Barton County democrat., 1914-09-11

A speech by Henderson S. Mar
tin, Vice-Governor of the Phil
ippine Islands and Ex-Chair-
man of the Democratic State
Committee of Kansas.
The act conferring the right of
suffrage upon two hundred and
fifty thousand women is one of
the most important acts in the his
tory of our state, and | desire to
avail myself of this opportunity
to suggest some reasons to these
voters why they should identify
themselves with the party to
which ! belong.
The Democratic party is more
than century old, and the wo-
man who would understand that
party must acquaint herself with
the part it has taken in the history
of Our country. If you will 90
back to the great Revolution and
study with me the spirit Of de-
mOcracy. That spirit was not
born in Amreica. 1t was born in
Europe, but the society of Europe
was so fettered by prerOgative
and ancient custom, so committed
to the theory of clasSes-the the
ory that a boy must follow in the
footsteps of his father and a girl
in the footsteps of her mother; /;
in other words, European society
was so committed to the theory
that one man or woman is entitled
by reason of birth to a better
chance than another man or an
other woman, that the spirit of
democracy, which is another
name fol. the spirit of equality,
was but a Starveling. If that Spi-
rit had been confined to the land
of its birth, it would, today, friend
less and nameleSs, be sleeping in
an unmarked grave. But such
was not to be its history.
America was discovered and
men and women from Europe be-
gan to settle upon virgin soil.
They transplanted apple and
cherry trees and roSebuSheS; they
tranSplanted the sickly spirit of
democracy. Like a bloodleSs in
valid transplanted from the rigor-
GUS climate of the north to the
balmy breezeS of the south, this
puny spirit of democracy flour
iShed in its new environment
flouriShed until, at its command,
thirteen states went to war. II
was the spirit of democracy, and
it must not be believed that this
spirit was unopposed.
The very same ship that brought
the spirit of equality TO our
shores brought with it the con.
lending spirit of inequality, OF
privilege, Of class distinction, and
this latter spirit was ancient as
the race, with friends co-extenSive
with the rich and powerful, with
skill in combat so incompatible
that it had never lost a battle
These are the spirits that sought
the approval of our fathers when
they first met to organize politi.
cal parties. The men who organ.
lied the Democratic party made
their choice. They made their
choice between the spirit of equal.
lty and the spirit of inequality
They chose the spirit of equality
1t was a marvellous choice. Tie
spirit of equality has been so lack
ing In power and in reSpectabiIity
that it had never before been chos.
en-, but it was made the guide Of
the Democratic party. and | ap.
peal to the history of our country
for the truth of my statement
when | say that the Democratic
party is the only great party tha
has ever profesSed faith in thu
equality OF men.
Other parties have outStrippeC
us In devotion to war; other par
ties have outStripped us in devo
ton to business, but in devotion
to the principle of equal rights
IN devotion to the principle of tn,
common man, the Democrat,
party is without an equal. Let m,
remind you of some of its his
tory.
For fifty years the Democrat,
party was in undisputed contro