Graham guardian., 1908-04-03

form, although these efforts have
been spasmodic rather than con-
tinuous, and have not been sup
ported by his own party. The
Democratic party can claim the
right to carry out these reforms,
first, because that party Is almost
unanimously in favor of reform
while in the Republican party
there is very large minority, if
not an actual majority, against any
and all reforms. While the Re
publican party is occupied with
fight between reformers and stand
patters, the Democratic party is
ready for action, and can move for
ward at q moments notice.
Then, too, a Democratic admin
istration will, if elected, enter
Office pledged to specific reforms
named IN the platform, while the
Republican party will ask the pub
lie to trust it to carry out such re-
forms as may be outlined after
election. In the one case the peo
pie know what to expect; in the
other case they are left in uncer-
taiuty. But this is not the worst
of it. A Republican President will
have no straightforward platform
declaration, with which to draw
Republican legislators up to speclf-
ic reforms, while Democratic
President will have a platform
which will commit those elected
with him to certain clearly defined
measures. President Roosevelrs
trouble has been that his platform
promised nothing and, with all bis
great energy, he has not been able
to secure any substantial reforms.
How can O less positive or aggres-
sive Republican accomplish more,
IL hampered by the same ambiguity
and uncertainty in the platform?
The Democrats have the advant-
age, also, in that they make dis
tlncuon between the natural man
and the fictitious person called Il
corporation. They recognize that
man was placed on earth to carry
out a divine decree, while the cor.
poration was created to make mon
ey; and this difference in the pur-
poses of creation necessitates diff
ference in the treatmen of the two.
The Republicans, on the other
hand, have confused the natural
man and the corporation, and bave
given the corporations all the
all the rights of natural man, be-
sides the special rights given the
corporation by law.
Democrats believe in the natural
and inalienable rights of the in
dividual; they believe that the in-
dividual should be left free to ex-
ert himself as he will, except in
sofar as he must be restrained from
denying to others rights equal to
his own. Democrats believe that
each community ought TO be free
to act upon the things 10 which it
is interested, and that the State
should be undlsturbed in its con-
troll of affairs of purely State i'm
portance. Beginning with the
right of the individual, the Demo
crat proceeds to defend the right
of each group of persons up to the
Federal Government, and insists
upcn the right of the Federal Gov
ernment to the full use of all pow.
ers delegated To it. Guarding, as
it does, the rights and interests of
the individual the Democratic par
ty is mere soliciIous than the Re-
publican party about the indlvid-
ual, and therefore is more careful
to protect him against the tres.
passes that have been made upon
his rights by the corporations.
Why Democracy Because the
Democratic party is the only party
sufficiently large to give hope of
success and sufficiently democratic
to give hope of relief after vic
tory has been won.
Copper is strong again and ad |