The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-06-09
A SAMPLE DEMOCRATIC ARGU-
MENT.

y, in an editorial. attempts TO give
e Democratic position with refer
ce to local self-government. That
aiding Democratic daily, while
aiming that local self-goTernment
a Democratic doctrine. yet admits
at the party Is for II whenever II
expedient to be for IL and against
when II is expedient 10 be against
1t Is remarkable that the Star
lould make such a confession, and
! course it makes itself ridiculous
y so doing; yet the fact is that its
iitorial is a sample Democratic ar
ument
The editorial In full is as follows:
Local self-government? Why.
it hits US "a gwine and er COM
in" Some people want local
self-goyernment when they can
use it TO their advantage and
their advantage. Local self-gov-
ernment is thing that will
work both ways-One way for
the eastern part of the State and
another way for the western sec
ton. Local self-government is
all right in its place.
Local seif-government is a
hummer in some counties and a
humbug in some others. 1t is a
fine political war cry and it is
the best thunder the Democrats
ever had when the conditions
suited. When they do not suit,
the Democrats don't work at it
much, and then is when the Re-
publican party tries to work the
game. However, this ancient
Democratic policy still belongs
to the party, even if it should be
laid on the shelf at times when
it is not wanted or needed for
business. The Hon. Marion
Butler, anti-machine Republican,
labors under an egregious mis-
take when he thinks that the
Democrats have discarded it, but
he should know that it is a Dem
ocratic hot tomato.
Col. Butler is showing signs
of badly wanting and sorely
needing local self-government
for Republican campaign slo-
gan, because he thinks it can
now be used to the advantage of
his party in the State. However,
If it were to be seriously propos-
ed to apply it to the election of
Federal offices in a Democratic
State when Republican admin
istratiOn is on deck at Washing
ton, he would drop the hot ia
male like it was a hot potato
The Ex-senator has heard that
some folks are State Democrats
and National Republicans, and
he is now manifesting a decided
impression that some folks
might be National Democrats
and State Republicans
I'VE suppose that enough has
been said to show that the local
self-gOvernment question is
little confusing. In fact, it is a
double-barrel blunderbuss to be
fired in two directions and is a
double back-action boomerang
that will butt in from all direc-
tons. People know that they
can have local self-government
when it will really get them
something, but Col Butler
need't think he can fool them
into believing that they need it
bad enough to get the Republic
can party into power in North
Carolina.
No oldline Republican will
ever be caught inconsistency
standing for local self-govern-
when he belongs to party
which don't even recognize
States rights SO as you would
notice it. If Col Butler can
catch many unthinking people
with his attempt to spring the
Democratic local self-govern-
ment idea as a Republican issue
now, he might be caught a lit
tie later in an effort to make
the G. O. P. swallow States
rights.
Local self-government is a
powerfully good thing when it
will keep Republicans out, but
1t will not be accepted as a plea
to get Republicans in. That will
be the case SO long as long-head-
ed North Carolinians know that
Republicanism is the issue and
not local self-government.
I'VE are not inclined to be-
ieve that any Democratic flies
will allow themselves to be
caught in Buffers molasses
trap"
1t would now be interesting to s.
the Wilmington Star attempts to e
plain the position of the Democrat
party with reference to suppressit
and regulation of trusts. 1t can, wi
equal truth, confess that the Dem
cratic party is louder in denouncir
trusts and declaring for the enac
ment of strong antitrust laws and &
honest enforcement of the same du
ing the campaigns than any one els
but that when once they have use
this slogan as an expedient vii
which to get in power they have I
hesitation or compunction of CO..