El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-14
URGES DEMOCRACY
TO STATE POSITION
Gov. Wilson Of New JERSEY
Addresses League of
Democratic ClubS

Indianapolis. Ind. April 14-Urging
the Democratic party to state its creed
in the concrete and define clearly the
especial forms of privilege it de-
clares against in a general campaign
for the rights Of the people," COVER
nor Woodrow Wilson. of New Jersey.
in an address to the National League
Of Democratic clubs here today set
forth the objects OF the party as he be-
lieved they exist and should be stated.
Governor Wilson said in part:
I'VE are fond of speaking Of our
selves as the party of jefferson and
Jackson, not because we are party
of old men, reminiscent Of things gone
by and in love with what has been,
but because we are a party touched
with the ideals which made these men
great, whose names we recall with
cause the breath of our party's life
is its utter faith in the principles Of
Democracy. It is its devotion to the
rights Of the people of whatever class
and degree as against all claims and
privilege, as against all selfish vested
interests which seek control instead Of
freely serving the life and development
Of the nation.
1T is so far from being a party
Of mere Renaissance, a party which
tries to draw the country back to poll
icies which belong to another time
TO the circumstances Of another age,
that it is. above all others, a young
mans party, because a party of move
Of
presses toward the future with I'M
shaken faith. with unwavering conf
dence and ever renewed hopes and as
pirations for the principles of oppor-
tunity, the principles of men not
made, but on the make, struggling
from achievement to achievement in a
free exercise Of their powers
Not a Mere Theory.
Democracy is not a mere theory
Of government. 1t is an energy of life
dwelling in the rank and file. inter-
preted once and again bv great lead
ers. but not confined to their private
cult and understanding. It's blood is
the blood Of the people. It's purposes
are the purposes shared by all man
kind Its hopes are the hopes of all
rational civilization.
This is the day upon which we ut
ter our creed and renew our views. 1t
behooves Us to ask ourselves what our
creed IS, and to answer the question
without subtlety or sophistication in
the plain terms of everyday life. We
must state our creed in the concrete.
not in the abstract. Our thoughts run
back, of course to the great declara-
ton Of independence which Jefferson
gave us, but we cannot stop with that
The declaration Of independence did
not mention the questions of our day.
1t is mere starting point for our
thoughts. It is of no consequence to
US unless we can translate its general
terms into examples Of the present day
and substitute them in some vital
way for the examples it itself gives.
so concrete. so intimately involved in
the circumstances of the day in which
1t was conceived and written
Privilege Has Many Forms
We say that we are against priv
1lege and for the rights of the peO-
pie. but privilege has worn many
forms. What is the especial form OF
privilege we now fight? How does it
endanger the rights of the people. and
what do we mean to do in order to
make our contest against it effectual?
What are to be the items of our new
declaration of independence?
BY privilege. as we now fight it.
we mean control Of the law. of legisla-
ton and Of adjudication. by Organiza-
lions which do not represent the peo-
pie, by means which are private and
selfish and worthy of all condemnation.
We mean specifically the conduct of
our affairs and the shaping Of our
legislation in the interest of special
bodies Of capital and those who or
ganlze their use. We mean the alli-
ance for this purpose of political ma
chimes with the captains of organized
industry. We mean the exploitation
Of the people by legal and political
means. We have seen our governments |
under these influences cease to be |
representative governments, cease to |
be governments representative of the |
people. and become governments rep
resentatiye Of the special interests,