Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-04
What Docs Democ.
racy Stand For?

~
could be substituted for them. In
either case, Il meant fiat money.
Eighteen months ago the democratic
congressional committee. through rs
secretary. Mr.. Charles A. Edwards,
authorized the statement that
The democratic congressional com.
mittee is standing squarely on the
Kansas City platform. That 10 the
only democracy we know anything
about, and Ii viii be the only demo
cracy there Is until another national
convention shall be held.
To day the representative from the
Eighth district OF Mlssissippi--dia-
tinctly stating that be speaks only for
himsef-relegates The silver question
to the rear, but still holds to the front
the far more dangerous heresy OF fiat
government paper IN lieu of national
bank note issues.
over against the gentleman from
Mississippi / put William J, Bryan,
with s.s5s.ls3 democratic votes for the
presidency behind HIM and In view OF
his recent statement that
TIE Kansas City platform was
sound IN every plank, and the first
act OK the next democratic conyefi.
tion should be to reailirm II IN IT, 90
tirety-
We have a right % ask again, What
does democracy now stand forg
But there Is another point on which
We need enlightenment, A few days
ago the gentleman from MissIasippi,
In d magazine article. said:
There is also d tarifr revision by
piecemeal, which Is a h~andmaiden Of
the other system, This 10 tariif reyis9
ION by reciprocal trade agreements
with other nations. Much a be done
along this piecemeal line OF the tariff
revision under q democratic or ap.
proximateiy democratic law. Some
things along this line can be done
eyon under the Dingiey law. with
nothing but tho small 20 per cont mar.
gin Of elasticity given In that act.
Permit me to say that 50 far as
the latter part Of this statement ID
concerned 1 heartily agree with him
and l hope to see the time ii tho near
future when every one OF the treaties
which we're negotiated by the McKin.
ley administration, sent q the senate
with President McKInley's approval.
and reported faYouably BY 4 republican
senate committee on foreign affairs,
will become the law of the land.
believe In reciprocity In competi.
tive products as the full fruitlon of
the protective systom. but the con
ditions must be prescribed BY those
who would preserve the aystem and
not by those who would destroy IL.
Hut whom I turn TO the democratic
textbook, issued BY the committee
Of which tho gentleman from Mis-.
sissippi Is d member. ] find under the
heading. 1The Reciprocity Humbug,"
on page 277. these statements.
Reciprocity looks llko free trade,
but tastes like protection. IN prac.
lice reciprocity Is worse than protec.
tioR. Free trade would open our mar.
kets TO benefit our own country,
Reciprocity cares nothing for the
consumer and hunts foreign markets
with a club.
Reciprocity Is based upon the same
false theories as Is protection and.
like protection. II IL a sham and q hum.
bug. and TO most people has been and
win ever continue 70 bo a delusion
and q snare.
Reading these two declarations and
putting the unauthorized statement Of
the Individual against the Official pro-
nunciamento OF the committee. | ask
again, What does democracy now
stand forf
But there Is one subject upon which
the democratic position, according TO
the chosen leader OF the party ID this
Is clear and explicit, and That
ii the tariff question.
I quote.
As 70 the tariff. the democratic
party stands for the principle that pro.
tectionism is a system Of taxation,
whereby many are robbed that a few
may be hothoused BY legislation into
artificial prosperity. The ultimate
goal or democratic striving is tariff
for revenue only. The general prin,
ciple that protectionism Is wrong,
morally wrong, i prostitution Of gov
eminent 70 private ends. should never
be forgotten; the goal ought not 70 be