The Washington herald., 1910-09-11
DUTY OF THE DEMOCRATS.
How They Must Meet Issues Raised
by Roosevelt.

by Roosevelt.
From the New York Evening Post
Those were words OF truth and soberness
which Mr.. Edward NJ. Shepard addressed
TO the Democratic conference in this
city, when he said that the duty laid
upon their party had been put In
wholly new 4ight by the "tumultuous re-
turn" 10 politics OF Mr.. Roosevelt Mr..
Shepard declared. what every thoughtful
man must feel, that an agitation has been
thrust upon the country Of "graver danger
than we could even imagine four weeks
ago" He referred, Of course, 10 the So
called new nationaiism." which is old
socialism writ large. and which would
mot only cenuanze all power at Wash
ington. but would enter upon a policy
Of minutely regulating and controlling all
business by the national government,
would create swarms of Federal inspect
ors 10 look into the affairs Of every
citizen, and little by little would bring
into force In the United States the Rus
sian system Of a t0p-heavy bureaucracy,
under which a man cannot build house
| IN Vladivostok anil his plans have been
approved in ST. Petersburg.
| II is as clear as MONDAY that the Dem
ocrats have got 10 meet this new doctrine
which at once makes waste paper OF the
Constitution and tears TO pieces the ira
dition and practices OF our government.
The rude challenges OF the established
American policy, which Mr.. Roosevelt has
been uttering, are especially directed
against the positions 20 which the Demo-
cratic party has historically chung with
tenacity-that is, local rule in all local
affairs, the largest measure Of individual
liberty that Is safe. and interference. by
/ the general government only when proved
| necessity exists. II Democrats viii not
| leap 10 the defense Of their own when IL Is
ATTACKED. then they do not deserve 10 keep
even what they have got. But the evil
dence Is abundant that leading Democrats
are awake to their opportunity and, duty.
as well as their peril It is true, as Mr..
Shepard said, that the situation confront
ing the Democratic party has been made
entirely different BY Mr.. Roosevelrs burst
/ ing upon the scene again: and that those
! responsible for framing Democratic plat
forms and leading Democratic campaigns
have the instant duty laid upon them OF
meeting the altered conditions.
This will not be an easy thing TO do.
Timidity will counsel avoidance Of the
issue. It viii be said that the Demo
Gratis are almost certain 10 win in New
York this year. and that they would be
wise 10 avoid unnecessarily contentious
matter. Then there may be persist
ence Of the old Bryan faulty that the
way 70 beat Roosevelt Is to praise him
and then outbid him; 10 say that his
ideas are good. but that neither he nor
the Republican party can be trusted q
carry them out, wherefore, vote for the
/ Democrats and more extreme doctrines
But even II no question Of principle
were involved, it would be folly TO think
to take the wind out of Roosevelts sails
by setting your own TO the same gale. lie
will not suffer himself TO be outbidden
| In appeals TO class and promises Of
special favors, no one can outstrip him
Where Bryan failed so pitiably in frs
landing Roosevelt and then setting VI
as his lawful heir, no other man need
think 10 succeed. No; the only way tC
meet the danger is TO face it sQuarely
not to dodge It; the only way to with,
stand the Roosevelt doctrines IS to ex.
pose and denounce them and show what
are the true and tried alternatives.
We hope, therefore, that the Demo
Gratis in this State, as in New Jersey and
Connecticut and Massachusetts. will give
a lead to their party throughout the
nation In their platforms and their
speeches. and by the whole drift of their
campaigns. it is for them to show that
II is perfectly possible for the people to
secure what they want without destroy
ing our settled American ways of gov
erning and making a bonfire OF prece-
dents and laws. In other words, the vast
IRoOseveltian assumptions are to be di.
rectly attacked. because they are both
dangerous and unnecessary.
As President Taft said at st. Paul, we
have lived and advanced and found our
selves able to do all that the nation
really desired 10 do, without having tC
make over our form of government; and
there is no reason to doubt that we
can be as progressive as We wish
even IL we do not stand upon the Con-
stitution in the sense Of trampling {,
uNQeT our hOOISs OktIIlue luc tuullSs OF
undertake to do out of hand whatever a
headlong dreamer gets up at Osawa-
tonne and declares to be necessary" In
fine. the thing for the Democrats to dc
is to oppose burning down the house in
order 70 get rid Of rats, and TO show
that the cats and traps and poisons
which existing laws put at our disposal
are sufficient Let Roosevelt be boldly
challenged to prove that any reform is
really desirable which the people cannot
compass, If they earnestly seek TO, by
means Of the weapons which the Con
stitUtion and the laws and the courts
put in their hands. BY taking such a
line. and cleaving to it stssdfastly, the
Democrats will not merely give their
party new life. buS will raise a standard
to which men Of all parties may repair
who are suspicious Of hurricane reform
and dread remedies that are worse than
the. disease.