The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-10-21
DEMOCRATIC opP0RrUNITY

set the Republican party with Thought /
iul consideration ana with an effort /
to profit by Tie experience Of their
opponents They have lttle time for
foolish exultatipn, and as yet no great
occasion for over confidence 1t is
plain that the people Of this country
are welded 10 no political party.
They are ready 70 follow the leader
ship that seems most likely 10 Rd-
vance the public interest
Two forces are at work in our civ
il2atiOn whose conflicts really pro-
duce the political issues of the times.
We, are Az agpgogressiyeHlpf0peEpf in.
telllgence, q stlperahnpdancc Alf en-
cry and unlimited deyelopmenE rhe
American people are absorbed I'm t4eI
great work of constructing thuperfI
ior industrial civilization, In ttlevet
oping the farm, the factory, theltrans-
portation system and COMMERCIAL or
ganizatlon up to the highest point OF
efficiency We have established a
higher standard OF living for the ay-
erage man than prevails among any
other people, This necessitates large
wealth production and leads to an In
creased demand for the employment
of energies and capacities Of the peo-
pie, We have reached the point
where commercial progress Is a neces-
sity. If we do not move forward we
must soon decline.
Along with this demand for advance
in the industrial sphere has come a
better understanding of economic laws
and OF the relations between the pol
itical and the industrial. There IL
developing, too, higher moral stand
ard that insists upon larger ele-
ment OF equity in the distribution OF
the product OF the great industrial ma
chine.
1t hes become equally imperative
that orr, political institutions keep
page with progress in the industrial
sphere. The great problem confront
ing the American people today is the
adjustment Of these clashing rela-
tions, the making and administering
Of laws so as TO insure Industrial pro
gress under conditions that will per-
nit constant advance in political
institutions. The average American
citizen does not want TO see anything
done in politics or government to
bring disaster upon business AT the
same time he does not want to see
anything done in business that will
bring the government under complete
subsection to clique OF finauciers.
We must find the way to insure the
popular control Of the government and
the enforcement OF such policies by
the people as viii insure industrial
and commercial stability. If we can
not secure this result popular govern
ment is failure The old idea sup
porting monarchy was that the peO-
pie could not be depended upon to
maintain law and order that there
must be the relation OF ruler and rul-
ed in a definite and positive way,
| That popular government can keep
the peace, that it can be government
OF law and order has been abundantly
demonstrated. The contention of oui
modern financial kings is hat the
people can not be trusted to make and
administer laws affecting business af-
fails. They assume that actual con.
| troll of the government by the people
will mean an unreasonable assault uE
on all business interests The people
themselves, the average man, the man
OF small means, the man dependent
upon his daily wage, more than ans
other element Is Interested in the
prosperity Of the country. This class
is the first to feel the blight of de
preston and the last to secure the
benefit OF revival. Thereioss ne sar
fers most in all fluctuation from de
preston to prosperity and is there
fore most interested in the STABILITY
of industry and trade.
II the people can not be trusted tC
control the government and through
the government regulate the indus
/ trial organization, we must acknowl
| edge the whole theory of our institu
tions TO be wrong, and in place of the
/ political monarchy we OverthreW more
than century ago. we must in
stan an oligarcy of financiers domin
ated by a spirit OF reckless specula
/ ton
Perhaps we have too much extreme
radical agitation, but the stock mar
ket gamblers. the confidence men oil
business do infinitely more harm.
The Democratic party has the op
portuniiy to make itself the instru
ment by which the people may guide
/ the ship Of state between the two ex
tremes
Il must recognize the Inevitable ten
dency towards commercial and indus
trial expansion and the necessity Tol
these things. but It must not ignore
| the equally positive and determined
forces in favor of liberal and progress
sive government It can no more af
ldord TO surrender to the radical doc
trnaire, who has no business sense
than IT can afford to accept dictation
from trust magnate or a wan street
opgrator II must represent the bust
ness Judgment and the political NOR
alitf of the American people. and do
ing this il will not only win control oil
the government within the next two
years. but establish itself for a lone
ease OF power.
- -
Not only will there he Damocrati,