The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-08-22


favored few for the benefit Of all
should itself discharge that business
for the benefit of all? have never
been able to convince myself that
either system would not cast pail
over human action and dull the mo-
tives which have heretofore moved
mankind to the very loftiest endeavor
and produced what conceive to be the
most perfect system of government
ever devised by the brain OF nan since
that far-off theocracy Of the Jew went
down beneath his demand for the
pomp and splendor OF earthly power.
And yet, do not hesitate to say that
If 1t be impossible to restore this Re
public to its ancient ideals, which /
do not believe, and must make the
ultimate choice between the paternal-
ism Of the few and the socialism OF the
many, count me and my house with the
throbbing heart Of humanity.
Three Grades Of Citizens.
The discomfort in Republican ranks
is Democratic discomfort. How much
Of 1t has reached the point where
wearied with the bad workings Of
good system, 1t is willing to topple
that system over and try something
new, cannot Prophesy. But ! am
quite sure that whatever badges men
may wear in America this year, what
ever ballots they may cast and what
| ever battle-cries they may utter, there
are but three grades of citizens. The
| first grade is made up OF the favored
| few, their hangers-on and their bene-
| hciarfes, who think the eagle Is upon
| the dollar, not as an emblem Of liberty
but as an emblem of power and who
| look upon government as an annex
to- their business affairs; these are
they who In the past years Of Repub-
lican misrule have turned the temple
Of constitutional freedom into mon.
ey-changers mart and have made Of
the coordinate branches OF govern
ment obeisant lackeys Of the jingling
/ guinea.
! The second grade consists of those
whose outlook upon life has been en-.
larged by the civilization under which
| we live, who have been taught by the
school and the college, by the press
and the magazine. who appreciate and
enjoy the good things of life, whose
horizon has been enlarged and whose
/ capacity for Joy and sorrow has been
increased. Conditions have become
unbearable to them. They hesitate to
hope for reform SO often has It been
/ promised to them and so often has II
been denied. They have reached the
point where, in the struggle for that
which they believe to be right, they
are willing to destroy the ideals of the
Republic. How many there are OF
these. i do not know, but / do know
that special privilege In the Republic
Is breeding them day by day like rab.
bits In warren.
oid-FashIoned Democrats.
The third grade OF citizens II
pleases me to call old-fashioned con-
stitutional Democrats. These are they
who believe that the equality Of man.
kind does not consist In an equality
OF brain and Drawn but in an equality
whereby every man, native and for
eign-born, has an inalienable right to
exercise all Of his ability In getting on
In the world just so he realizes that
In getting on he owes 1t to- himself,
to his family and to the Republic to
see to 1t that he gets on honestly and
that he does not prevent any other
man from obtaining the reward OF his
honesty and enterprise. These old.
fashioned Democrats believe In max.
ing money, but they believe that every
dollar made should be SO clean that
an infant may cut its teeth upon It.
They hold that 1t Is no part of govern.
other, and that any system OF govern.
ment which enables one man to take
advantage of another Is not system
under which a Democratic condition
4 Of life can thrive. They hold that
from age to age, social and economic
conditions change, but that the great
principle OF the equality Of all men be-
fore the law can never change while
time shall last, and that the honest
Interpretation OF this great principle
in statutory enactment. judicial con.
struction and executive conduct, will
take from the life Of q people the
mighty avarice Of the few. bind up
the broken hearts Of the many and
loose the bonds Of all who are in slav.
cry to wrong, injustice and ignorance.
j If / doubted that the return Of the
historic Democratic party to power
| would fail to right the wrongs of In
dustrial life, to wipe out the injustices
Of legislation and to preserve the op.
portunity OF every man for happiness,
then my voice, now weak, would be
| silent. 1t did not believe that in-so.
far as human agency can, this party
OF ours will promote the brotherhood
Of mankind, / would here and now re-
pudiate it. But believing as do that
the Republic had its origin in an In
4 SEPARATION which did not come from thu
mere brain OF mere man but sprani
| from the heart of humanity, believing