Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-07
HILL SOUNDS TOCSIN.
Leading New York Democrat Out
lines Party Policy on Issues.
honrOe Doctrine, Revenue Reform.
Regulation OF Trusts, Recipr0c-
ity and Hard Mony Are All
to BE Favored.


held at the Manhattan club, New
York, on the evening of February %.
There were a number of speeches
by prominent members of the party,
all being in favor of the overthrow
of trust rule. The principal speaker
was ex-senator David B. Hill, who
said:
ST speak tonight in favor of the main
tenance of the old landmarks OF Inc demo-
cratic party.
'.In that path there lie safety. honor,
self-respect, success. Temporary expedi-
ents and shifting issues may answer 1or
ephemeral parties born in a day and per-
ishing in night, but political organ1za-
ton which has existed for a century must
necessarily have had for its guidance
something inherently substantial-some
permanent governmental policies which
have been engrafted on its history and IN
terwoven with it's activities and traditions
1--WE trace our political lineage back to
Jefferson, who founded the democratic
party.
Opposition to the precepts and practices
of Imperialism was thus one OF the cardinal
principles of our party faith at the very
inception of the government.
Jefferson organized the forces of democ-
racy with which to antagonize the excuses
of federalism-the twin sister and protege
of imperialism.
Federalism meant then what imperialism
largely means to-day-governmen poll
cies practically unrestrained by constitu-
tional restrictions strong government,
not because safely entrenched In the aHec-
tons of the people, but strong because of
its immense standing armies, Its posses
sion of power and it's ostentatious display,
its munificent expenditure of moneys. its
vast opportunities for official faVor1t1sm
and its general tendencies toward plutoc-
racy.
Democracy means the maintenance of
popular rights-imperialism means eX-
elusive privileges to the few. Democracy
faVOrS the preservation o fthe personal I'D
erty of the citizen; Imperialism eXalts the
nation and belittles the individual I'm
perialism makes what its apologists call
splendid government; democracy makes
happy and liberty loving people.
1--WE should stand where our forefathers
stood before u.s. in favor of the preserva-
ton of our constitutional governments
government based upon written constitu-
ton, with its powers well limited and &C
curately defined-not an india rubber IN
strument that will stretch and bend and
turn according to every whim and freak
and project of those temporarily or acct
dentally in possession of the government
but a chart that will safely guide US in
storm and tempest as we'll as in sunshine
and CALM in war well as in peace; in
times of peril as Well as In times OF secur-
ity wv .,o,,,a aabera - tho no,,cv involved
in letters oman eXpanSion-the reasonable
and natural requirement of territory ad-
jacent to our own, either largely unsettled
or peopled with inhabitants capacitated for
ultimate citizenship and the enjoyment Of
all the privileges of our free institutions.
No Place for Dependent Colonies.
s'The recent mistakes OF our opponents
in that regard. perhaps, cannot now be
adequately corrected, but manifest duty
requires to resist, as the permanent
policy of our government, the establish
ment of colonial possessions, governed only
| by the discretion of congress and outside
| the pale of the guarantees of the constitu-
| ton. Wherever the American flag of right
| floats, 1t should be as the emblem of free
government and the aegis of constitutional
| liberty.
There is no place in the American union
| for a permanent system of dependent col
| onies.
1.-THE fundamental rights Of habeas cor
| pus, trial by jury, freedom of the press.
freedom of speech, religious liberty, speed
| in public trials, protection of life, liberty
and property without governmental inter-
| ference except under due process of law,
| and all the other guarantees of the consti-
tuition intended for the protection of all
| who owe allegiance to this republic should
| not depend upon the whim or will of con-
| gress nor be considered as favor to be
| granted or withheld at its pleasure, but
should accompany our jurisdiction wher-
| maintained. This is democratic doctrine
| bequeathed to us from our fathers and we
| should cherish it as priceless heritage.
No Tariff Walls for Trade.
Neither should tariff walls nor customs
duties obstruct the path of American trade
| from one portion of this government to an
other. Our opponents may invoke consti-
| tutionaI bubbles to justify tariff discrimi-
| nations between different parts of our own
| possessions, but such unnatural barriers to
commerce not only render our govern
| ment homogeneous, but are antagonistic to
| our own business interests. The spirit,
| even if not the letter. of our constitution
| contemplates uniform tariff laws through
| out the strength and breadth of our posses
| sions; but aside from all the. technical
| questions. wise public policy imperative
" requires such uniformity
sHThe encouragement of commerce was
| declared by Jefferson in his first inaugural
| address as president to be portion of the
creed of our political faith and remains
| so to-day.
appropriate to this subject let me sug-
| gest that no political party can afford to
| refuse to accede to the wides prea6 senti-
| ment of the people in favor of relief to
cuba from the present unjust tariff eXac-
| lions imposed upon her by the short
| sighted policy Of our opponents now in con-
| troll of the government.
| 1.-The spectacle is at present presented OF
| Cuba relieved from Spanish political OPP
| preston only to be enslaved by the United
| States in commercial bondage. Justice
| demands that these impositions shall cease
| Nothing but selfish interests stand in the
| way of tariff reform for Cuba, it being
| feared that tariff reduction there may be
| followed by popular demand for tariff
| reduction everywhere.
1.-The pampered recipients of govern
| mental favoritism are holding Cuba by the
| throat for self-protection against the at
| tacks of the people upon the tariff citadel
| in other directions. They are deaf to the
| appeals of humanity; the cries of distress
| do not move them; considerations of ma
| tional honor and fair dealing do not influ-
| ence them.
| "Selfishness and greed are at the bottom
| of the refusal of congress to relieve ar
| oyerburdened people from grievous wrongs
| inflicted under the name of governmen
| taxation, which is as unnecessary as it i.
cruel and unjust.