The Atlanta constitution., 1902-12-22
The Future of the Democracy.

The Future Of the Democracy.
Present calculation concerning the
EOssible future OF the democracy most
naturally dates from the recent No
vember returns from the people. Be
hind them what il writ is writ and
the question that follows is: DO they
afford a reasonable hope of an early
successful campaign I'm behalf Of dem
ocraiic principles OF government?
The elections loOsened the mold of
the republican party upon the conf
cence Of the country The democrats
made gains in popular representation
against heavily adverse conditions. In
a contest between a party Offering
rothing but Just principles and one
with a heavy purse and the power To
give large bounties by legislation. the
party of principle has its tents pitched
to-day on territory formerly held by its
enemy. There is inspiration and hope
IN the fact. And the most hopeful
pa1 of the fact IS the evidence that
the people are turning from the repub-
iCan paramount idea Of politics for
CCmmerCiaiism only
Since democratic principles have
scored these gains against the odds OPP
prsiuc them there Is every reason for
courageous democrats L. believe thar
harmonious and strenuous campaign
fur fhr same principles way De made
purglarly triumphant two years hence.
There is a strong historic line Of eli
vision between the political and Geo
unmic doctrines of the democratic ard
republican parties Their doctrines
arr So radically autarngistic that those
o- thc one party. whichever it may be-.
can only De- dominant in the govern
ment through the defeat of the other
party The democratic party. since
1895. has been The party I'm defeat.
How to lead il tp victory again is and
-1clld o. th- serious concern Of every
UctriltC dcmocra-
Of course. any present discussion Of
Naye and means 80 democratic victory
DIP 1s"f must proceed hy barring the
elements or disparity 0f campaign
FUNDS. coer, ION Of the labor voters. the
falsely E,ulcrei alarm OF capital etc.
an cf which are unknown quantities
urti they have reeu exploited to their
ful-.-r effect. Starting al tEe point
where those factors are deemed eiim-
mated. tne hrsf question confronting
thr democrat is-
what Is there to be done tO enable
RH factions oi the party go get to-
Etther-
Tire money standard ~ the country
Jed longer M issue Whether set-
tied u-hr'y cr wrongly. Be- rs settled,
for The present. ag least
The safe ana sensible democratic
b.
question unril iJ has something to s3y
tElt Wlu meet national necessities and
answer t0 popular demand.
-t Is only desirable. from the pres
-nr point of view. to Keep the currency
free from extra governmental contro,
ard give % that elasticity which under
wise governmental regulations. viii
f,er tho volume of ir coual to national
business reQuiremcuts iu any emerg-
ergy.
To take this position now is not 10
imTearh .hc patriotism nI those dem
-sratS who in times past sought 10
relieve tine business depression and
.rTreury famine u. Iue nation through
fre rrmoue,ization ara free coinage
1f silver. The nupular demand. appar-
cntIv. took that form and the exicen-
sies nf the situation pointed To those
eVpeiients as the loeical and most
available relief. That 80 1.a0H voters
f9voued 81 as against ..IeU.'1u who
condemned. proved that The party did
Huf err very ra-uly iu trying to meet
rtat apparent demand.
The Philippine question. in sn l3e
a. she retention cd the islands Is IN
vClvei. d. uo longer an issuable one
between tine parties Events and an
uumIstatalle popular consensus have
stamped 90 with an UuChaneable polit-
iral character We have the Philip
pines and no popular majority can
ever be- secured in favor uf surrender
fuc them out Of hand The American
people are going m hold onto them un-
tis. with their best offices they make
something satisfactory our Of thc~
The question of their retention as
American possessions is settled for
All present purposes
The only question remaining Is how
hest % administer them for tho mutual
D. neft of the Filipinos and ourselves? :?
and - party that offers the best
scheme OF American control and Amer
sranizati0n uf the Filipinos consistent
Uith the brOadest degree of free gov
eminent that can he safely given
hem will gain in the campaign
Shatever makeweisht the Philippine
problem ran confer.
What should the party Stand for2
Ia cannot stand for less than tie
core-principle Of its eXistence-the
principle that has made il an imperish-
able party-and that is the popular
night 10 handle the national purse for
the greatest good 10 the masses. The
cxchequer is the heart OF the nation.
The revenues and expedituTes of gov
ernment are 70 il as the pulses of blood
in the human body. Plethora in one
member Of the body means poverty in
the others-and poverty Of the blood
Is a sickness 10 the whole organism.
4 fundamental doctrine OF demOc-
rs,cy is blood supply to the body poll
tic by n tariff for revenue. Internal
taxation has never been a democratic
principle and has only been consented
II I'm war exigenCies and is only toll
Grated now because OF continuing war