Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-10
What Do They Stand For?

What does the Democratic party
stand Cor, anyway, in The present cam
paign? This is a question to which the
country would really like an answer.
The st. Louis platform made it appear
that the party was really going before
the country as favoring some things
and opposing others. That idea was at
once upset by Judge Parllers speech Of
worse COMPOUNDED by the attempt of
Democratic editors and orators since
that time Strengthening out the tangle.
OF course, primarily. the great motive
Of the Democratic party is opposition
and negation, and it devotes itself with
persistency and zeal to the noble task
of opposing each constructive work of
the Republican party ana finding fault
with the results when that work is ac-
power, and seeks to make the people
forget the blunders it made and the
crimes it committed when they were
led into the folly of giving it charge Of
national affairs.
But apart from this great work Of
finding fault abusing the president and
kicking up a dust, what does the
Democracy actually stand for? Is it in
favor of tariff reform? The St. Louis
platform denounces protection as a
robbery" and some of the partys
leading lights. John Sharpe Williams
and Champ Clark. are free traders. On
the other hand, ore Of it's greatest
leaders, German, is for protection, and
as far as the view of the candidates
can be discovered, Parker believes in
tariff for revenue only while Davis is
for protection. since he has vast prop
erty interests which are profitable only
on account of the tariff. AS far as the
tariff goes no man on earth, least of all
a Democratic leader himself can tell
what kind of a tariff hill they would
pass. What do they stand for in
finance? At st. Louis they lodged this
great issue entirely, and their candi-
date, who twice voted for free silver,
has said no more upon this subject
than to announce what everybody
knows, namely, that the gold standard
has been established by the Republican
PARTY. Whether or not Parker is a
gold man now, it is certain that he was
a free silverite only four years ago, and
that he would have voted for a free
silverte had they nominated such a
man this year. Where does the Demo-
oracy stand on the trust question? In
their platform they have called loudly
for new laws, and few weeks later
their candidate declared that no new
laws are needed. while everybody
knows that the nomination of Parker
was brought about by men represent
ing the greatest trusts in the country.
and that the executive committee of
The national committee is made I'D
magnates. Where do they stand on
The Philippine problem? Their plat
form calls for immediate scuttling
from the islands, while their candidate
hdulges in egnimatical remarks upon
we subject which the Democratic
newspapers have ever since been try
ing to make meaning out of.
Neither on any of these nor on any
VI the other issues now before the
american people has the Democratic
'"''y any positive views. or any con-
s'ructiVe policy to recommend. It is
uncertain and divided, and
matters and all others there
~ uncertainty. laundering and
eonlus'o" Y they were given control Of