The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-25
FOLK SPEAKS ON
DEMOCRATIC
IDEALS
Missouri Governor Talks TO
Nashville Home jlmors.
PROSPECT NEVER BRIGHTER
Rule Of the People for the People
Not by n Class For
Class.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Sept. 25.-Goy-
ernor Folk VI Missouri addressed the
homecomers At the Tennessee state
fair banquet here. Ills subject was
Democratic Ideals" lie said In part.
THE prospect for the success Of
Democratic ideas was never brighter
than now. By Democratic ideas !
mean those principles embraced Ina the
expression Equal rights 10 all. special
privileges 10 none This maxim OF
Jefferson expresses every essential ele-
ment Of real Democracy. With this
rula for our guidance We cannot lose
oar course or be led into the quick
suads OF dishonor or despair With
this axiom M our chart the lnfamies
Of privilege In every form can be do
stroyed.
-Jeaerson's phrase sounds simple,
but II has taken generations for men
90 attain a practical understanding Of
its wisdom aud justice. IL applies 10
the conditions today with even greater
force than when IL was nrst announc.
ed by the father OF Democracy. A
political revival l. going all over the
land today on this subject The peO-
pie are beginning 70 awaken 10
realization OF the fact that abe govern
mont Of city. state and nation belong.
10 them and that they can take the
government Into their own hands
whenever they wish. This N the Ideal
the Democratic party stands for-the
rule of the people for the people a.
opposed 10 government by a class for
q class.
''rhe elimination u special privilege
Il the paramount issue before the pco.
ple % this country-tbe special priyi.
hse Of lawlessncas. the special privi-
i1e conferred by Law and the special
privilege of monopoly. A few years
ago the pnViicgs OF lawleasness vss
defended. but the people were awak.
ened 10 the fact that lawlessncss Il not
government aud that lawlessncss De.
stroyS the will % the people. Prom
one end u the land 10 the other the
public conscience now demands the
enforcement Of the peoples laws
against high aud low. rich aud poor:
that no man should b. above the law
aud no man below the law. whatever
biz class or whatever his wealth This
public conscience having seen that the
privilege OF lawlcssness h destructive
Of the liberties u a free people has
rendered Il obnoxious Now Il has
com ,enced TO a--all the deeper evil Of
priv eyes conferred by law
I - elimination of unjust privileges
conferred by law IL a moral question
Any privilege l. a gran. whether Il be-
a privilege exercised contrary o. law
or one that the law itself may give
A tariff ~ Arranged AZ 60 create ino.
nopoly aud 10 give n few people the
privilege OF prryinR on the rest - the
people l. legallzed graft. Considered
from this standpoint. the tarin l. a
moral question. Indeed. every goy.
ornamental question la . ssuse H.
moral question la that II ~ a question
% right aud wrunE but a. an eco
monte question merely a monopoly
tariff i lndefensihle under the condl.
tons that exist today.
'Intrcncbed behind the indifference
u the people. the protective tariff sys
TEN has distorted the functions ~ q
free government Into tools % grced
and vehicles " oppression Mssled IN
the guise u protection 10 American IN
dustry. dlsscmblihE a. a friend TO
American labor. the protective tarln
operates ne a cloak for cunning. ~ q
shield for monopoly. a tax ulon indus
try. n fine upon labor aud finally IN ~
last analysis II n a GAIT aud a false
pretense conceived In greed aud
brought forth la avaricc
Fortified behind this wall Of tarIff
protection gigantic trusts have sprung
up. controlling the neccis tiles ~ lie
whereby the cost % living has been
Increased enormously Curing the past
few years.
The Democrats party should 20 be.
fore the people Of the country asking
for support not merely Ou the gsoun
of craftsmanship but on the ground Of
patriotism, Tor Il represents the rights
81 all ~ against the privileges Of the
few. Clothed IN the arnor ~ a right
eousness, the Democratic party II true
20 its idcals should triumph. for IL
principles ae enduring because they
are Just aud lnvincible because they
are right"