The Irish standard., 1905-02-11
parties which deserve to live are
those which have principles which are

parties which deserve to live arr
those which have principles which are
part of the life and being of 8
country, and which fights for those
principles. If the Democratic Party
, were to abandon Democratic principles
simply because Republican president
has seen fit since the last election tc
advocate them then it were time in.
deed that the Democracy were alb.
sorbed. We think that the criticism
of the Democratic members of
Congress because of their stand on
the Panama Canal Question is even
less groundless than the criticism of
their attitude on the railroad rate
proposition. If we recollect correctly
the Democratic party has been for so
years in favor of a Panama Canal.
The platform of 1856 on which James
Buchanan was elected contained a
clause declaring in favor of Panama
Canal, and ever since that time the
Democratic party has been in favor
of the project. True, the Democrats
of this country were not in favor of
the method by which President Roose-
welt and his party secured the right
of way across the Isthmus. The
speeches of Senators German and
Bailey in the Senate and Of John
Sharpe Williams and others in the
House fully and completely set forth
the attitude of the party toward the
methods employed to secure the right
of way. But it is one thing to criticize
the methods by which a thing is done
and another thing to criticize the
thing itself. The Globe knows that
the Panama Canal has been decided
upon. Right or wrong the thing has
been done, and the question now is,
is it the part of the Democratic Party
in Congress to aid in the construction
of project which has been part
of the party policy for fifty years or
more or to simply sit back and obstruct
because they do not like the way the
thing is being done, knowing all the
time shat it is going to be done any
how?
We suspect that the real reason
that the Globe has seen fit to criticise
the attitude of the Democratic mem
bers Of congress upon their attitude
of supporting President Roosevelt is
to be found in the fact that the Globe
is opposed to the projects which the
president and the Democratic men,
bers Of congress are now urging being
enacted into law. Not many Demo-
Gratis in the state of Minnesota will be
deceived by the ingenious arguments
nf the Globe to show that time honor
ed Democratic policies are Republican
policies. If President Roosevelt should
tomorrow recommend to Congress
hat it pass Il tariff bill based upon
the principle of tariff for revenue only
would it then be the duty of Demo-
cratic members of Congress to oppose
that recommendation and to vote for
higher schedules simply because the
Republican president advocated Demo-
cratic principles?
1t is the history Of parties, where
ever there has been government by
party, that the issues which have
been initiated, advocated and pro-
mulgated by one party are often
accepted and adopted in the end by
the other. Such is the irony of the
political life of parties. 1t has been
the province of the Liberal Party in
England during the last century to
initiate and carry up to the very point
of adoption, some Of the greatest re-
forms Of the last century only in the
end to lose the honor of adopting
them, leaving that duty to be perform
cd by the stanch opponents of the
reform. the Conservatives. If it shall
be the province of the Democratic
Party to fill the position in this
country which the Liberal Party has
filled in Great Britain what true Dem
ocrat will find fault? re secure the
adoption of policies is the purpose Of
party organization. II the adoption
of those policies is secured
through initiating and promulgating
and populariZing them up to point
where the opposing party is forced by
the people to adopt them the purpose
of party organization has been fully
complied with.
AS Democrats we ought to rejoice
that President Roosevelt has seen the
righteousness and wisdom of Demo
cratic theories in reference to railroads
and has accepted those theories as his
own. If, as party, we are to
accomplish anything for the welfare
of the people we need the help Of all
good men and so much the better if
that help comes from so distinguished
and powerful a leader as the present
president of the United States.
DECAY OF ENGLISH STAEESMAN>HIP.
While the few able military men