The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-09-26

tioa calls for broader considerable
Of the subject. IL the democratic
party Is entitled to the name. IL mus
De true to the ideas of democrac,
ana u we can for moment Law asid
party definitions l will define a dem
ocfat as one who believes In the rnI
OF the people. The word, democracy
Is derived from the Greek, and III
TWO words, demos 1.-THE people), an,
krateo ito rule). leave no doubt tina
q democracy Is government i,
which the people rule. A democrat
therefore, II the meaning OF the nam,
Is considered, must be one who be
heves in the rule OF the people.
| This view OF the subject is sus.
tained by the writings OF jefferson
a shoit time before his death In q
ietter to Mr. Lee he said. MEN by
tneir constitutions are naturally di.
vided into two parties. First, those
\ VINO fear and distrust the people and
WISH to draw all power from them
into the hands OF the higher classes /;
second, those who identify themselves
with the people, have confidence in
them, cherish and consider them as
the most wise depository OF the pub
TIC interests. In every country these
Two parties exist. and In every one
where they are free to think, speak
and write, they will declare them.
selves" Then speaking OF the yari
GUS names which had been applied In
different countries to these two
parties, he said: 1.-The last appella.
tion OF aristocrats aud democrats is
the true one, expressing the essence
of all. ;,
1t will be seen that jefferson used
the word democrat to distinguish
those who have confidence In the peo.
pie, and the word aristocrat TO de.
scribe those who fear and distrust
the people, and no enc can torture
the word democrat into any other
meaning or apply it accurately with.
out considering the distinction which
jefferson points out.
what Jefferson said was true at the
time he said 1t, and 1t is as true to-
DAY. These two parties are to be
found In every country, and no mat.
ter by what name they are known,
they represent the two elements In
society. Those who trust the people
are everywhere endeavoring to bring
the government nearer tc the people
and to make 1t more responsive to
the will of the people. Those who
distrust the people are everywhere
to obstruct each new
step toward popular government.
We have In this country the dis
which Jefferson pointed out,
and from the earliest time have had |
among our inhabitants both the aris-
tocrat and the dehocrat. Hamilton
represented the aristocratic idea OF
his day and proposed a plan OF gov
srnment which provided for presi-
lent holding Office during good be-
1ayior, for senators holding Office
Turing good behavior, and for gov
,rnors appointed by the federal gov
,rnment and holding Office during
rood behavior. Hamilton distrusted
he people and wanted to remove the
as far from the people as
'ossible. He feared the passions
# the multitude, "the influence OF
he mob" etc., etc. We have some
oday who take Hamilton as their
deal and who, like Hamilton, dis
rust the people and seek to build
implicated systems OF representa-
ion between the people and their
ubic servants. These, however, do
lot represent the mass OF the voters
n any party and can only be success.
ul when they can deceive the party
s to their real purpose.
Hamilton's idea was repudiated at .
he time OF the adoption OF the con.
titution, and the ideas OF Jefferson
'ere triumphant. The popular idea
as continued to grow and the doc
rines OF Jefferson were never strong
r than they are to-day. Our United
tates senate is more Hamiltonian
D its methods OF election than the
ouse, and the constant growth OF
sntiment in favor OF the popular /,
lection of United States senators is
violence that the democratic idea is !
lrger than the membership OF any ,
arty. i can remember very well
hen the resolution submitting the /,
ecessary constitutional amendment !
assed the national house OF repre-. J
for the first time. a mum.
er of democratic senators were fear =
n Of the effects OF the change: 1t
as new departure and they were :
cry conservative, but time has eth /.
: convinced them or forced them to I,
> silent, and the same influence is
! work converting republican leaders =
I silencing them. The popular cleo. !,
on OF senators by the people was !,
ndorsed by the democratic national /,
OF 1900 and by the demo- 4
ratio national convention OF 1904.
lille the committee on resolutions !,
,ont efvtaar hf.,-o ~, tha raat ,,iat