Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-11-02

The long and bloody struggle for civil
freedom by the people Of Russia has at last
been won, and he who ruled great nation
by Divine right has been forced to grant
liberty to the people. They are to be
given the ballot with which they shall
select their own representatives IN gov
ernmental bodies, free press and quar-
antee Of free speech.
All these things we Americans inherited.
They were our birthright. Purchased, it is
true, at fearful price, but they cost this
generation nothing. They came to us like
the fortune of dollars that thrifty parents
pass down to their children As we look
at Russia and then at oui own fair land
to-day, we wonder if Russians, one hun
bred years hence, Will realize the price at
which their liberties were granted. We
can but wonder if Russians of one hundred
years hence will be governed by other
rulers just as selfish, just as despotic,
more INSCRIPTIONS; we wonder if the Rus
sian representatives, chosen from the ranks,
will some day imagine themselves just a
will the Russian ballot be thing to be
toyed with; counted as cast when it suits
the pleasure of the new rulers, and cast
aside when it does not his will; will the
press that the Russian people shall estab-
fish be as subseryient to the Russian boss
as has been that of the past to him who
ruled by Diyine right until the year 1905;
will the political boss of the future Russian
tell him whom he may and whom be may
not address on the public highway; will he
become rich in purse after few years ser.
vice as representative in the new Govern
mental bodies to be created; will he be able
to buy ballots with dollars, and railroad
passes from the Russian voter Of the future;
will his winning smile, his warm hand
shake, and the kiss bestowed on baby,
cover all his political sins?
How familiar all these things are to we
Americans We have not squandered all
our great patrimony, but what mockery
when compared to what it was when We
undertook TO administer our estate.
We have made toy of our ballot.
We have allowed our public servants to
become our rnlers.
We have seen the will of the people dis
regarded.
We have seen those we have elected to
represent US in our local bodies, treated
with contempt by factional boss.
We find ourselves surrounded by a
monument of legislative acts that in effect
rob us of our constitutional rights
Mechanical contriyanees have been set up
to supplant our constitutional ballot.
We have seen maiorities created by the
liberal use of money
We have a press that is not free.
Thieves have swayed over great cities
and preyed on the public treasures.
But in this year Of grace. 1905, indica-
tions are shat Americans are going to
formulate new Declaration of Independ
ence.
They are to make supreme effort to
recover their vast estate in civil govern
ment.
There viii be no resort to force, but
what ballots are yet free will be welded by
freemen to retake the heritage that reckless
bosses have possessed themselves of, and
the mechanical appliances viii be turned
into engines of destruction to those who
who contrived them to do their will.
As the Russian people enter upon new
life as nation, the American people are
about to take up their old heritage and adj
minister it according as the fathers would
have it administered, with equal justice to
all, special privileges to none.
A new and Squarer Deal will be in
augurated next Tuesday.
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