Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1910-06-02
DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY.

speech delivered by Ex-Governor
Joseph Folk, of Mo-, at the Jef-
fersonbanquet lpdianaplis arefull
ofgood, soun'i, logical argum'nt.
Hear him:
The Democratic party never
had a greater opportunity for
service han now. This opportu-
nifty will be lost if the party mere
ly occupies a position of negn-
tion without announcing affirm
ative and progressive principles.
The present rising tide of democ-
racy is not for the D,mocratic
party, no matter how controll-
ed, hut in favor of real demo
cratic principles. TO profit 10y it,
the party must sincerely by pat
form aud candidates declare for
these principles.
awe are on the threshold OF
the greatest political awakening
this nation has ever known.
"Unless the snirit of civic rgh-
teousness and fair dealing now n
) broad in the land dies out, the
: next few years will be distinguish
ed as the time when the reign OF
privileges is brought to an end
and the doctrine of equal rights
fixed IN national politics and in
conscience of mankind. Things
. are not tolerated now that not
long ago were submitted to in
silence. Only a few years past it
was al open secret that many
legislative halls were dens of
thieves and the touch OF the un-
clean dollar OF privilege was o.
yer all. This was an a"tepted
O condition and no determined
il fight had ever been made AGAINST
these evils. Dishonesty in public
life was either nnnoticed or r".
garded with despair. Now. bri.
berry Investigations have s sen
forth their message, the relations
of croOkedness haye been s"'n
and heard. and lnnumerahle
+o grand juries have held M graft
and fraud to the pub ic view
Tie awakened conscience OF th'
D oplp has been exposing th's'
abuses onr by one and has now
= commen red to assail the fpunda
ton of graft. The Democratic
party should fight privileges il
pn every form the prlvilegh OF law
to les ,ness and the privilege glver
by law. There is law enough nov
70 surpass all of the great trust
. though, OF course, they can b
made better. We do not nee
new laws so much, however, a
. we need the sincere enforcement
of the laws we have. lnsteai O
suppressing the great trusts TIL
10 effort of the present national at
re. ministration will probably resu|
nd in legalizing them through fec
al eral Incorporation that will pre-
vent the States interfering wit
thtir operation. When it is
- membered that he most effect
i've work against criminal wealt
has been done by The States d'
EN- ring the past few years, it is e'
sy to understand why predator
lite wealth asks for national incorp
md ration
md "Tle principal privilege give
,es, by law is the privilege OF prote
ton whereby all the people a
Cas- taxed for the benefit OF the fe
. or A tariff otiIer than for revenue
prohibited by the moral law, Il
law of conscien'e. A tariff /
revenue only Is one thing and
nh tariff for protection is quite a
' other.
The the Democratic par
wing battles not for reduction, b
II it for the abolition. Let the par
i to stand unoqnivically against pl
You ileges and for equal opportnnl'
a''n "I.et it stand for reform a
ioud freedom, freed m of the pre-
lou freedom Of religion, freedom
70 II speech, frepd,,m of graft, corr.
'r'ng ton aud privilege"