The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-05-06
Made at 9 Democratic Harmony
Gathering in Brooklyn.
THE DEMOCRACY OF THE WEST
Was the Subject Discussed by Ex
Congressman Chas. A. TOwne,
u Republican Who Turned
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, The Democracy OF The West, Z"
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 a 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 the American Rev
olution, that were proclaimed in the
Declaration OF Independence, and that
underlie the constitution of the Uni
ted States. They comprise subStan-
italy the doctrine OF the inalienable
right OF self-government; Of just taxa
ton; 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 favorltism 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,
place the glorious accomplishment Of
our ancestors who rebelled against a
colonial status and founded new kind
or 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, l confront with that great doc
trine OF 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 charter of universal
opportunity. This opens the road TO
legitimate effort. Under it, ability
and genius are insured fair field un-
veXed by executive caprice or legisla-
! tive contrivance.
The name OF Monroe, which we
mention with grateful remembrance
tonight, is immOrtally associated with
the dedication OF this hemisphere to
the righteous experiment Of self-gov-
ernment. The American people is a
unit in the maintenance of that prOr
oSition. But 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 monarchi-
cal systems, IL meanwhile we are to
surrender the government Of the Uni
ted States to the practices of abSolut-
ism? Why yindicate 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 its
original prerogatives? Kings may as
well rule in SpaniSh-America il 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
campaign 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 program in which all genuine
J Democrats can unite? And if a man
honestly join in such cause, is he
not a 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 princ-
Piles then, and believe in them now,
as applicable TO the same conditions.
| am very frank TO declare my CON
victon 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. If man is sincerely
| with me now | have not the right,
either 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
former occasion.
Let me not be misunderstood. /
do not mean that a mans attitude in