The Irish standard., 1904-01-02
For Seven Years Extravaganza and Favortism
in Conduct of the Government
Have Run Riot.
The Party and the True Principles of the
Party Must be Placed Above
Individual Ambition.

The following article was recently
contributed to the Independent, by
Bird S. Colcr, the last Democratic cam
didatc for governor of New York:
Thc Democratic party of the United
States is toe day face TO face with Il
great opportunity. The chief issues OF
the national campaign of 1901 must of
necessity he questions of vital and far
reaching Importance. The policy of
the present Republican administration
is leading the country into strange
paths and toward results, no man can
forctell. We are departing from the
teachings of the fathers of the Kcpub-
lie in Il mad rush to prestige as Il world
power. The time is fast approaching
when we must halt for sober and in-
telligent counsel, and all eyes are turn
ing to the Democratic party us the
basis Of organized conservatism.
1t has been said with show of rca.
son that the opportunity Of Democracy
is the folly of Rcpublicanism. To-day
the folly Of the latter is becoming Il
menace, il not an immediate danger, to
the permanence and perfection OF our
institutions. For almost seven years
extravaganza and favOritiSm in the
conduct of the national government
have run riot. More nations have been
ruined by the personal ambitions Of
their rulers than by their dishonesty;
yet today we are facing even gravcr
dangers. When Il neighboring rcpub-
lie is divided overnight with the sane
ton and under the guns of the United
States it is time to pause and reflect.
Since the adoption Of the constitu-
ton the great human events in the
history Of the United States, with the
single exception of the civil war, have
been the work of the Democratic party.
Jefferson, the founder Of Democracy,
gave us the Louisiana territory with.
out war and without injustice TO
friend or foe. Monroe, another great
| Democrat, pledged the nation to pro-
| tect the weak among struggling dem
ocracies throughout the hemisphere.
In a day the Republican party distorts
the great human doctrine Of Monroe
into a policy of national aggrandize-
mcnt and unwarranted dictation.
The republics to the south Of us, in
a certain sense our wards, trusted this
country, and under Democratic presl.
dents they never had any cause fol-
fear or suspicion. Have we grown Sc
great that we may in day change
might to right? The overnight recog.
milton Of a seeding state, as was done
in the case Of Panama, establishes q
party policy and creates precedent in
national affairs at variance with all
previous custom and contrary to our
best traditions. An able thinker re.
Gently said that the age is past when
n freebooter attitude was popular with
or even profitable for Il nation. I'm
perfalism must not be called cXpan
sion, nor thicvcry be labeled diplo
macy. Expansion means that the con
stitntion must follow the flag, while
| imperialism means taxation without
representation, and dependencies fol
revenue only. Already the people arc
asking how far an administration may
go upon such dangerous ground with.
our action by the Congress-
| But the new methods in our so
called diplomacy at present merely
share in public attention purely domes
tic questions. They do not as vet
ovcrslAdow, and they cannot conceal
the grave scandals they have grown
up at home The post Office depart.
mcnt, that branch of the national gov.
crnment that reaches into every home
in the land today stands disgraccd by
the exposure of crimes and conspir.
acics in comparison with which the
Star Route frauds and the Credit Mo
bilicr pale into insigniiicance. Into
every branch of the government there
has been introduced openly, or insid.
iously. the miasma of fraud, favor.
itifm or questionable methods. The
4 cOf, StitutiOnt has haan ionoro1 Inf