Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-07-03
OHIO DEMOCRACY.

The exercises at the Democratic
clam-bake at Columbus, were not dis
coura ging to the, Democrats of the
State.
Mr.. Johnson was the man there who
had something to say, and he said
It with characteristic courage and
lucidity. Having something to say.
having said it, he easily had his audi.
ence with him,--as he will have his
party with him. and many outside of
it, in the coming State campaign.
II is Idle to. charge this man with
being vendor Of strange and i'm
practicable political notions
II ones property is taxed upon an
| unjust basis Of valuation, as compared
with that Of another, and more espe-
cially IL the inequality makes against
the many small property owners, and
in favor Of the large corporate inter
ests which have reached their great
ness through favoritism in admins.
tering the laws, then the question of
| taxation becomes one in which the
people are interested and upon which
they wish to have an opportunity to
vote.
This opportunity Mr.. johnson pro-
poses to give them, and it is an ele-
mentary principle of democracy that
they should not be denied
The opposition to this at the Colum-
bus meeting was faint and feeble.
Mr.. McLeans note of warning against
going in for "fads" and the like
distantly echoed by the Cincinnati
contingent, was quite unnecessary.
1t was, in guarded tones, the dimin-
uendo of Growers wall at the Tilden
club.s M.
1t seems to be, the idea of these re-
organizers that Democratic success
and Democratic usefulness consist
wholly in holding office. AS matter
OF fact both are often better achieved
while party is In opposition than
when 1t Is in power. Experience has
taught the Democrats Of this ooun.
try that being out of Office is an III
that may be survived, and the ma
jority of them believe that a party of
fixed principles, bottomed upon the
welfare OF the people is to be pre-
ferred, even though it remains mi
nority party, than one which can win
victories only by surrender Of those
principles for the sake of obtaining
y temporary control of the spoils OF
administration They know too, that
steadfnst adherence to this posi-
tion WILL In the fulness Of time, bring
to them the success that fidelity tc
principle always deserves.
Cleveland and Mclean represent the
school of politics which thus banks
on shifting the spoils of office from
one party to the other as the supreme
test of Democracy
Bryan and Johnson Just as surely
are the eXponents of the other tyne
OF Democracy, which, proposing tC
itself the welfare of the people as 1t:
end and aim. as the impulse and the
ultimate of all its endeavors, pursues
Its course undisnayed by disaster, and
loyal to the cause of the popular wea
alike In prosperity and in adversely
in victory and In defeat, and through
good and evil report =
Such men can gain nothing by ac
quiring Office ut the expense of q
sacrifice of principle. Mr., Bryan IL
n greater man today In the estimation
of every one than he would be If hi
were holding the Presidential Office
upon the platform proposed by Hill
Whitney and the other, reorganizers
in 1906.
Such men win men, and It is safe
to say that the large majority of the
six and a half millions who voted
for Mr.. Bryan In 1905 look upon him
today.-private citizen though he is
as the fair representative of Demo
cratic doctrines, and that they are moi
to he frightened from this loyalty Il
principle by the iugubrious howlings
of Grover Cleveland or the reactionar,
advice OF John Mclean.
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