Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1910-09-16
IN FOREIGN CRISES
WHAT HAS BEEN THE DEMO-
CRATIC REcORDe

Democratic Party Insufurated and Maistained
the Policy Of Resistance to All Forms Of
Foreign Aklressioa and Hu.
man Liberty-The Mearoe Doetrins Estab-
ished and Maintained.
Kate Burr. in National Monthly.
To some people. a staggering
bully, with chip on his shoulder,
represents the ideal of manly pluck.
Many of the pleas for exaggerated
military and naval expenditures seem
to be deliberately aimed to make
their appeal to this class.
In the last few years. defense of
huge war establishment budgets has
often taken the form of attack on
Democratic patriotism. Unscrupu-
lous writer's and speakers have re.
sorted to every device of rhetoric
and sophistry to convey the impres-
sion that the Democracy is unwilling
to maintain American self.respect
and to conserve American safety in
case of q foreign crises. The series
Of national Democratic platforms.
from the time when the party began,
constitute an invincible, mass of
documentary proof to the contrary.
But few people have the opportunity.
or the patience, to 60 into exhaus-
tive study of the historic aspects of
party policy.
In view of the persistency of the
campaign Of Misrepresentation, it is
pertinent and proper to group a
body of facts. which. while far from
including all that the importance of
the argument requires. are yet suf-
ficient to place in their true light
the principles and practice Of the
Democratic party as manifested in
those contingencies when resort to
arms has either impended or become
actually necessary.
In almost every crisis, in which
this country has been confronted
with a foreign situation compelling
an aggressive policy, the Democratic
party has stepped to the front and
taken the lead.
Indeed, it is safe to say, that In
any such crisis wherein the brunt of
responsibility has not been borne by
the Democratic party. it was simply
because the Democracy did not at
the time happen to be in power.
Let us make our first example
from the formative period OF the
Republic. During Thomas Jeffer-
sons first term ip the Presidency.
probably the most shameful scandal
of Christendom was the license Of
piracy and depreciation tacitly given
by the Powers of Europe to the
Barbary States. Corsairs from the
northern coast Of Africa, prowled in
the Mediterranean and the Atlantic
capturing ships of all civilized ma
tions, appropriatins their cargoes as
prizes, selling their crews and pas.
sengers into slavery, and holding
them for ransom.
England. With the most formid.
able naval establishment ON the
globe, paid tribute'to these scoun-
drels.
France, with o Bonaparte at its
head, did nothing.
But, before Thomas Jefferson had
been in Office year, he grappled the
problem which neither France nor
England cared to tackle.
In 1901 the Hashaw Of Tripoll,
swollen with insolence and glutted
with plunder. declared war against
the United States. Jefferson sent
across the Atlantic q feet which
blockaded the port Of Tripoli. .bom-
barded the city until the only al.
tentative was surrender or destruc-
ton, and terrified the Bashaw until
he sued for peace. The Democratic
President of the young and scarcely
organized Republic, had not only
vindicated the Stars and Stripes in
the eyes Of the world. but he had
saved the self-respect of civilization.
From that day till piracy disappeared
forever from European waters. no
American ship struck her flag to o
Barbary oorsalr.
The next time the Democracy had
to interpose itself between the threat
cned nation and foreign menace. it
threw down the gauntlet to q far
more powerful foe. Great Britain
undertook to assert the right to
search American ships. That brought
on the war Of 1872. That war was
conducted by Madison and the DEM
ocratic administration. Its most
brilliant general was the Democrat,
Andrew Jackson.
While the Democracy was fighting
the battles of the country. what were
the Federalists. (the party which in
that day answered to the Republi-
cans in this) doing?
Well, they were holding the Hart
ford Convention - proclaiming the
war a failure!
A few years after the war OF 1872
was ended, another Democrat, James