Evening journal., 1907-05-02


A Question Of Democracy.
Editor The Evening Journal.
In your issue of April gath I voice Z
the protest of many Democrats against
the action of the Democratic League
ia its choice of Thomas r. Bayard as
toastmaster at the jefferson Day ban
quet In the Sunday Star of April
2sth appears an editorial that does
honor TO the editors for historical
search. ] often differ with the Sun
day Star, but that newspaper deserves
credit for its editorial of April 2Sth.
IL viii prove of vast interest to all
Democrats who are not familiar with
the jefferson letters Every student
of political history knows that the
| Bayards at the formation of this re-
public were Federalists, T. e., the party
OF aristocratic ideas, the party of
special privilege, the party of classes
and Thomas jefferson was the very
head front and soul Of the Republican
party. The name Democrat was given
in contempt and derision and accepted
by jefferson and the Republicans as
even more expressive of the spirit of
, tho party.
The Jeffersonian-R Republican, Demo-
cratic marty stood fearlessly for De
mocracy and the rights of man as
more. II stood for equal rights. 10
stood for the masses. Where and how
did Delaware stand In that contest be-
tween the Federalisuc, monarchistic.
aristocratic party of special privilege
and Jefferson with his Republican,
Democratic equal rights party of the
| common people? I blush TO say Del
aware voted against jefferson and De-
mocracy, and for Adams and aris-
tocracy as lone as it was possible
one then voted blank. Who was the
controlling mind in Delaware? Bay
lardl
Men differ as 10 things Of even more
importance than forms of government.
as for instance as to whether there be
| life beyond the grave and agreeing
upon that-as TO the best mode of
reaching the land of perpetual peace.
But I do question the right of a man
10 uphold one school OF political faith
j. G., Federalism. or as IL is known to-
day, Reouhlioanism. as Mr. Bayard
did in 1896 and then to nose as chair
man of the Democratic State Com
/
Jefferson Democratic banquet But
says the jobhunters. let's get to-
gether,' and I ask for what?'
The campaign of 1908 is now on.
| There is not a man IN America to-
day. be he Republican or Democrat.
who has sense enough to keep out of
a home for the feeble-minded, and
who keeps un with current political
life ana thought, but knows that e
! William j. BRYAN is living next year
he win be nominated ae the Demo-
cratic candidate FOR President, and all
the aristocraic, federalistic, Palmer
! and Buc!ner corporation influence
| cannot prevent It. Where win Thomas
! + Ravard be i'm the cumpaign? Docs
/ Mr Bayard support Bryan? Does he
support the forward Democratic moYe-
ment that will crystalize in the Demo-
cratic platform of 1905. that will be
even more radical than the platform
of 1905? Jefferson was indeed n
Democrat. Jefferson trusted, aye,
loved the great common people. Ief-
ferson courted and asked criticism
from the people, and the press and in
his letter to Col T.. Darlington. from
the coast Of France he said: "The
basis of our government, being the
| opinion Of the people. the very first
object shall be to keep that right
Were it left TO me 10 decide whether
we should have a government without
| newspapers. or newspapers without
| governments ] should not hesitate a
! moment to prefer the latter.
| Under European governments they
have divided the natives into tw,
wolves and sheep. Cherish
therefore, the spirit Of our people
Keep alive their attention. If once
the people become inattentive to publi,
affairs, you and 1, congress, assem-
blies, judges and governors shah All
become wolves. 1t seems to be Law
of our general nature, I'm spite of in
dividual exceptions And experience
declares that man Is the only animal
which devours its own. for I can apply
no milder term to the governments OF
Europe and 10 the general prey of the
rich on the poor
In a letter 10 James Madison, from
the French Court, ne says; "ThC
election of a President of America
some years hence viii he much NOR.
interesting TO certain nations ol
Europe than ever was thee lection OF
a King of Poland. After all IL
is my principle that the win of IN,
majority shall prevail. II they ap
prove the proposed constitution in al
parts I shall cheerfully concur IN hopc.
they win amend il whenever they finC
il works wrong This reliance can
not deceive ms as long as we renal.
viruous and ] think We shall he s.,
as long as agriculture Is our princi
pal object which will be so while ther
remains vacant land IN any part %
America But when we get piled
upon one another in large cities, az
i'm Europe, we shall become corrupt ~
in Europe, and go TO eating one an
other as they do"
William j. BRYAN has the grea
honor of being antagonized and de
nounced by the same classes that an
tagonized and denounced jefferson
The time TO which Jefferson alluded
''when land has become scarce an,
dear. through monopoly, and when W.
are piled on one another in grea
I cities" Is here and William J.. BryaI
has dealt. ana IS dealing, sturdy blow
for Jenersonian Democracy What 4
the purpose of the Democratic League
once more ask my question: Is th'
Democratic League "woozy?' or have