The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-03-24

khCH "a, lJUA
The United States has done much
towards the civilization of the world
but its greatest achievement was the
recognition of democracy. The men
of 1875 founded country wherein roy
atty may visit, but where they must
mingie with men and women of hum
BILE birth whose title to nobility is
based on personal worth. Scions of
roy atty continue to visit among us;
they do more, they sell themselves to
maidens born and bred in land Of de-
mocracy. People have right to buy
what they please so long as they can
pay for it. The fact that we can pur-
chase princes, dukes and lords places
the American citizen on far higher
plane than the representatives of mon
archy. No good representative of de-
mocracy is salable to the highest bid
der.
While democracy is best typiied by
the American and his country, it has
spread to ali parts of the world. The
makers of our constitution devised the
union without precedent, but uncon-
sciously, perhaps, they established a
precedent for the enlightened people
of the future, precedent which led
to the independence of other nations
and the amelioration of the sufferings
of people whose country retained the
form of monarchy. All nations now
realize that America in recognizing de-
mocracy took step towards the pin
nacle of civilization which has never
been equaled. While democracy is dis
tinctly an American institution we
may look in any direction and find
that it was the forerunner of many re-
forms in European countries where
taxes fell heavily on the peasant and
merchant but rested lightly on an ex-
empted nobility, and where in many
ways the common people were cruelty
oppressed.
In South America there had been
frequent attempts at resistance to
Spanish tyranny, but it was not until
after the successful revolution in
North America that any efforts were
made towards actual independence
The libei ators of South America were
inspired by our success and their ener:
] gies were set aflame by such men as
Washington and La Fayette whose
!. deeds spurred them on to victory. II
/ was while on a visit to the tomb OF
George Washington that Simon Boil.
var dedicated his life to the cause ol
South American independence.
The successful revolt of the Ameri
can colonies from England was sug
gestion to the people of France tt
throw off the burden imposed by its
nobility. And in spite Of the fact thai
France has been the scene of few
revolutions and the playground of Ma
, polean Bonaparte, it has developed in
to republic almost as democratic al
our own, and one that is now fruit
| full inspiration to her neighbors.
7 Austria had an absolute monarch
!, who kept people in ignorance
!, Russia was i'll a state of barbarism
, England had but a limited suffrag,
) and her people were discriminate
against on account of their religion
} views. In fact, all Europe was in
] state of bondage ruled by men who be
: lieved that they were. the direct repre-
I sentatives of God. But closely follow
: ing upon the victory of democracy il
: America, European writer's took 70
i their themes: equality of men," an,
: the "True principles of government.
3 The new American doctrine that tn
l people we're the source Of authorit
r was deemed as dangerous as that o
' the anarchist of today. But the pee
: pie awoke to their rights and their fre
0 quent outbreaks were always followe
+ by concessions and constitutional n
n forms. The American people ma
we'll feel proud that in achieving thei
d Town independence, they brought abou
+ q reorganization of the government
a of Europe and bettered the conditio
t of its people.
VI In most cases monarchy has been n
y tanned in some form or other. but ou
i, side of Russia and Pennsylvania, "