The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-11
SOUTHLAND
May LEAD
DEMOCRATS

Southwestern Press Association.)
Atlanta. Ga, Nov. lt.--The journal.
owned by Ex-Governor Hoke Smith.
former secretary Of interior to Grover
cleveland. has the following sensa-
tional call 10 the Democracy of the
Southland is yesterdays edition.:
"A sufficient time has now elapsed
since the presidential election for the
smoke Of conflict to clear away and
for thoughtful men 10 take an unim
Uassioned view of the situation AS it
exists today the inventory offers but
little that is encouraging We cannot
delude ourselves into the belief that
the result of the contest was anything
less than an Overwhelming defeat. a.
though the campaign on the part Of
che Democratic candidate was one Of
the most virile and aggressive in the
history OF American politics
1T Is q time when the analytical
student OF politics seriously asks him
self the question; Have our Republic
an institutions failed? Does the re.
suit Of the election indicate that
henceforth we are TO have a govern
ment Of plutocracy and that the cu.-
mination OF present tendencies viii
be to carry Capitalization to the point
that 1t will be little short of a des-
potism.
Time after time we have gone be.
fore the people with a platform EN-.
bodying the fundamental principles on
which the government was founded
and time after time we have met de-
/ III ffs.t l..f
don lt6 traditional policies and prin-
ciples in order TO meet new conditions,
/ or shall we continue to pursue the
course which leads us successfully 10
defeat?
And IT, in q spirit Of desperation
and despair. II seems necessary 10
adopt another policy, what shall that
policy be?
I'VE know that the essential princ..
pies OF the Democratic party are those
ON which the government was found
cd. They are principles which must
ana will prevail II the Republic is 70
endure, II this is to be a government
70 rthe benefit of the many anI not
of the few; IL this is to be the rule
OF the people and not OF the powers %
wealth and privilege taxation must bu
on the primitive principle that it is i'm.
posed nct 30 enrich the privileged few
| but in order TO provide revenue for
the expenses of the government 7,
was never intended by the fathers Ci
/ the Republic that the great machinery
i of the tariff should be usued except
to raise revenue for the government
and that al most the protection should
be incidental
The sentiment of the people as eX
pressed at the polls under Republic
an influence would seem to have drift
ed far from this conception Of tho
tariff and yet no impartial student o
economic history can deny that tn,
Democratic contention represents thl
will of the men who built this govern
emnt on foundations broad and deep.
THE sophistry and confusion OF par
tisan advocacy cannot Obscure th'
great ugtG that the constitution o
our country was INTENDED to be strict
ly construed and that the reserve.
powers of the states must be upheld
The danger OF Capitalization was a
thoroughly understood when we wer,
first emerging into national life as I
is today Statesmanship and patriot
ism sought TO guard against It. Th'
battle was fought out in the forma
tive period when the constitution q
self WAS taking shape and il was de
creed that the states alone could di
yes; themselves Of any portion OF thei
sovereignty There was to be N
twilight zone"--as Mr. Bryan has 81
felicitously called it--where the bound
! airy between state and federal author
lity becomes so vague and dim thd
judicial construction" may be foun,
by which the states might be deprive,
Of their prerogatives without the!
consent
The three departments of govern
ment must be kept separate. and es
pecially the executive must not en-
icrOach upon the judicial or the leg,s
latiye branch OF the government
These and other elementary prin
ciples OF the constitution have be
come so closely interwoyea with IN
warp and wOof of Democracy that thl
party cannot be destroyed without de
stroying the fabric OF the goyernmen
Itself We may discard minor issue
with the shifting changes OF time
issues which grow up with the hour
but those essential principles OF Dem
locracy cannot suffer change
"ABd yet In one campaign after an
other we see them defeated at tn
lpols, We see the policy of q higl
= protective tariff endorsed, because tn