The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-06-03
STOOD ON THE DEMOCRATIC PLAT
FORM.

poCplc St1lCI oily hOol Wy
mend Hon. Claude Kitchin for
the position he took in regard
to the tariff issue, standing, as
he did and as did no other
Democrat from North Carroll
ma, on the Democratic plat
form in every vote. 1t is such
men as these, men who stand
by their party pledges and
platform promises, that win
the regard and approval of men
whom they represent.
With the exception Of Mr..
Kitchin. every Democratic
Congressman from North Caro-
lima seemed to think that he
was sent there, not to repre-
sent the views of his people,
but to think for them and make
what views he wished. They
all seemed to have the theory
which Mr., Bryan explained in
his letter to the Florida Legis-
lature and called the "aristo-
cratic theory Claude Kitch-
in knows no such theory. His
theory is the Democratic theo-
ry, the theory "that the people
think for themselves and elect
representatives to give legal
expressions to their thoughts
and to voice their sentiments. -
This theory Mr.. Kitchin be-
lieves in and puts in practice.
He knows that there is no arts
tocratic theory extant in his
party, because men who ad-
vance the theory do not repre-
sent the party. A Democratic
party, its theory is Democratic,
and "teaches that the repre-
sentative has no moral right to
disregard the known wishes of
his constituents :"
Mr.. Bryan in his letter to the
Florida Legislature, clearly
drew the distinction between
these two theories, and in re.
marking further upon the sub
ject he said; II will allow nc
one to 60 beyond me in recog-
milton of the claims of con
science, but l confess that | am
suspicious of the official whose
conscience is dormant during
the campaign and only active
when he wants to find an ex-
cuse for doing what his con-
stituents do not want DONE"
It seems that the consciences
Of the Democrats in Congress
from North Carolina, other
than that of Mr.. Kitchin. have
done some sleeping sometime:
either during the campaign
or in Congress. In the cam.
paign and on the platform
they wanted tariff for revenue
only, in Congress they wanted
it for protection. When die
their consciences sleep? Why
did these Congressman change
The people they represent have
never changed.
If a man is against tariff
when it will protect another's
industry, he must be against i.
when it. will protect his own
If the principle of tariff fol
protection is wrong in the New
England States it is wrong il
the Southern States; governed
by the same laws and enjoying
the same liberty under the
Constitution each section
should share alike in benefits
Consistency couldn't say tina
tariff for protection as it effects
other States is wrong, but as i
effects my State is right. The
Congressman from North Caro-
lima then, with one exception
have been doubly inconsistent
They voted against tariff fol
protection when it was calculat
ed to protect the other man.
industry. They likewise op
posed it in their campaign
speeches, saying that the pol
icy Of tariff for protection
was wrong in any section
Now, they turn and say tina
they want protection. They'v,
gone back on their party, bacl
on their platform, simply be
cause to them it is not so cas-,
to advocate tariff for revenu,
only when they have some in