The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-07-12
e DIT o r IAL.
STEALING PARTY PLATFORMS.

Ing the principles Oh announcer. IL
would be surprising if during the
course of years the democrats or
populists or socialists should not
promulgate some good theories and it
would be discreditable to the repub
lican party, finding the theories to be
good, should it not in some form ineor-
porate them into its own platform
and carry them, in some modified
form into effect.
In this matter of poaching upon
each others preserves both repub-
licans and democrats have stolen
much more from the populists than
from each other and it is beyond
doubt that within the next
quarter century many of the ideas of
the much abused socialists will be
incorporated to advantage by the two
great parties. Without this assimi-
lation there would be no progress.
Neither the populist or the socialist
platforms could ever have been
swallowed in bulk by either party
successfully. The democrats tried
it in 1896 with lamentable results
to that party's digestive apparatus.
Party principles are not like
inventions, to be patented and hung
on to until the patent expires. 1t
is the duty of the party to take the
best it can find from whatever
source, to modify it for present use
and to make it practical for the
welfare of the people. Meat in
spectlon, rate regulation pure food
laws, are but practical notifications
of the socialist program of govern
ment ownership and control. While
the country is not at all ready to ac
cept socialism per Sc, these working
notifications meet with general APP
prevail. With commendable good
sense Mr.. Bryan and his party have
dropped Free Silver, and have resolv-
ed to "steal' the gold standard from
republicanism. Mr.. Bryan makes an
effort to save his ia &c, but the fact
remains that he acknowledges him
self toh ave been wrong and acquiesces
in the republican policy.
Again, democracy has practically
abandoned its support of States
Rights and is becoming almost as en-
thusiastic on the subject of a strong
federal government always a repub
lican tenet. In the matter of the
tariff, democracy has abandoned its
stand for tariff for revenue only
and has changed its war cry to tar
iff revision" without daring to intim-
ate that it would do away with
republican protection in it's entirety.
This is another direct 'ssteal' from
republicanism.
On the other hand republicans
may have stolen" some of the anti
trust thunder from democracy.
If they have, it is only the "thun-
der" they have taken, for the real
lightning, the effective part, has all
ways been republican. After hear
ing our democratic friends proclaim
and thunder it is perhaps hard to be-
lieve that every antitrust law on
our federal statute books has been
placed there by republican congress-
es and approved by republican Presi-
dents. Further, that every Federal
antitrust prosecution has been insti-
tuted and carried on by republican
administrations. Strange as it may
seem these are the facts. 1t may be
that republicans have done less than
they should; but the democrats,
when in power, have done nothing at
all.
How many of us have had our day
dreams, as to what we would do if
we chad million dollars. !" If we
were as rich as Rockefeller, what a
revolution there would be. Poverty
would end. The Prince Bountiful of
the fairy tale would be but a cheap
imitation. And yet many men have
become millionaires-men who had
just such day dreams and the
dreary old world drags along in the
same old dreary way.
Democracy has had many enchant-
ing cay :eams. it has told us about
them with charming and alluring
frankness and was probably perfectly
honest in it's good intentions. When
it has had power, however, it has
signally failed to "make good. !"
For our part we hope the different
parties will go on stealing" the
very best the others have. Perhaps
if they keep on stealing the time will
come for which Judge Van Wagenen
longed- when the people shall meet
ut the polls, as the directors meet at
the bank to conduct the affairs of
the nation on business principles,
without regard to party names, or
party war-cries or party whips.
We join with him in hoping that time