Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-02-11
PRESENT DAY DEMOCRACY
Address Before Wisconsin Democrat
Press Association.
By Robert NJ. Crawford.


The real work of an editor of Dem
ocratic newspaper is to interpret Demo,
oracy in it's application to new condi
tions as they arise. 1t is easy enough
to determine what was Democracy as
applied to conditions in the past: that
can be learned from the study of his
tory. But the important point is tc
make life at the present hour square
with that which is Democratic and
right.
Some years ago there was marked
decline in the editorial columns of the
publishers in the smaller towns really
ceased to print editorial matter. They
simply published the news of their
communities, without any attempt to
explain it. And what was true of the
country press was true in a large
measure of the great daily newspapers.
Their editorial utterances were without
power. The work of stirring up the
people passed over to tie magazine
writer's. But great and hopeful
change has come over the newspaper
press. The amount of space devoted to
political matters in newspapers has
more than trebled during the last few
years; and the publishers find that it
pays to give liberal attention to local,
state and national governmental ques
tions. There has come a renaissance
which has worked a great and peaceful
revolution. And President Wilson,
with an understanding heart, talks
directly to the congress, and to the
people, in words which ring true. His
fine example should inspire Democratic
editors to apply themselves with greater
assiduity to their calling.
Try to make your newspapers power
for good. Above all things let your
editorial articles be, like the hand OF
Douglas, your own. Steal them not
from your exchanges; nor print them
second hand from club, league, nor
committee.
Do not imagine that in this great
land of the free, where government is
founded on manhood suffrage, that the
doctrine of equal rights for all and
special privileges for none needs nc
champions. There is still a great deal
of seltishness even in this good land OF
ours. When Jefferson, in the colony OF
Virginia, wiped out the law of entail
whereby estates descended to the oldest
sons, and Jefferson's only son, babe
died from exposure sustained in mid
winter Tory raid, aristocratic' planters
called this affection an act of God
destroying the family of the man who
wished to destroy all families.
The same implacable, unreasonins
hatred of Democracy exists today. But
as Democracy has grown strong, it,
enemies do not dare to attack it openly
And, not daring to attack it openly
they bear false witness against it an(
call it socialism. But call not thor
socialism that which is but the sturdy
and wholesome Democracy of Jackson
the frontiersman, applied to twentieth
century conditions of life. 1t is true
but passing strange, that the men VIII,
most frequently bring this charge o
socialism against principles which ar,
not socialistic, but wholesomely demo
cratic, are those who themselves stant
for that very dangerous form of social
ism, the communism of protection.
1t is we'll to get good understandin,
as to what American Democracy reall,
is, and how it came into being. Wood
row Wilson we'll and truly says tina
great movements which benefit man
kind never come from above,-that the,
always come from below. Our Demo
cracy was worked out in the New
England town meetings, and on tn
western frontier. with its log cabin
and their latch strings hanging out
Its inspiration is belief in the wortl
of the common man, and in his capa
city.
AS an evidence that Democracy still
needs champions it may be cited tina
in the capitol city of Wisconsin, durini
the primary campaign last August,