The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-03-21
THE NAME WHICH CANNOT FADE.

'.Party names fade says John Morley,
'sforms of words grow hollow, the letter
kills: what was true in the spirit lived on,
for the worlds circumstance needed and
demanded it.
This pity expression of political history
is almost literally true. The names of most
parties are hardly historic, while what,was
true and available survived, as to spirit
and principle. One party name, however,
Democracy, seems destined to live as long
as language.
Democracy, in the broadcast sense is
term coextensive with history. 1t has
fundamental meaning. tits the anlmatlng
faith of that liberalism which has been be-
hind universal development, behind the
growth of free institutions. Democracy
has come to be sort of political religion
it stands in some degree for the belief of
every man-of the capacity for thought
upon the relationship of the individual to
society. 1t represents conviction OF growth
and progress in the destines of mankind.
Still in another sense it stands for the we'll
being of the social order.
Merely considers democracy as faith In
progress. To think of progress, he says
as certainty of social destiny, as the be-
ngnant outcome of some eternal cosmlc
law, has been the most splendid and ami
mated Of superstitions; one deepening into
a kind of fatalism. radiant, confident and
infinitely hopeful.
The idea of faith suggests striving, and
if we add the element of effort to faith we
have what seems to be true definition OF
the great moulding influence upon the
governing law Of the human race-democ-
racy. Traced back through the history of
the French Republic, through American
independence and English liberalism, de-
mocracy is found to be just that, and its
remoter, more varied and less emphatic
history discloses the same-faith and effort
in social progress, moral progress, progress
in manners and institutions.
Out of democracy in the broader sense
has developed the Democracy of America
1t is a survival of what was true in spirit
and principle in the democracy Of preced-
ing history.
Democracy, in the party sense, is en-
,ightened liberalism applied to modern
conditions. Its saving doctrines, vital
ruths and quickening fundamentals, look
ng ever to the preservation of the balance
between the utmost individual liberty and
ne good Of the body polite, keep apace
Nth every growing condition and develop
Jew safeguards against every threatened
or attempted deprivation. Democracy, be-
cause fundamental, is elastic, or all-com-
>rehensive. Democracy, because of its
implicitly, is universal in application, and
therefore, must endure. Democracy is the
Protest of individualism against inimical
forces or influences in whatever form, and
ne conflicting tendencies of mankind must
ever continue to be individualism on the
ne hand and collectism on the other.
Nothing can replace the democratic prin-
iple, and nothing is likely to supplant the
name of the party in this country, because
Of the names historic, natural and funda-
mental significance.
Democracy is, precisely as any other
party, susceptible of temporary perversion,
of sophistry, casuisty, cant, crookedness
and every other species of lie and error
that human stupidity or human ingenuity
may stumble into or devise; but no amount
OF mistake or misrepresentation can destroy
its truth and no amount of misapplication
can affect its ultimate value to society.