The state herald., 1904-10-14
ATTITUDE OF PARTIES
POSITIONS OF REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS.
The Former Stand for Certain Fun
damentai Ideas, While the Latter
Are Content to Oppose Everything
offered by Their Rivals.

II Is a common thing to hear II said
that there Is little difference in this cam
paign between the position OF the Re-
publican R.id the Democratic parties, and
that some people do not much care which
wins. Never was more radical mis-
take made. There Is wide gulf be-
tween the stand of the two parties.
Cuff No: oceans separate the out
posts Of each from the other!
The Republican party is planted solid
iy upon certain fundamental ideas. and
the actual working out Of those ideas
forms the main rock OF Its support. 1t
Is . com bination of men who believe In
action. led by man OF resistless ener'
Ey. During the last half century the
Republican party has held together the
American Union and made 1t a nation.
Il has abolished slavery forever from
our shores. 1t has. through the protec-
tive tariff and other measures, built up
national and individual prosperity. II
has. In very recent years, caused the
American nation to be respected through
out the world as frst-class power.
debating, to-day, policy OF justice and
fair dealing in international affairs, In
Europe, Asia and the islands of the
seas. II has fought out the fight for
the gold standard, putting the natio0 on
q sound financial footing with the rest
of the world. 1t stands. now. for hu-
man freedom. equal justice to all. equal
opportunities to all, without regard to
race. creed or color. 1t stands for pros
perity at home and recognition abroad,
for honest money. for national credit, for
practical works of internal improvement.
hN Init tnI tha ~ ha
anna Canal. 1t has begun the irriga-
tion Of the arid regions of the West.
1t has inaugurated an era of education.
OF sanitary reform, Of civil and religious
liberty In the new American possess
sions in the Atlantic and Pacific. The
Republican party is a party OF work.
1t does things! 1t is alive. progressive,
ririle and practical. II is, in its very
nature, constructive. II is living,
growing force. because II is made up OF
the men Of the nation who possess the
power Of taking the initiative in all
forms OF activity.
What About the Opp,sitions
And what about the Democratic party,
the party which some people are saying,
is not far different. at present, from its
rival?
What has the Democratic party said
or done during the last half century?
II has simply laid its ears back and
kicked! II has been the leaden lump
TO lift In all great enterprises under
taken by the country from 1860 on to
the present moment of time. IL opposed
the war for the Union with all its
strength. In 1864 its National Conven-
tion declared THE WAR A FAIL
URE." II opposed. with heart and soul.
the freeing Of the slaves. The district
In which slavery flourished is still Dem
ocratic-a SOLID South" II opposed the
protective tariff. and opposes II still. II
adopted the wild craze for free silver
and has never repudiated or disowned
Its doctrines OF 1890 and 1900. II held
back the Panama Canal and would have
defeated It's beginning II II had been
able to do 10. II has discouraged prac.
tical and humane administration OF nf-
fairs In the Philippines. 1t has. nt all
times. everywhere and anywhere. been
wrong. With a certailty which is mar.
,elous II takes the wrong side o. every
public question.
And now. after the heat and burden OF
work borne by its opponent. this party
ef Ignorance. laziness, procrastlnntion
and disaster asks to be given the reins of
national powerl II claims for itself con-
siderntion on the ground Of perpetual
fault-6nding with things as they are
and ms they ought TO be!
How can any sane man say that the
difference between the two great parties
Is not great? One means health, brains,
heart. work, the solving OF hard prob
lens. the assisting OF the heavily bur
dened. the holding OF great strong
nation To its grand purpose In the bet.
tering OF mankind. The other means
standing still. looking backward. and 20.
Ing backward. for man or nation standing
still IL bound TO retrogradc.
There must be something In the air
which dulls perception when men can
Say that they find little difference this
year between the two great political
parties. Fatncss AMI prosperity have
caused some people TO lose quick pcrcep-
ton and judgment. There would be
rude awakening for them II the Demo.
Gratis should win the November elcc-
lions. The chances are much against
any such catastrophe for the sleepy
brethren who don't much care" IL II
a curious phenomenon. however. the fact
of their existence.