Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-10-29
FROM THE
MD DnUAurc DaD
THE FIRST VOTER.
MIR. BRYAN'S PAPER

Young man. great responsibility at
taches To your first vote. As you be.
gin. ~ you are likely TO continue. The
momentum that carries YOU into
party az the beginning OF your polItI-
cal life is apt TO keep you In that
party unless some convulsion shakes
you out OF II. Start right, and In
order that you may start right. exam
Inc the principles of the parties and
the policies which they advocate
There are two great party organiza.
lions In the United States, one so
years old. and the other more than a
century old The Republican party
has been in power almost uninterrupt.
edly for more than half a century. and
under its reign abuses have grown up
which threaten the perpetuity Of the
government and endanger our civil.
ization So great are these abuses
that Republican reformers are now
pointing out that something must be
done-and what can be done? The
iirst thing Is TO undo the things that
have been done. and the party To
undo these abuses is not the party
which has done them. but the party
which has protested against these
abuses and pointed out remedies.
The Republican party has turned
the taxing power over 10 private indi.
yiduals. Il has allowed monopolies to
grow up and assume control Of the
NWHmaf rios of 10 ~
privileges by law and by giving immu
nifty 10 the large violators Of the law.
the Republican party has permitted
the fortunes OF the predatory rich 60
become 80 large that government is
corrupted. politics debauched and
business polluted
The Democratic party proposes TO
withdraw the taxing power from pri
vsie hands. 10 so legislate as To make
a private monopoly impossible and to
enforce the Law without dlscrimina
'ion. II proposes TO protect Legitimate
wealth and punish those who attempt
10 plumber the public for private gain
ON which side do you stand. young
man. Are you ~ith the masses In
their EFFORT 70 restore the government
10 iis old foundation and make Il
government of the people for the peo
pie and by the people. OF are YOU with
the Republican leaders In their 81
fort 20 perpetuate the party in poNe
by selling immunity In return 10
campaign confrihuiionss
There are slNays tao parties In ths
country. and one + necessarily neareI
20 the people than the other In this
country the Democratic party Is near
r "a the people fhan the Republican
PARTY. Its leaders have more faiti
In the people and are more anxious e.
keep the government under the con
'rol % the people Take the election
u United States senators BY the p.-o
pie as a test, The Democrats want
20 give TO the voters a chance 10 elect
and to control their representatives ir
the United States senate The Dem
Ocratic party in the house Of repre-
sentatiyes passed the FIRST resolution
for the submission OF the necessary
constitutional amendment. They did
this eight years before any Repub
lican congress did Il. The Democratic
party has thrice demanded this re-
form in its national platform. Tbs
| Republican party has not done 50
Why do Democratic leaders insist
upon this reform and Republican lead
ers oppose Il? There can be but one
| answer-the Democratic party Is near
er to the people than the Republican
with the people or against them
The answer TO this question affects
your country. II you are with ths
people your influence. be It great OF
small. will hasten their victory. II
you are against the people. your In
tluence may retard that victory. But
while in the first instance II is your
country that may gain or lose by
your action. you must remember thai
In the long run your own position In
politics will depend upon your con
duct You cannot fool the people al
ways You may lead them astray Il
you dare. but they will punish you
when they find you out You may
work for the people without their rec
ognizing 1t at first. but YOU can trust
them to discover the character of yOuI
work and TO reward you accordingly
II all the men guilty OF trust eonnec
tions were retired from active partIci
| raf{np In tho rnanapamant ~ tho g =,