The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-09-20
WHAT is TRUE
DEMOCRACY
Fine Definition Given by Governor
FOLK Of Missouri.

what VIII be the paramount Issues IN
the coming campaign Third, win the
prosecution Of corporations for alleged
violation Of law hurt business? Fourth,
should the Democratic party be radical
or conservative?
He answered
"You ask, What IS a Democrat p
A Democrat is one who believes in
democratic ideas. BY democratic ideas
! mean those principles embraced in
the axiom, Equal rights to all, special
privileges to none. This axiom of
Jefferson expressed every essential ele-
ment Of true Democracy. 1t meaps
the destruction of special privileges Fn
every form and giving to all men the
equal right that belongs to each--the
fair and equal opportunity Of each and
every man TO live and labor upon the
earth that God has given to all and to
enjoy unrestricted and untrammelled
: the fruits Of honest toll. a Democrat
believes that all governmental power is
vested in and derived from the people
that it is founded upon their will only,
and that government is intended to
promote the welfare Of all by giving
security to life, liberty and the enjoy
ment of the gains Of honest industry
A PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
"'Your second question as to what
will be the paramount issues IN the
coming campaign is one that | can not
answer. Speaking for no one hut my
self, believe the elimination OF special
privileges should be the paramount is
sue before the people Of this country
the special privilege oL lawlosSuess, the
special privilege conferred by law, such
as the protective tariff, the spgeialpriy-
ilepe Of monopoly The elimination Of
unjust privileges i3 moral question
In its ias. analysis every Governmental
question is q moral question Ia that it
is a question of right or wrong, The
terih is 81 moral question. A tariff
schedule de- sucrataiy designed TO give
special 81. q rro.eated privilege and
to enable the few TO prey upon the
many, was pruhibiteaswhen the tablets
of stone came from the thuuders Of
Sinai in the commandment. Thou shalt
not steal If the tariff Is eyer to be re-
vised it must be done, not 10y those who
think il is right, but by those who
know it is wrong and who hate monop-
oily.
Until unfair tariff privileges are
eradcated the trust question can never
be settled. 1t is well enough to prose
cute trusts, and il is better still to put
some of the heads Of trusts in stripes
for violating the law, but it is hardly |
practicable to attempt TO suppress the |
trusts with one hand while the other is |
feeding them with the milk of protec- /
ton on which they become fat and AFRO |
giant. They feed on a monopoly-creat- |
ing tariff. The Democratic idea IS, in |
stead of protecting monopoly as against /
fhp r1aOula n Trpfppf the naonla anaipgt
monopoly.
TRUST PROSECUTION.
"You ask if / think the prosecution |
of corporations for alleged violations of |
law will inJure business II will hurt |
dishonest business, but | cannot see |
how it will hurt any honest industry, |
Those who object 10 the exposure and /
prosecution of commercial lawlessness |
on the ground that it hurts business ar |
que like the man who could never be |
persuaded to take a bath because he |
was afraid some one might think he /
needed one. Wrongs can not be cured |
by hiding them; there is no secret rem |
edy for evil No man or corporation |
doing an honest business need fear from
the afousing of the conscience of the |
people against wrOng-doing Those |
whose business methods will not stand |
the light of publicity have no right to
complain Wealth in itself is a bless
ing. 1t is the abuses of wealth that |
call for correction. / do not believe
there is any enmity anywhere in this
country to legitimate industry. II is
not railroads nor insurance companies
the people complain of, but the breaches
of trust on the part of those running
railroads or insurance companies. The
people understand these things and .
know that while some railroad men and .
some insurance men are crooked, Just /
as some public officials are crooked, il /
does not follow that all railroad men
and all insurance men or all officials are
without honor
CRUSADE AGAINST GRAFT.
THE eradication of lawlessness from
business helps rather than hurts legiti- .
mate industry. Insurance policies are
more valuable today III reason of the
elimination Of graftind on the part Of /
some Insurance. oficiall We can eat
our meat with more satisfaction since
the abuces in the beef packing business
were stopped. IL railroads and other
interests are compelled to obey the
law, 1t will not retard theiT develop J.