The Tucson citizen., 1902-08-01
DEMOCVRTlC UNITY

William r. Villas of Wisconsin, who
served as Postmaster General and Sec
retary of the Interior during the first
administration of Mr.. Cleveland, and
subsequently, as a Senator of the
United States. has recently written a
letter in advocacy Of Democratic
unity There is a ring Of true patri-
otism in Mr., Villas utterances which
ought to appeal to the conscience of
every man who really cares for the
welfare of his country. No one can
deny that the people Of the United
States are confronted by evils, and
they can not we'll address themselves
to the reformation of those evils if
they are distracted by factional CON
troversy over the past, or by contem-
platon of an imperial future on lines
hitherto avoided.
The people of this country must
work out their own salvation. No
body else can do it for them. The
Republican party is endeavorng to
distract their attention from domestic
evils by promised glores of colonial
possessions. 1t admits the evils. but
says they are necessary to the nations
greatness But the question arises.
what shall it profit a nation to gain
the whole world and lose its own soul?
Or what avail to domineer other people
If we are controlled by an oligarchy Of
combined capital? In our opinion,
matter in these words.
We have recently heard much dis
cussion of trusts learnedly profound,
sometimes. with phrases which mean
little to the ordinary reader; possibly
to no other. The necessity for aggra
eating wealth to accomplish great
ends is also expounded. and the here
sy of socialism is denounced. 1t is all
wide of the mark. There is no
heartier antagonism to socialism. and
its twin, paternalism. in every form,
than Democratic principles demand.
opposing line by line every doctrine
of that false philosophy The Demo
cratic creed afIirms. not the surrender
but the highest uplifting of individu-
alty and of every right of the indl-
vidual man peculiarly his right 70
hold and enjoy all the honest fruits Of
industry. brains and personal achieve
ments No safer foundation for the
rights of property can be laid than the
principles OF Democracy; none so safe
in NIL hndHpI N
right and justice to all In my poor
opinion no cause more perilOusly
tends to the anarchy of socialism than
protection. arraying the masses
against those who profit by unjust
laws, and inviting social disorder by
its iniqntps Let them who would
accumulate all the business property
Of the country in few hands remember
how easily the lands Of the church. tie
acquisition of centuries. were cOufi3-
Gated in the French revolution. and
that, too before its day Of terror. and
reflect whether those are not the safer
Jaws of property which comport with
popular Justice.
Tndiyidualism is the essential feat
ure of the Americanism established by
our fathers and that gave lis the
success Of our first century 1t is the
corner stone OF Democracy the
greatest liberty Of the individual con
sistent with the general welfare" And
that is Niat is being undermined
and destroyed in this country. 1t is
assailed by paternalsm, which is sim
ply socialism for the benefit of a IA
vored few. 1t is only remotely
threatened by socialism, which is sim
ply paternaism for all Have thu
Democrats of the country, the people
who believe that individual liberty il
the basis of national liberty, the people
who believe in the principles OF thi
nation, the intelligence and the patri
otism to stand together for the vel
fare OF the country? The one hope o
tie aternalist-socialist is to divid
the real Americans.
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