The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-01-21
"IneVitabIe' and Impossible, ,

t~NhNA ~ "a NnuN uCh EcCcAhil
given by one Of the democratic so
cieties IL New York assumed she role
OF adviser and outlined a plan by
which be thought democratic vie
tory could be secured His plan L.
for the party 80 qu:, opposing thr
inevitable and attempting she i'm
possible. &" This is quite "A striking
phrase aad Is is about as definite a,
the cipher dispatches which pass con.
s.antly between those democrats
who want to make the democratic
party "A competitor with the republl
can party Tor The support OF tie plu
tocratie element. on course the dem.
ocratic party ouehs not To oppose
The "fnevitah'e," but what Is inevit
able? Shall we call "a sh,ng iaeyit.
able merely because the republicans
stand Tor III Is Imperialism ineyi,
able. The republicans have won
three elections In which she Demo
Gratis opposed Imperialism. Are she
trusts inevitable? The republicans
have won Tour elections In which the
democratic party opposed she trusts.
Is a high tariff inevitable? The re
publican party has won half "A dozen
victories when the semocratic party
asked for tariff reform. The demo
crat who attempts to give advice
ought to be more specific; he ought
to plainly state what he regards as
inevitable, for democrats might diff.
er on this very important question.
1t is true, also, that the democratic
party ought not to attempt the
Impossible But what Is impossi.
BILE? The party has three times ask.
ed Tor the election OF senator's by she
people. Is this impossible? The
party has In three campaigns advo,
Gated an income tax. Is thas impos.
sible? Is has insisted upon she elImi.
nation OF the principles OF private
monopoly ls that impossible? Is
has commended for q reform OF tho
tariff in the interest OF she consumer.
Is that impossible? Ii has demand
ed labor legislation In the interest o.
the wage earners, Is thstimpossihle?
In the last campaign 1t demanded
the publication, before the election,
OF campaign contributions. Is that
an impossibilisy? 1t demanded the
security OF bank deposits2 Is that
impossible2 Those who talk about
reorganizing the democratic party
ought to do the rank and file of the
party the honor to outline the basis
Of reorganization and the platform
upon which the recognizing is to
take place.
Possibly the character OF the reor.
ganization desired is indicated by
the plan proposed, namely, that a
committee-not the national com.
mittee, but self appointed com,
mittee. or II not seli-appoinsed, ap-
pointed, appointed by those who as
sumo the authority to appoint
shall outline q course for the future.
This Is an sristocrstic way oireiorm.
ing the democratic party. The reor-
gsnizers will learn what they ought
to know already, namely, that the
democratic party is a party organic.
ed from the voters up, not from
few leaders down. The democratic
voters have the right to frame the
platform and to select the issues. A
defeat can not rob the voters OF the
party OF the right to control the
party's course. II the party is de-
ieated when the majority controls
the party's policy, can 1t hope for
victory by turniug the control over
to a minority? II deieae follows
when the party makes an honest
fight for principles plainly stated.
can 1t hope to win victory by max
ing a dishonest fight on an ambig-
uous platform, and pledged to moth
ing In particular Those who think
republican policies inevitable are not
safe advisers Of the democratic party;
those who think democratic reforms
impossible can scarcely expect
large or enthusiastic following In the
damocratic marty -COmmonor