The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-22
PARTY MAY HARMONIzE
WILLIAM r. Villas ON EXISTING
POLITICAL CONDITIONS
"Futility And Sin of Trying to Block
Progress With the Half Burned Faq-
gots Of Extinsuished Controversy
The Democratic Party Remains the
Hope of the People of This Land.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, July 21.-WiI-
liam f. Villas, who was secretary of
the interior in President Clevelands
cabinet, was recently asked by A. F.
warden, chairman of the Democratic
state central committee, to give his
opinion respecting political conditions.
the possibilities of Democratic har-
mony, and the assurance Of the par
Tvs restoration to power and the re-
lief OF the people from Republican mall
administration" Mr.. Villas replied to-
day in part as follows:
Whether anything now stands in
the way of a harmonious and enthus-
1astic Democracy in Wisconsin, de-
Ponds upon the sentiments of many
others which I cannot presume to
know, but | earnestly believe nothing
ought to stand in the way, and hope
that nothing will. 1t appears to me
as simply question of patriotic de-
Votlon to the public welfare, and good
men cannot but see their duty to strive
for unity in such "a cause. That our
party division has been deplorable in
resulting public injury, 1 think all true
Democrats agree. But no concord will
follow any injury into its causes, rea-
sons or history, and especially into the
! fault for it. Wisdom, not less than
justice, dictates honest acknowledge
ment of the real truth that former diff
tons, however diverse or unhappy.
There can be no further profitable
political discussion of them.
Submission to Present Duty.
yet upright men can put by such
differences, with no loss of mutual re-
spect, in patriotic submission to pres
ent duty, and loyalty cooperate upon
common ground for principles all
known to be right and necessary to
| their country's good. Nothing can be
! more evident to one who takes a broad
view of the nature of public affairs,
than that achievement of good is only
to be won by leaving to the past the
burial of it's own dead, and pushing
| on undisturbed to the great ends open
| in the future. The political move
| ment of great people is like the flow
| or mighty river; onward, irresistibly
| onward. The wise man will no more
| permit disappointment of opinion to
| thWart or warp his contribution to flu
| ture objects, than, by driving a stake
| in it, he would think to check the
| rivers flood.
1T needs but thought upon the i'm
| mensity of thu concerns of so nuner-
Gus people, upon the happiness that
! belongs to the millions of home circles
| Whlch are the treasures and rewards
| of the freemen of America, both to
show the futility and sin of trying to
| DOCK progress with the half burned
! faggots of extinguished controversy,
! and to impress on every high-minded
man the sense of duty to so discharge
his part toward the hopes of the fu-
lure that he need never cringe before
! his self-respect. An equal partner in
his country's policy, self branded
| when he stoops to mar it, the brain
and heart of every true man tell him
the common good Of his countrymen
ought to override every conflicting in
! terest or feeling
And thus he comes to the funda-
mental doctrine of Democracy. First
of all, with liberty and justice, equal
right for all men and special privileges
! to none, are its essential and eternal
| demand for the government of Ameri-
| cans; yea, also, of all mankind SOur
national independence sprang from
| these cardinal principles of the rights
! of man; and our future demands, with
| increasing need, their faithful observ-
ance. From it's beginning, they have
| been the base and bond of union of
| the Democratic party, their perfect ac-
| complishments its mission. Cannot we,
| therefore, on all hands, recur to them
| now as fundamental principles we all
alike accept, and establish our lines in
unison under their leadership, sure
|
Alright?
Hope of the People.
Whatever the alignments on past
! issues, the Democratic party remains
| today the hope of the people of this
! land. On no other can be placed any
just expectation of a rescue from the
menacing conditions that beset us.
Any one can see, who will see the
truth, that all the combinations of
| greed, all the plotters who work upon
| our government to win special gains
| at the cost Of the people at large, are
| to be found supporting the party now
| in power; for the Democratic party
| they have, as always, only hostility.
| 1t must, of course, be so; because Who
| ever will sacrifice the public good for
| private or class advantage can eX-
pect no countenance from a party
which stands devotedly for the COM
mon welfare of all.
MANY there are, indeed. who know
| that their prosperity will be sufficient
| if it consist with justice to- all; who
| prefer that justice without any per-
sonal reckoning; and who, if so allied,
! as to share gains derived at the cost
i of their fellOWmen, would rather yield
| than hold them on such terms. The
truth remains that if ever deliverance
| is to come from the rapacious COM
| binations now in real control Of the
countrys affairs, if the abuses of pow
err which have put to shame our ma
| tional principles and traditions, are to
| find redress, the relief must spring
| from a party which will unite the peo-
| pie in defense of the common welfare,