
without wealth. pander to It and measure
all things by money standard Organized
wealth has become so potent In govern
mental affairs that some even now despair
Of applying any effective remedy. But such
underestimate the patriotism of the people
and the strength Of the public conscience.
The people have a remedy within their
power, namely. the ballot, and with 1t
they can and will right every wrong and
remedy every grievance,
Must Have Fixed Policy.