The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-10-02
q WESTMINSTER Nd FRIDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER q 1908

&@.S. s
and influential of republican leaders
are facts which it is Impossible to
overlook or deny. a.
1t Is a distinguishing merit of the
democratic party that tits, and is sure
to stand, opposed to anyinfringement
! of the constitutional jurisdiction of
the states. 1t would not enlarge that
tof the general government either
through constitutional amendment or
judicial stretching of the constitution
by construction. Its attitude is of the
greatest value, because the autonomy
Eof the several states is absolutely es-
sential to our existence as a nation.
A central government at Washington
vested with the powers of the states
and charged with the domestic affairs
of 80 or 100 millions of people would
inevitably break in pieces from it's
own weight No government made up
of mortal men could possibly deal in
telligently with the diverse conditions
and interests of so large population
spread over an immense territory pre-
senting all varieties of soil and climate
| anu udtuTdl E0SOuTCeS.
The fathers of the republic wisely
deemed a union of American states es-
sential to our becoming strong and
powerful nation, but were equally wise
in believing local self-government by
the several states indispensable to the
perpetuity of that union. That the
! democratic party, by its antagonism
to the centraliZing tendencies now
MI M in no o..fxy Iv
stands for integrity and permanence
of the union is of itself sufficient to
justify every friend of the union in
welcoming a democratic success in
the pending national elections
| Abuse of Long Continued Power.
| Finally. every intelligent voter must
recognize the great evils resulting
from the inordinateIy long contin-
uance in power of one political party.
| Compared with them, any possible
injurious consequences of a change
| of administration are Insignificant
| The republican party has now been in
power almost unfnterruptedly for
nearly so years-during that whole
period the democratic party has been
! in complete control of the government,
for but two years. The inevitable has
of course happened, much misgovern-
ment and maladministration have
from time to time come to light, much
is in plain sight and much more un-
questionably under cover-while it's
leaders, intoxicated with the phenom-
email record of past successes, are dis
posed to believe and to act as if any
uprising against the party by the peo-
pie were unthinkable. ~
| 1t is true that the democratic party
of today is made up of groups with
diverse views and aims on ; various
more or less important topics. Yet,
taken as a whole, it is the best organ
lied protest there is againStIrepublican
misrule-against the excesses of all
sorts brought on by the long Republi-
cna revel in unlimited power-against
excesses in expenditures,in in taxation,in
territos4al expansion, in theh creation
and maintenance of military arma-
ments, in the enlargement of the
sphere of governmental action, in the
concentration of power in the general
government to the enfeeblement of the
state governments.
Vicious and Injurious Politics.
Whoever believes in the prevailing
policies and tendencies of the repub-
lican party, will, of course, act with
that party in the pending presidential
contest. But whoever believes those
policies and tendencies to be vicious
and injurious can record his belief and
make it effective in no other way than
by acting with the democratic party.
Not to take that course is to give more
or less support to the very policies
and tendencies he condemns. Neither
should he be deferred from it because
certain policies, once thought to be
peculiarly democratic and so described,
don't command his approval. They
can. now be described as republican
with equal propriety because they are
| policies which are common to the eX-
treme wings of both parties.
t In the coming elections there are
republicans who will vote for Bryan
as being more radical than Taft, and
there are democrats who will vote for
Taft because, as the replica of Roose-
welt he should be more radical than
Bryan. In respect of the radical poll
cies referred to and generally though
indefinitely designated as socialistic,
both parties are tarred with the same
stick. The republican party with all
branches of the government at its
command may do something toward
executing those politics-the demo-
cratic party could not until several
succeeding elections had put the gov
ernment wholly in it's hands.
The Pressing Practical Duty.
The pressing practical duty of the
| hour therefore, is to defeat the repub-
lican party in the pending election, a
result which among other things will
do much toward bringing to their
senses the ultra-radical elements of
both parties.
1t may be said that this program is
not ambitious, is of a negative sort, is
obstructive and not constructive. But
progress in the wrong direction must
be checked before there can be advance
in the right direction.
Why is it that our American consti-
| tutions create a system of checks and
balances, that laws must be agreed by
two legislative chambers, and even
then may be defeated by an executive
veto? 1t is because of the recognition
of the virtue there may be in gong
slow. in gaining time for consideration
and reconsideration of doubtful poll
cies and doubtful measures. The re-
lection of measures for want of agree
ment between different branches of the
government is as much part of our
governmental plan as their adoption
hv reason of such agreement.