Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1903-01-15
IMPERIALISM AND DEMOCRATS.
An Issue That Is without Foundation
Sound Currency the Only
Safe One.

The announcement of Senator
James X. Jones that anti-imperial-
ism must be the paramount issue
upon which the democrats go into
the next presidential campaign
would have "a tendency to disturb
all democrats who wish for the sue
cess of the party were it not for
one thing. That is the settled con-
viction that james X. will not be
allowed to dictate or formulate a
policy for the party in 1904. His day
as leader or dictator is past, and the
party will select a safer man to fol-
low when it again falls into line for
national campaign. His inetficien-
cy as a leader has been fully dem
onstrated, and he and those who
think with him may as well retire
gracefully or they will be retired,
says the Montgomery (Ala) Adver-
tiser (dem.).
The folly of making or trying to
make a definite issue of antrim
periaIism is mere moonshine. 1t
matters not what the individual opin-
ions of democrats may be on the
question of our foreign policy, it is
foolish to suppose that the party will
unite in opposition to the policy of
the government while it is engaged
in a foreign war. 1t is perfectly true
that some of our strongest demo-
cratic statesmen are opposed to the
retention of the Philippines, but it
is equally true that others of equal
prominence and patriotism, as well
as of equal devotion to democracy,
are in full accord with the policy now
being pursued. We admit that demo-
Gratis may hold these diverse opinions
without ceasing to be democrats, but
to talk about uniting the party on
a policy of virtual opposition to the
government is tOmmy-rot. Evidently
Senator Jones wishes to fall upon an
issue which will virtually relegate
the money question to the back
ground without saying so in so many
words He would find, if he could
have his way, that his paramount is
sue" would divide the democracy in
finitely worse than free coinage did.
While we are speaking of issues
and platforms, it may not be out Of
place to refer to the platform re-
Gently formulated by one of the
shrewest men in the party, David b.
Hill. 1t is thus briefly stated:
"a strict construction of the fed
eral constitution. No entangling al
Iiances with foreign nations. Insist
ence upon the reserved right of the
states Public taxation for public
purposes only. Opposition to monor-
olies and dangerous combinations of
capital. The preservation of the
personal liberty of the citizen. No
Capitalization. Home rule for states
/ and municipalities. These are dem
ocratic principles, which survive all
defeats and must ultimately tri-
umph."
We thoroughly agree with Mr.. Hi!
that these are all democratic princi-
pies. old as the party itself, and it
should not be difficult for democrats
to unite on a platform Of this kind,
but we do not believe it viii be hon
est or good policy to ignore the
money question. for the republicans
] Will llpI dlloN 'Hi Dt' ~ w I i'i'i''ih
silent on that point. The party must
| declare itself in favor of safe and
sound financial system and of safe
/ and permanent currency, or it need
not go into the fight at all. Moth
/ ing is more absolutely certain in our
/ estimation than this. The republic
ans will undoubtedly go into the next
! ,.sifh a nlui and nnpntIiE
ocal declaration for sound money
/ and a safe and fixed monetary sys-
| TEN, and for the democrats to under
/ take to make n fight on Il platform
| OF dodging and cowardly evasion on
! the currency question would mean
| defeat from the beginning. 1T is as
/ certain as anything can be in politics
! that the entire country has made mp
! its mind on the currency question
and any party which attempts to dis
/ turb or disorganiZe our monetary
! system is defeated at the begin
ming. Whatever form or language
/ the leaders of the party may see best
to adopt in dealing with this ques-
| ton. il must be done in such way
rs will assure the country that our
currency will not be dcbascd or our
finances disturbed and dcmoralizcd.
With all Mr. Iir's shrewdness - n
/ leader. if he thinks democracy can
win battle by lodging the financial
issue. he is as badly mistaken as
Jones is when he thinks he can unite
the democrats OF the country on n
declaration OF anti-imperialsm.
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.