The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-08-07
DEMOCRACY AND HOME

John w. Kern, democratic candidate
for vice president. says the party will
score a signal victory in November
Republicans who give their politics
instead of their country the first place
in their loyalty fail to see any reason
for this confidence They think Mr..
Kern is talking for effect" when he
says democrats will win. But he is in
earnest, and YOU shall see that he is
a true prophet. Democrats will win
because the democratic platform is a
sane and sound document. a declara-
ton of intentions, plans and prinCi-
pies which breathe the very spirit of
Americanism, and revives the hopes
of many good citizens who had begun
10 think the day was over when free
dom was the only ruler in the United
States, and to believe the tyrant,
greed, had usurped her place. They
will win because the republican plat
form is an unSOund document of
doubtful sanity. devoid of wisdom
weak in patriotism, strong in pander-
ing to privilege, and in essence and
effect, a bullheaded, dOgmatic asser-
ton that whatever is is right when it
is republican. and because it is re-
publican. Incidentally the republican
platform contains an undeniable state
ment of the amazing increase of the
national wealth and available mater
ial resources during the very years
when the people were suffering most
from intellectual famine. This is
worse than physical famine. because
the effects of physical famine are
transient if it is relieved in time, and
not permitted to kill; while the effects
of intellectual famine, of the depriva-
ton Of boys and girls Of the education
which should train, broaden, improve
and steady their minds can be over
come never, never, never.
No matter how wealthy the litter
ate children of the United States may
be in later life, through fortunes
chances or changes. their money will
never buy back for them the years,
the playtime. the school time, the OPP
pOrtunities o. their youth. store their
minds with the knowledge which they
have not been allowed to acquire, or
form their brains to the habits of cor
rect thought which have been inter
fered with. Ne have heard one of
the richest men in the nation say,
with obvious and unaffected sincerity,
that he would give a great deal more
than half his fortune if he had the
mental training of the boys and
girls in the sixth and seventh grades"
This man knew his life had been
narrowed, knew he was cribbed, cab
ined and confined, a mental dwarf on
a mountain of material wealth, con-
scious of possession, possession, pos
session, and Of inability to appreciate,
understand or use possession. There
was a torment worse than that of Tan
talus. In order to protect innocent
boys and girls who under republican
conditions would have to suffer both
from poverty and ignorance-for not
one In a million overcomeS the for
mer condition unless, like the ignor.
ant rich man who talked with us, he
is one of fortunes favOrites," it is
the duty of all Americans to entrust
to democratic patriotism the care OF
the country which, among all its
achievements, has none greater than
the production Of the American bal
lad. Home. Sweet Home" 1t is the
duty of all good Americans to save
the land OF Home, Sweet Home, and
keep the little "kiddieS" at their
mothers apron strings and in the
school room and out Of the clutches
of the beef trust, and the steel trust,
and the coal trust. They can save
and protect the homeland and help
restore three million toiling children
to their nurseries and schools by for
getting past political prejudices, if.
indeed, they were swayed by any, and
by giving broad-minded, hearty, Amer
lean support to William Jennings
Bryan, defender of Home, Sweet
Home.-Los Angeles Herald.