Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-10-06
BRArTLEBoRo, FRIDAY. OCT. 8, 1905
The True Democracy.

preservation. Among these none, per-
haps is more notable than his concise
statement of the creed of the Jeffer-
sonian democracy, made in the course
of an address upon assuming the
gavel of permanent chairman OF the
democratic national convention at St
Louis, June IA. 1883. 1t was said of
his speech at that time that this one
public utterance entitled him to rank
as one of the great democratic teach
ers of the time. He said. in part;
The principles upon which our gov
eminent can securely rest, upon which
the peace, prosperity and liberties OF
the people depend, are the principles
of the founder of our party, the apos-
tie of democracy. Thomas Jefferson
Our young men under thirty have
heard more in their time of the CLASH
of arms and the echoes of war than OF
the principles of government 1t has
been a period of passion. force, i'm
pulse and emotional politics. SO that
we need not wonder that now and
then we hear the question asked ana
scarcely answered. What difference
is there between the two parties?
The democratic creed was not penned
by Jefferson for a section or class or
the people, but for all; not for day
or a generation, but for all time.
These principles conserved and ex-
banded the republic in all its better
days. A strict adherence to them VIII
preserve ii to the end. So the democ-
racy of to-day, as in the past, believes
with Jefferson in:
/. Equal and exact justice to all
men of whatever state and persuasion,
religious or political.
2. Peace, commerce and honest
friendship with all nations; entang-
ling alliances with none.
8. Support of the state governments
in all their rights, as the most compe-
tent administrators of our domestic
concerns and the surest bulWarks
against anti-republican tendencies
A. The preservation of the general
government in its whole constitutional
vigor. as the sheet anchor of our peace
and safety abroad.
5. A jealous care of the right or
election by the people, mild and safe
corrective of abuses. which are Topped
off by revolution where peaceable
means are unprovided.
6. Absolute acquiescence in the de-
cisions of the majority. the vital prin-
ciple of republics. from which there is
no appeal but to force. the vital prin-
cipal and immediate parent of despot-
ism.
Z. A we'll disciplined militia, our
best reliance in peace and for the first
moments in war
s. The supremacy of the civil over
the military authority.
8. Economy in public expenses,
that labor may be lightly burdened.
10. The honest payment of our
public faith.
IL. announcement of agriculture
and of commerce as it's handmade.
70. The diffusion of information,
and arraignment of all abuses at the
bar Of public reason.
13. Freedom of religion.
IA Freedom of the press.
15. Freedom of the person under
the protection of the habeas corpus,
16. Trial by juries impartially Sc
lected.
Add to these the golden economic
rule that no more taxes should be
levied upon the people, in any way
than are necessary to meet the honest
expenses of government, and you have
body of principles to sin against
which has been political death to ev-
ery party hitherto, to sin against
which in the future will be political
suicide
Here is a creed which. name it as
vou will. might be studied and acted
upon in many particulars by members
of either of the great political parties
to the great benefit of the country
Even the present administration, apie
and admirable though it is might be
instructed from it,
AS for the democratic party, has 1t
been true to this body of principles
TO sin against which has been pollti-
cal death to every party hitherto! or
is it now suffering from the kind Oh
..political suicide" named? If SO, 1t
is not too late to get into harmony
with the health currents. While
there's life there is also hope. Get
back to the principles of Jefferson.
Added to his faith in the principles
Of his party, Gen. Collins had belief IN
his brother democrats. In seconding
the denomination of President Cleve-
land at the Chicago convention OF
1892 he expressed himself as one of
that class of democrats who are for,
and not against. some other democrat.
Il believe" he said that every state
in the union contains at least one
democrat fit to be president of the
United States"
The democratic party needs more
such men with faith and loyalty for
each other and for the great princi- 6
ples which they profess to believe and
which they should maintain. There I
is the inspiration which the party {
needs i'm the foregoing creed and in the
words of the man who so loyalty up 9
held it, They are an imperative call
'or loyalty. to all good democrats. I
The democrats of Vermont ham l
,ered and discouraged by continued a
minority in state affairs, should find /
strength and hope in the masterful t
expression of belief in them and in '
he vitality of the principles of gov U
.rnment which they endorse. The a
party of Vermont, small d
md comparatively weak though il L
nav be. has an important work to do il
or good government. 1t has not been v
Inefficient i'm the past and it should f
row with the need i'm the increased Z
ctivity of the new Vermont" Fl
n
Mr.. BRAN has written to the presi- f