Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-28
g. 1902

aristocrat and one who is in reality a DEM
ocrat there is a great gulf fixed. And, 1t
may be added, tmong 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 IL their object is spoil,
whether It be avowed or concealed. Be-
tween those really democratic in purpose
there can be no personal or permanent
alienation, because having no Interior
motives 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
honest methods. They will neither con-
spire against others nor against each 9TH
er. If they make mistakes in judgment,
as all are liable to do, they are not only
willing, but anxious to correct their mis-
takes. In politics, as in religion, there
is a nessential difference between a doubt
o. the head and doubt of the heart.
1T Is impossible to secure harmony be-
tween people Of opposite sympathies and
1t a difficult thing to change a mans
sympathies; it requires political re-
generation to make a democrat out of an
aristocrat. 1t is much easier task to show
a man that the principles he has been adj
vocating and the policies which he has
been supporting are aristocratic in their
present effect or in then tendencies. The
Republican party of today is arist0cratic
in its policies and tendencies for it Is
controlled by a 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 a party is
controlled by its voters, then the party
stands for the will of the majority, but
when the party is dominated by small
minority then the organization stands not
for the will of the majority, but for the
will of those who dominate Ii. There can
be no doubt of the Democratic instincts
Of a large majority of the members of the
Republican party, but that party today is
50 controlled by organized wealth that
the rank and file Of the party are not
consulted about the policies nor are the
interests of the rank and file considered
by the leaders. With the exception of
the tariff question the Republican party
has not in recent years honestly submitted
single important issue to the arbitra-
ment of the ballot, or even to the judg-
ment OF the members Of its own party.
Ambiguous Platforms.
'It has written ambiguous platforms
and forced it's policies through congress
after elections. In 1896 it used a promise
of international bimetallism to conceal
it's real purpose to fasten the gold stan
dard on the country. In 1900 it practiced
the same deception on Imperialism and Oh
the trust question. Even within a month
II has refused to announce it's purpose
in regard to the Philippines. and has put
off until after November the passage Of
the subsidy bill and the consideration of
the trust question. The leaders of the
party show their lack of vital faith in
the doctrine of self-government by their
unwillingness to take the people of the
country, or even the voters Of their own
party, into their confidence 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 Re-
publican ticket. One aristocratic party
in the country is enough. Democratic
success must be won, not by initiating the
Republican party, but by exposing it;
not by making the Democratic party
aristocratic, but by convincing the peo-
pie that it is really democratic and can
be trusted to defend democratic ideas
and to cultivate democratic ideals. AS
there are many in the Republican party
who have adhered to the party notwith-
standing the change that the organi-
cation has undergone. so there are some
who call themselves Democrats who have
themselves undergone a change which
has aIienated them from the Democratic
party, or from any party worthy Of the
name. gc
ITO attempt to patch up an apparent
harmony between those who are not in
sympathy with Democratic purposes is
not only a waste of time. nut would prove
disastrous. The men who deserted the
party in 1896 may be divided into two
classes. Those who left because they un-
derstood 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
they cannot return to the
party when they themselves become aware
of the real character OF the life and death
struggle now being waged between plutoc-
racy and democracy. 1 say plutocracy,
because the aristocracy of today is one
of wealth rather than of birth. and 1t In
cludes not only those who have been alien
ated from the common people by the pos
session of great wealth, but those who,
although without wealth. pander to II,
dard Organized wealth has become so
potent in governmental affairs that some
even now despair of applying any effec-
tive 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
with 1t they can and will right
every wrong and remedy every grievance.
Must Have Purpose.
THE Democratic party must nave a COLI
trolling purpose, unchanged by victory or
defeat; it must stand for that purpose
at all times and everywhere, unmoved
by threats of disaster and uninhuenced
by promise of temporary gain. 1t must
have a character, for character is as es-
sential in a party as 1t is in an individu-
al No one will trust an unstable man
or one so without principle that his posi-
ion upon any moral question cannot be
guessed in advance; Neither will the
people trust a party that is willing to
write into it's platform today anything
that promises to catch a few votes or
strike out Of fits platform tomorrow any
thing that will ALLEVIATE few votes. Even
If it desired to do so our party could not
compete with the Republican party in
the use Of money in campaigns or in the
deception or coercion of voters, because
large campaign funds can only be Sc
cured in return for the promise of favor
itism, and our people are not in a posi-
tion to coerce. Our party must have
principles and proclaim them; it must
stand by them and defend them, relying
upon its faith in the righteousness of
those principles and upon its faith in the
and patriotism of the people.
THE struggle between human rights on
one side and greed on the other is an un-
ending one. Our party must take part in
the struggle, but that struggle cannot be 4
settled by this generation or
by any future one. AS the children Of Is
rael. wandering in the wilderness, could
not store bread for the morrow, but were