Gilpin observer., 1914-08-27
A Brief Declaration Of Principles


am Democrat because l believe
with Jeremy Bentham, that the great
est happiness of the greatest number
Is the foundation of morals and legis-
lation;" and because l believe the
Democratic party of the United
States to be the most effective
agency engaged in applying this fun
damental principle to human affairs.
l believe it to be the business of
the Democratic party to mold the in
stitutions and laws of the land into
such form that every man shall have
an equal opportunity with every other
man. And l call your attention to the
fact that the present Democratic ad-
ministration is moving more intelli-
gently and directly toward this end
than any other in our history.
| believe the Democratic party to
be the most vital force now engaged
in the political uplift of the human
race, and that under its present leader
ship 1t is engaged in the formation
and execution of a program of better
ment of vast Importance to the peo-
pc of this country. The tariff and
currency measures recently enacted
and the antitrust legislation now in
process of enactment. are practical
illustrations of the trend OF this pro-
gram.
Democracies are founded upon the
principle Of obedience to law. Gov
ernments such as ours. which exist by
reason of the consent of the governed.
can exist only in a country where the
x;,iv1 do
give their consent to the full free and
effective operation of the law. The
Democratic party. therefore, is not
only pledged to the impartial enforce
ment Of the law, but every Democrat.
worthy of the name. Is pledged to
seek the establishment of his rights
through the tribunals of the law.
| stand. therefore, for the strict and
impartial enforcement of the law, and
say, that whenever any man or set
of men, employers or employees. take
arms into their hands for the purpose
| of securing what they claim to be
their rights, or remedying what they
claim to be wrongs, without applying
to the law for justice. such men stand
in violation of the law, and must be
|
1t require the whole power Of the
state.
believe in and have always en-
couraged the formation Of unions
among wage-workers, and am con-
vinced that unions have very largely
brought bettered conditions and bet
ter wages to the wage-workers Of this
land.
/, Every man who is willing to contrib
ute. and does contribute. his honest
toll to the production of the worlds
wealth, ought to receive a wage suffl-
cient to comfortably clothe. house,
feed and educate himself and family.
to make some provision for his old
age, to give him opportunity for recre-
alton. and to enable him to enjoy q
world which God made beautiful and
wonderful for all men alike.
But cannot understand how q
member OF union. which itself is the
creature OF law. existing only by the
consent OF its members. and which IL
effective only to the extent thag Its
members yield obedience to the laws
which 1t formulates, can be SO incon-
sistent with his professions. thus pub
licly proclaimed. as to attempt to en-
force his demands by violation OF law.
II Is true that the processes OF the
courts are often slow. and sometimes
result In n miscarriage OF justice. 1t
is true also that the law itself NAV
not afford an adequate remedy in
every instance. But these conditions
do not Justify any citizen in taking the
law into his own hands: rather do
they call upon him to assist in cor
recting condition for which he. as n
citizen. is partly responsible. and by
amendment of the law supply suffi-
cient remedies and speedy procedure
to secure to every citizen the relief
to which he Is entitled
close this declaration by asserting
my firm belief that the people OF this
land will. in time. solve Alright all
the social problems that trouble them.
and that the solution can come and
will come only through the orderly
and certain processes OF the law
e. w. MCDANIEL.
ADV.