Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-11

Protection for Atlantic coast while
fleet is in the Pacific, none.
Facilities for docking and repair of
ships while on Pacific coast. none.
Cost Of coal for voyage, $1,000,000
Golfers in service during voyage
otherwise out of commission, twenty
one.
Purpose of voyage, apparently only
TO fire the Pacific coast with enthusi-
asm for Roosevelt and Taft.
Cost of expedition assessed on the
ordinary, common taxpayer.
Definitions of Democracy.
In its earnest endeavors to discover
what is Democrat the New York
World has eXtorted from Governor
Folk of Missouri an answer. The re-
Spouse will not satisfy the World. for
nothing that stands for progressive
Democracy will meet the approval OF
that able but somewhat misguided
newspaper. The governor said that
Jefferson's axiom, Equal rights to all
and special privileges to none" eX-
presses every essential principle Of
real Democracy. That answer was
! complete. 1t made unnecessary the
column almost of type in which he
expanded and elucidated it. The axiom
formed the basis of the Chicago plat
! form of 1896 which the World bitterly
opposed; it was the essence of the Kan
sas City platform of 1900. which the
! World damned with the faintest OF
| faint praise: it will be the keynote OF
| the next Democratic platform if the
| convention adopting it shall be in fact
| Democratic.
But how plain it is to see that if
Governor Folks admirable definition
of Democracy is to be given effect It
can only he by a convention made up
of men who are neither enjoying nor
! seeking special privileges and who are
willing to concCde equal rights to all
their fellows. The saviors of the Demo
cratic party in New York who have in
the past been hailed as such by the
! World have been men largely interest
ed II traction affairs or in protected
| manufactures or in finance of the sort
that has 4 special privilege road lead
ing straight to the door Of the United
States treasury. In Pennsylvania the
safe and sane Democracy, greatly ap-
nlauded by the World, is so closely al
lied with the Standard OIL company
that the two could not be pried apart
with crowbar In Illinois they are
gas men or corporation magnatcs
throughout the south the public men
, In the Democratic party who are most
effectively uphOiding the JefferSonian
| maxim receive no applause from New
| York organs of alleged Democracy
, Rather il is the senators who stand
closest to the privileged railroads. who
protesting Democracy still preach pro
lection. that find themselves celebrated
; In the New York press.
7 believe that with the proper can
didate the Democratic party could 20
, before the people with that single
maxim for it's platform. A very dis
, tipCuiShed Democrat. Il leader of the
, progressive wing. whose name / may
: not here mention. suggested to me tina
? the ideal platform for the next cam
, paign would be one that could be print
| ed on a post card. How would this do
Tho Platform.
EQUAL rights to all; special privilege:
2 10 none.
The tariff is q special privilege.
The railroads grant special privilege
and deny equal rights.
The trusts are bred of the tariff an
} Of railroad determinations.
The Democratic party stands for th'
: literal enforcement Of the .Ieffersoniay
: maxim and pledges itself to attack an,
to destroy the special privileges Great
ed by the tariff and fostercd by tn
D railroads and to put an end to tn
denial of equal rights now practice
< by the railroads and the trusts.
4 Washington, d. c.
WILLIS J. ABBOT.