The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-05-08
Made at a Democratic Harmony
Gathering in Brooklyn.
THE DEMOCRACY OF THE WEST
Was tho Subject Discussed by Ex-
Congressman Chaa. A. rowne.
n Republican Who Turned
Democrat.

anniversary Of the birth of james
Monroe, and which had been spoken
as harmony dinner" was held at
the Germania club rooms in Brooklyn
on Tuesday night of last week. There
was about $50 persons present. Her
man a. Metz, president Of the club,
presided, and those at the guests
table included Charles a. Towne, Of
Minnesota, and James L. Slaydcn, of
Texas. Mr.. Towne responded to the
Toast, '"rhc Democracy OF The WcSt,n
saying in part:
Real harmony is to he found more
in cooperation or effort than in vocif-
Grafton OF good intentions. What VIC
need today is less discussion OF our diff
ferences and more emphasis on the
things about which we agree And
surely these things furnish us pro-
gram than which none other ever more
strongly appealed to the patriotism,
the reason, the conscience Of the citi-
zen. The formulated and accepted
principles Of Democracy are the prin-
cipleS that inspired tho American Rev
olut!on, that we're proclaimed in the
Declaration OF independence, and that
undcrlic the constitution OF the Uni
ted States. They comprise substan-
italy the doctrine of the inalienablc
right Of self-governmcnt; Of just taxa
tion; Of religious liberty; Of freedom of
the press: Of trial by jury; OF absolute
equality under the law. They deny
and condemn the entire system OF
tyranny and favoritism that make up
today the code and practice or the Re-
publican party. Show rue one great
purpose Or policy Of the dominant
party that is not in irreconcilablu con-
llict with the very spirit and theory Of
our institutions. Over against the
portentous shadow Of colonial empire
now looming in the eastern seas, /
place the glorious accomplishment OF
our ancestors who rebcllcd against a
colonial status and founded a new kind
OF government among the nations,
one limited to the ends of justice and
seeking the source Of it,; power in the
consent Of the governed. The exist
ing system OF special privilege that
either creates or fosters conditions un-
der which monopoly has become more
powerful, more splendid and more in
sOlcnt than ever medieval feudalSm
was, I confront with that great doc
trine Of American liberty which, as
formulated By Thomas Jefferson, be-
came and remains fundamental tenet
|of Democratic faitll: Equal rights
for all, special privileges to none ,
This doctrine is Il charter of universal
opportunity. This opens the road to
legitimate effort. Under it, ability
and genius are insured Il fair field un-
yexcd by executive caprice or lcgisa-
tive contrivance.
The name of Monroe, which we
mention with grateful remembrance
tonight, is SimmOrtally associated With
the dedication Of this hemisphere to
the righteous experiment Of sclf-EOv-
crnmcnt. The American people is a
unit i'll The maintenance Of that pror
osition. But a greater danger threat
ems than any menace to the Monroe
Doctrine. That doctrine applies to
the outer boundaries of liberty The
assault Of the Republican party is
against the citadel itself. or what
avail to mankind to preserve for a
while the soil Of South and Central
America from the burden Of monarclii-
cal systems, if meanwhile we are to
surrender the government of the Uni
ted States to the practices Of absolut-
ism? Why vindicate to the people Of
neighborng republics the right to be
und!stlrbed In the regulation Of their
own affairs unless we propose also to
restore to American citizenship its
original prcrogatives. Kings may as
well rule In Spanish A merIca II legal
lied monopoly is to be king in the
great republic.
This, fellow-c citizens, as it seems
to me, indicates clearly enough the
duty and the opportunity Of the
Democratic party now and in the
campaign Of 1904. To restore the
ancient landmarks or the constitution,
to wrcst from private interest the
control OF the government and bring
the people to their own again; is not
this program in which all genuine
Democrats can unite? And il man
honestly join In such cause, Is he
not Il Democrat: Speaking for my
self, as man who advocated before
hundreds Of thousands OF citizens in
many states the principles Of the
Democratic platforms Of 1896 and
1900, and who believed in those princi-
pies then, and believe in them now,
rs applicable to the same conditions.
| am very frank to declare my con
viction that both justice and cXpcd-
cncy demand that no greater test Of Il
mans Democracy should be required
today than his belief in and readiness
to labor for the principles that arc at
stake today If Il man is sincerely
With Inc now have not the right,
cltller to deny him The glory Of fight
ing nor to deprive myself Of his assis-
tance in our common cause on the
ground that we were not agreed upon
Il former occasion.
Let me not be misunderstood. l
do not mean that a mans attitude in
1896 and 1890 Is now to be inquired
about. 1t is possible that he may
then haye been profound believer in
the great fundamental principals OF
Democracy, but that he may have
withheld his support from the party
from either honest doubt made the
particular policies advocated would
aubscrvc these principles or from
sincere conviction that they would
not. On the other hand, either be-
licfS or SympathicS adverse to the