The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-30
WHAT IS A DEMocRATs
The Nsw York world Answers Its OwH
 Question Very Fully.

For some weeks The New York World has been asking the question, What is Democrat" and it has prlh- ted many answers from eorrespon- them was Hon. W. J. Bryan, whose an swer has been printed in this paper. Now comes The World itself with 8 very full and complete answer, which
 Writing to The World from Southern Pines, N. C.. on the question What is a Democrat?" George H. Lacey says:
 T note your period of limitation to the year 1907 and infer from that your conception of the policies of the party in power and the public utterances of President Roosevelt to be essentially Democratic in principle and in purpose, and that through the logic of events the Republican party has so far absorbed the leaven of Democracy as to leave no ground for separate and individual par ty action. But is this true?' We think 1t Is not true, The World has neither said it nor believes it. Mir. Roosevelt has carried out many meas ures which The World approves. but he is not Democrat and the Republican party is not Democratic. Neither in the smallest degree has rendered mil itant. truly Democratic party superrlu- ous.
 A Democrat who is a Democrat from principle fears too much govern | ment rather than too little government He knows that the human struggle for
 
 off the shackles forged by authority and privilege.
 This makes him: l. Opposed to all undue interference with personal liberty. 3. An advocate of home rule. 3. A defender of state rights. 4. An opponent of Centralizatton- not a promoter of further Centraliza- tion, like MT. Bryan who surpasses MT. Roosevelt.
 5. An enemy of all socialistic and semi -socialistic policies. 6. believer in government ot checks and balances as against gov ernment by passion and prejudice. A Democrat who is a Democrat from principle is opposed to al special privt- leges conferred by government; l. Opposed to nigh protective tariffs which enrich the manufacturer at the expense of the consumer. For more than a generation a majority of Demo- crats have leaned toward free trade. while the Republicans have revised the tariff upward.
 2. A believer in the largest possible freedom for the natural person, hut in all necessary supervision and control
 of the artificial person-that Is the | corporation.
 3. An uncompromising enemy Of all trusts in restraint of trade.
 1. An advoGate of such franchise. in- come and inheritance taxes as will compel Privilege, Plutocracy and Pro-
 lection to pay their full share of the cost of a government which makes
 their existence possible. A Democrat who is Democrat from
 principle instinctively sympathizes l with "the under dog" This makes him:
 1 l. Partial to measures that encour-
 age the poor to improve their condi- | tion-
 ?. believer in universal education at public expense.
 3. An opponent of militarism. tm-
 perialism, jlng6ism and the arbitrary
 rule of alien races against their will. | 4. Against public oppression of a
 corporation no less than against oorpo-
 ration oppression of the public.
 ,. Sympathetic with labor. bat as firmly set agaInst socialism and pre-
 datory poverty as against predatory
 A true Democrat who Is a Democrat from principle deplores every appeal to
 class hatred and class prejudice as a menace to Republican institutions. To
 array masses against classes, employed | against employer, poor against rich, la, 1 Dor against capital, is denial of the | whole theory of Democracy upon which
 Jefferson founded the Democratic par | ty.
 | There is no surer or simpler way of 1 overlooking republican institutions 1 than by stimulating class hatreds ana | melting class wars.
 So much for what a true Democrat
 Is and for what true Democracy is. | Let us admit that party lines at ! present are tangled. twisted and in | tertwined. Republicans are applaud 1 Ing policies they denounced as crazy i ten years ago. Democrats are trying | to outbld Republicans in the auction of { the anti-corporation vote But tue fact 1 remains that In spite of plutocrats who { call themselves Democrats and dema- i gogues who call themselves Democrats 1 there are certain we'll settled Demo- | cratic principles and tendencies which
 will assert themselves in the long run | and which are necessary to maintain 1 the equilibrium of the Republic If the Democratic party were to be l exterminated by a soeialisttc or a | semi -soclalistic party the character Of 1 the American Government would be
 revQluntionized within a quarter of a | century.
 If the Republican party were to con l tinue as 1t is under MT. Roosevelt. | while the Democratic party became what MT Bryan wishes to make il, all
 the essential powers of government at | Washiuston would pass ultimately into 1 the hands of the President. Instead or
 three coordinate branches there would ! be one supreme head-an elective Lit ] tie Father.
 If the Republican party were 70 con | tinue its Rooseveltian traditions. while l the Democratic party became waat Mr. l Hearst wishes to make it, we should. l soon or late. see a desperate minority
 appealing to blood and iron for the | rights a ruthless majority had tramp
 led under foot.
 1 opportunities of the individual, as dis