The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-04-22
The Democratic Party and the
Issue.

Shall the corporations or the people con-
troll the government of the United States?
Today the corporations are in absolute
control. Even when the supreme court
decides that the government has power to
destroy the trusts the attorney general
rushes forward and assures the combina-
tions that the administration has no
intention of disturbing them. The rule
of these corporations is unlimited and
complete The president refuses to en-
force the law as it stands, and the re-
publican congress refuses to enact new
legislation, The government is being
used for the enrichment of the few at the
expense of the many, officials are making
money by the sale of their influence, and
corruption is rampant in city, state and
nation. The public conscience has been.
Supplied by commercialism untilthe gross
est offenses against liberty and good gov
eminent do not awaken the protes THAT
ought to be made against even trivial de-
partures from the path of rectitude. The
government is used as a business asset by
those who can control it and enormous
campaign funds are contributed by the
financiers of class legislation and distribut-
ed as brides to the people. Republicans
as we'll as democrats recognize the menace
of such condition, but when confronted
with the acts of their own party, make
but one reply: "But will the democratic
party, if entrusted with power do any bet
ter?" And to give force and reasonable
ness to their inquiry, they point TO the
administration of Grover Cleveland. 1t
is vain to point out the Inconsistency of
such an answer, vain to point out that
the republicans rather than the democrats
ought to shoulder the responsibility for
Mr.. Cleveland's administration. To
the ordinary republican Cleveland stands
for democracy because he is the only
democratic president we have had. They
overlookTthe fact that his assistance gave
the country republican. administration
that followed in his footsteps as he follow
ed in the footsteps of his republican
predecessors.
Secretary Shaw, in recent speech,
emphasized the fact that Mr.. Cleveland
did nothing on the trust question. That
is no justification of the inaction of the
present administration, but it is taking
reply and imposes upon the democratic
party the necessity of making democracy
mean something entirely different from
either Clevelandism or republication.
The fact that the great dailies which
still claim to be democratic, present
Cleveland and Clevelandism as represent
ing democratic principles and democratic
aspirations, is great embarrassment. 1t
remains for the convention to show, as it
has twice before, that these papers con-
trolled by the influence that con-
trolls the republican party, do not speak
for the democratic masses.
Just now the republicans are making
merry over the merger decision, but what
is there in it to cause exultation among
republicans? Why does not the presi-
dent enforce the law if the law is good
Why are the numerous great trusts allow
ed to continue business? If the governor
of state enforced the law against one
horse thief in ten or twenty or one hun
dred, could he excuse himself for not
enforcing it against the other nine or
nineteen or ninety The reason
60 he rap.th1sCar &c x,Iat s1
to be seen. The party receives cam
paign contributions from trusts. Trust
officials and inanciers lend to the
republican leaders their power to coerce
employees and to intimidate borrowers.
Will the democratic party initiate repub-
lican methods and invite confidence only
to besray it, or will it take a firm and
strong stand against the commercialism
of the day and make resolute attempt to
restore the government to its old founda-
tons and to purify politics. The demo-
cratic party has two paths before it. It
can follow the republican party upon the
downward path or it can take the path
leading to higher ground. In the last
two campaigns the party has made a
strenuous fight for higher ideals, but its
way has been obstructed and made hard
by the perfidy of men once high in the
party's councils and by the betrayal of
men of whom it had right to expect
nought but fidelity. 1t must continue its
struggle or forfeit its claim upon the
conscience of the country. There is every
inducemeut to a righteous course. 1t
cannot only secure to its members the
satisfaction that comes from noble effort,
bat it can lay the foundation for per
manent and overwhelming success. If
the party would realize the hopes of its
founders and prove an effective instru-
ment for the Improvement of government
and the betterment of political conditions,
the order must be no compromise, con-
cession or surrender.-The Commoner.