The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-17
SENATOR DANIEL ON
DEMOCRATIC ISSUE
-
Deals Will, Battle Cry Which
Points the Way to
Victory.
ANSWERS HARPER's WEEKLY
Virginia Statesman Ably Dis
Gusscs Situation-No Candi-
date Himself.
ANSWERS HARPER'S WEEKLY

Writing to Harper's Weekly Sena.
Tor Daniel says.
You ask me to answer q question.
mako the effort to do so with d!fildcnce.
for / do not pose myself as any Moses
10 lead the people out OF the wilder
ness. Yet am one of the people, and
" 1 have conviction, am SO con-
otituted that / am apt to state It,
Democracy Is generally too diffusiye,
and has often had too much platform
and tried too hard to please everybody.
Few realize that 1t Is easier to say too
much than too little. Washington
SPOKE little. but did much Jefferson
spoke scarcely at all. but he did much
Also. Neither Madison nor Monroe was
q great speaker. but they shaped sys-
tens and events. What we need, as I
think. Is Il common sense, plain,
straightforward Democratic platform,
which Will stop when 1t gets through.
II the Democratic convention of 1908
goes Democratic. it IS not unlikely that
the country may also 90 Democratic.
II the convention diss!pates itself in
persifiage. the voters will be likely to
act accordingly, and 90 in all direc-
tons.
Now. as to your question. What
should be the purpose upon which the
Democratic campaign should be based?"
venture to answer: The purpose OF
getting together the voters OF tho
United states to assert the plain, and
simple Democratic creed that this Is q
government OF the people; that the
highest and plainest duty of govern
ment is to secure to the people equal
rights, and to oppose all non0polies
and special privileges.
The tariff, transportation, the trusts.
and Capitalization are the subjects Of
public interest and consideration. We
need no new issues and no new Con-
stitution of strained construction.
Those who seek to invent new issues
and new versions of the Constitution
perplex and divert the minds OF the
people from substantial issues and Just
views that exist. 1t is principles and
not "isnis" that Democrats stand for;
and II you take the compass OF sound
principle IT VIII guide you through
the tangies OF contention.
Real Issues are made by the people
themselves. and grow out of their
necessities.
Artificial issues are like artificial
fowers-good FOR nothing except in
the gaslight.,
AN To Tariff Reform.
AS to the tariff. reform 1T for the
purpose OF making 1t in the interest
of the people instead OF the interest Of
monopoly. and the interest OF domestic
development instead OF foreign devel-
opment. as II now is In many cases
When the farmers. the carpenters. the
laborers' and the builders tools can be
bought In South America and South
Africa at cheaper rates than here at
the very doors of the American fac
tory in which they are made. it Is folly
10 claim that our farmers, carpenters,
laborers and builders. and our people
generally. are protected" thereby.
They are simply mulctcd. 1t is an
insult to the intellect of men to claim
that our myriad consumers are pro
tected" by charging them more for
American manufactures than is charged
for the same American made articles
in South America or South Africa
after paying freight to get them there.
only what you would, in the YER
nacular, call sucker" could be gulled
by such sophistical contention. Be dis
criminatory and moderate with respect
to the tariff Correct its errors. lop off
Its eScesses eliminate its obvious and
un-American discrimination. Respect
our healthy and honest industries. hay-
ing tender care for the wages OF our
IL,
results of radlcalism.
1t is a fact of more than century's
history that the United States has
never had tariff measure adopted
without some protection in it: and
that no man was ever elected President
who did not In some particular favor
an item or schedule of protection.
Look these facts in the face. and do
not expect to run amuck against
every thing that is not In harmony
With doctrinare ideals. Copd,t .ons arc
greater than theories. No sreac reform
can be made in day. ana w:sa states
manship must deal with the whole sub
ject of tariff, transportation and trust
sedately and prudently.
The conserving spirit should never
give way before the hot and dcstruc.
tive spirit which wants everything
now" and refuses to follow Nature
in her patient processes. Napoleon
was great, but he. fell from impatience
GLOW poor are they who have not
patience?
What wound did ever heal but by
degrees?"
AS to transportation. 1t is conducted,
for the most part. and especially be-
tween the States, under public fran
chises. Regulate it as part of inter-
state commerce. with the purpose of
protecting the weak against the strong,
ina see to 1t that fair, Just and reason
able rates and rules prevail.
AS to the trusts, the purpose should
be to insist that they obey tho law, and
to protect the people from the re-
itraints on the freedom and fairness