The Stanford interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1911-1912, 1912-03-15
the FIRST VOTE

attaches to your first vote. As you
begin, so you are likely to continue.
The momentum that carries you into
a party at the beginning Of your po-
litical life is to keep you in that par
ty unless some convulsion shakes
you out of it. Start right, and in
order that you may start right, ex-
anime the principles of the parties
and the policies which they advo-
cate.
! There are two great party organ
izations in the United States, one
more than fifty years old, and the
other more than a century old. The
Republican party has been in power
almost uninterruptedly for more
than half century and under its
reign abuses have grown up which
threaten the perpetuity of the gov
Iernment and endanger our civiliza-
ton. So great are these abuses that
republican reformers are now point
ing out that something must be done
and what can be done7 The first
thing done. and the party to undo
these abuses is not the party which
has done them, but the party which
has protested against these abuses
and pointed out remedies.
The republican party has turned
the taxing power over to private in
dividuals; it has allowed monopolies
to grow. up and assume control Of
the industries of the country by
granting privileges by law and giving
immunity to the large violators of
the law; the republican. party has
permitted the fortunes of the preda-
tory rich TO become large that gov
eminent is corrupted, policies de-
bauched, and business polluted.
The Democratic party proposes to
withdraw the taxing power from
private hands. to so legislate as to
make private monopoly impossible
and TO enforce the law without dis
elimination. 1t proposes to protect
legitimate wealth and punish those
who attempted to plumber the public
for private gain. On which side do
you stand, young mani Are you
with the masses in their efforts to
restore the government to its foun-
datiOn and make it government of
the people. for the people and by the
people. or are You with the republi-
can leaders in their effort to per-
petuate the party in power by selling
immunity in return for campaign
contributions
There are always two parties in
the country, and one is necessarily
nearer to the people than the other.
IN tins country the Democratic party
is nearer to the people than the Re-
publican party. Its leaders have
more faith in the people and are
more ANXIOUS to keep the government
under the control of the people. Take
the election Of United States SEN
ators by the people as a test. The
Democrats want to give to the voters
a chance to elect and to control their
representatives in the United States
senate. The Democratic party in the
house of representatives passed the
first resolution for the submission
of the necessary constitutional
amendments. They did this eight
years before any republican congress
did it. The Democratic. party has
twice demanded this reform in its
national platform. The Republican
party has nok done so. Why do
Democratic leaders insist upon this
reform and Republican leaders OPP
pose it There can he but one answer
the Democratic party is nearer to
the people than the Republican party
Young man, will you stand up with ?
the people or against themi
The answer of this question af-
fects your country. If you are with
the people your influence. be il great
or small will hasten their Veto
But while in the first instance il is
your country that may gain or lose
by your action, You must remember
that in the long run your own posi-
ton in politics will depend upon your
conduct. You can not fool the peo-
pile always. You may lead them
astray if you dare. but they will pun
ish you when they find you out. You
may work for the people without
their recognizing il at first. but you
can trust them 10 discover the char