Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-12-11
- Why I'm a Democrat

Why I'm a Democrat
This was the theme the other night
before the Democratic club for short
terse reasons for political belief, some.
what after the form OF class meetings
in some churches, wherein the con.
trolling motive for church utilization
is given. The score or more OF "rea.
sons" given, partook more OF the ma.
ture OF conclusions, from observation
and experience. rather than reference
to the groundwork upon which they
were based. For instance, the writer
stated that he was Democrat because
its principles seemed to him to be
founded upon the immutable laws oil
Truth and Justice. While this is q
fair assumption, probably the reasons
why we thus believed would have been
a more satisfactory answer to the que
~ presented.
The underlying principles of Dem.
ocracy existed when the government
was founded, and Washington de.
clined the kingly power offered him
and began the great work OF laying
broad and deep the foundation of the
American Republic, a government
that should not only be free in name,
but free in equality of political privi-
leges from the highest in mentality
and worldly endowments, to the indi.
vidual depending upon his days labor
for subsistence, all representing the
same unit at the ballot.box, the arbi.
ter OF every question relating to the
policies of free government.
1t was right here that the differ
ences in the parties began. 1t was
here that the leaven of opposition was
placed that has since produced fer.
mentation for over a century, and is
still the dominant trait of the party
now in power. The first parties were
arrayed under the names of Federal
lists and Anti-Federalists. the latter
afterwards assuming the name Re.
publican (the true Democrats, or anti
Federalists) of those days. The Fed
eralists were represented by such men
as Alexander Hamilton, who believed
in a strong form of government, from
his standpoint monarchy, with con.
stitutional restrictions. He believed
that titled nobility was an essential
safeguard OF governmental power, q
class whose chief interest should be to
sustain q royal reign Of hereditary line.
age. At the bead and front of the
opposition to the Federalists was
Thomas Jefferson. He opposed the
banking policy then springing into b.
ing, and other Federal measures wher.
ever they unnecessarily abridged, in
his estimation, either individual or
State rights. While, after Washing.
toms declination of third term, John
Adams, Federalist, was elected to the
Presidency, Jefferson acceeded to the
Vice Presidency, under the manner of
electing chief executives at that time,
he standing only three votes under
Adams, who received II votes in the
Electoral College TO IS for Jefferson,
So for Pinckney and 30 for Burr. The
Administration OF Adams was . true
representation of the Federal parti-
san. the incarnation Of regal dignity,
and this probably cut more sharply
the issue between the Administration
and its opposers.
At the next election, the issue was
close and the vote in tho electoral col.
lege . tie. This threw the matter into
the House of Representatives which
balloted six days before ten States
voted for Jefferson. four for Burr and
two blank. This prolonged contest
led to the XII. Amendment to the
Constitution, under which votes are
cast separately for President and Vice
President.
The election of . Republican (Dem.
ocrat) a. President of the fourth Ad.
ministration, was the first assertion of
the rights Of our people to An equal
voice in free government. Jefferson's
Administration broke down the stately
ceremonials Of Adams and establ ished
the manners of true Republican form
of government. He Was elected for
. second term by an overwhelming
majority, receiving 162 votes in the
electoral college to IA votes for Rufus
King, the Federal candidate.
Under his second administration
party differences became still more
strictly defined through those latent
influences which still constitute the
dividing line between parties; that
aristocratic feeling which ever has
been but slightly removed from full
acceptance of monarchial rule, . belief
that control of all governmental af.
fairs should be vested in the so-cslled
better classes, the clergy, the lawyers,
the wealthy people, all those who do
not have to delve for . livelihood;
those who live by their wits rather
than by their Drawn. This constitut.
ed, and still controls, the prevailing
belief of tho opposing element to the
Democratic psrty, which holds deter.
minedly to the sovereignty of the in
dividual in exercising control of all
matters of public policy, to be deter.
mined by the majority of the units of
government (the individually as ex.
pressed in constitutional form.