Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-06-02
MESSAGE TO DEMOCRACY.

A message has just been delivere,
to the Democracy that is worthy 0
the most careful consideration Of tn,
members of the party. The messag,
is from Senator Rayner. who repre-
sents Maryland in the United States
Senate. AS Maryland is one of tn,
States that is necessary for the Demo
Gratis to carry to win the next cleo
ton, this message of advice from hel
most distinguished son on the cours,
the party should pursue is the NOR,
worthy of attention.
"Of course" said Senator Rayner
I'VE all appreciate the fact that wher
a new issue arises the Democratic
party must take its stand upon one
side or the other, and as new issues
develop parties must enlarge ,and ex
pand. No one desires to restrict the
Democratic party either to a dead is
sue or simply to those that existed
at the time of its formation Now
have we any principles? l think we
have. Has the Republican party
stolen them? acquit them on the
Gcharge, think that they are EN-.
tirely innocent, and / do not believe
that they have any felonious intent
or design whatever to appropriate
them. Is the President a Democrat?
must respectfully deny it."
Senator Rayner, after showing the
lines that divide the two parties, said :
I'VE must not yield the slightest frac.
ton of the supremacy of the States
over their own local and domestic
concerns. This is our party, and we
must not barter it for wealth, for
progress or prosperity. Prosperity
may be only temporary. but the
foundation OF the republic are per-
petual. In the next place we are OPP
posed to governmental paternalism. 1t
is reproach to Jefferson to claim
that If he were living he would be in
favor Of it. predict, with great re-
spect to others who may differ with
me, that the day will never come
when the Government of the United
States will own and Operate the rail-
roads of the country. Let us give
the present railroad law a fair test
and trial. and If It does not answer
the purposes Of its enactment let us
extend its provisions and supplement
its remedies so that II will meet any
emergency that may arise. There Is
one proposition. however, that the
Democratic party must contend for In
this connection, and that Is It must
demand a complete obedience to the
existing statute. The railroad presi.
dents and officers of our trunk lines
must be made, once and forever, to
realize that they are the servants, AID
not the masters, OF the people"
After suggesting a platform upon
which all Democrats could unite Sen
ator Rayner closed by saying: III we
advocate principles that are not Dem
ocratic and be again defeated at the
polls, then 1t looks to me as II the
hour Of disintegratlon was at hand,
because the only thing that has kept
us alive through all the strange vicis-
STUDIES Of our fortune Is in the fact
that we have never yet wholly aban-
doned the historic traditions OF our
faith and have never yet upon all |
the pages Of. our history. sounded a
final retreats n the Democratic party |
win only follow Jeffersonian precepts |
and anxioms without attempting a
revised edition that he would repudi.
ate II be were living; II It viii only
unite upon essentials and not divide
upon non-essentiaIs; II II will only
stand by the old ritual and not at
tempt 10 alter Il TO suit every eco
nomic clique OF mOngrel denomina.
ion that Is willing 70 array itself
under IS banners; r. IL will only
abandon the worship OF temporary
dolls that are broken into fragments
with the close OF every campaign. and
return 10 the worship Of those cardi-
nal principles that will remain i'm.
-. -. -. 49,, - N6a rorfshlfss foota /