The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-06
4 GOOD SPEECH
Made at a Democratic Harmony
Gathering in Brooklyn.
TIE DEMOCRACY OF TIE WEST
Was the Subject Discussed by EX'
Congressman Chas. A. Towne.
Republican Who Turned
CHI
Democrat.


Democratic club to com memorate the
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. Slayden, of
Texas. Mr.. Towne responded to the
toast, 1.-The Democracy Of the West:
saying in part:
Real harmony is to be found more
in cooperation of effort than in vocif-
Grafton of good intentions. What we
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-
gran than which none other ever more
strongly appealed to the patriotism,
the reason, the conscience OF the cltl-
zen. The formulated and accepted
principles Of Democracy are the prin-
ciples that inspired the American Rev.
olution, that we're proclaimed in the
Declaration Of Independence, and that
unGerlie the constitution Of the Cni-
ted States. They comprise substan-
Uially the doctrine of the inalienaole
right Of selr-gorernnent; 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 OF the Re
publican party. Show me one great
purpose or policy Of the dominant
party that is not in irreconcilable con-
flict with the very spirit and theory OF
our institutions. Over against the
portentous shadow Of colonial empire
now looming in the eastern seas, l
place the glorious accomplishment OF
our ancestors who rebelled against a
colonial status and founded new kind
of government among the nations.
one limited to the ends Of justice and
seeking the source of its 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
solent than ever medieval feudalism
was, I confront with that great doc
trine o. American liberty which, as
formulated by thomas Jefferson, be-
came and remains a fundamental tenet
of Democratic faith: Equal rights
for all, special privileges to none
This doctrine is a charter Of universal
opportunity. This opens the road to
legitimate effort. Under it, ability
and genius are insured fair field IN
ve2ed by executive caprice or legisla-
tive contrivance.
The name OF Monroe, which we
mention with grateful remembrance
tonight, is iSimmortally associated with
the dedication Of this hemisphere to
the righteous experiment Of self-goy-
eminent. The American people is a
unit in the maintenance of that pror
osition. Bat 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. OF what
avail to mankind to preserve for a
while the soil of South and Central
America from The burden of monarchl-
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
neighboring republics the right TO be
undisturbed In the regulation OF their
own affairs unless we propose also to
restore to American citizenship it's
original prerogatires? Kings may as
we'll rule in Spanish-Anerica if legal
lied monopoly is to be king in the
great republic.
This, fellow citizens, as it seems
to me, indicates clearly enough the
duty and the opportunity Of the
Democratic party now and in the
can npaign Of 1904. To restore the
ancient landmarks Of the constitution:
to wrest from private interest the
control Of the government and bring
the people to their own again; is not
this a program in which all genuine
Democrats can unite? And il a man
honestly join in such cause, is he
not a Democrat? Speaking for my
self, as man who advocated before
hundreds CT thousands Of citizens in
mauy states the principles Of the
Democratic platforms Of 1896 and
1900, and who believed in those prlncl-
ples then, and believe in them now,
as Applicable to the same conditions.
am very frank to declare my con-
yiction that both justice and eXpedi-
ency demand that no greater test OF a
mans Democracy should be required
today than his belief in and readiness
to labor for the principles that are at
stake today. II man is sincerely
with me now l have not the right.
either to deny him the glory OF hsllt-
ing nor to deprive myself OF his assls-
tance in our common cause on the
ground that we were not agreed upon
a former occasion.
Let NE not be misunderstood. l
do not mean that mans attitude IN
1896 and 1880 is nC"; 70 &c inquired
about. 1t is possible that he may
then haye been a profound believer 10
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
subserve these principles or from
sincere conviction that they would
not. On the other hand, either be-
liefs or sympathies adverse to the