The Washington times., 1924-08-12

based on Democratic principles ana
guaranteed by a record Of Dem.
ocratic performance.
This program we have outlined
in our platform; these principles
are those by which the Dem.
ocratic Party has been guided
throughout the years--and which
like the creed of the church
should be repeated whenever DEM
ocrats assemble--a belief in equal
rights to all men and special
privilege to none; in an ever wider
and more equitable distribution
of the rewards of toll and indus.
try; in the suppression of private
monopoly as q thing indefensible
and intolerable; in the largest
liberty for every individual; in
local self-government as against
a centralized bureaucracy; in pub.
lie office as a public trust: in a
government administered without
fear abroad or favoritiSm at
home. And our pledge will be
the long roll Of beneficent legls-
lation passed during our years of
power, and the conduct without
scandal or corruption of great
and victorious war fought under
the gallant and inspiring leader
ship OF Woodrow Wilson.
have expressed, in general
terms, my approval of the proposals
contained In our platform. You
will not expect me at this moment
! to discuss them In detail or to
outline the methods by which
they are to be carried into effect.
There will be time enough for
that.
Far more important than the
language OF such documents is
: the spirit that breathes through
them and gives them life. The
country has the right to know
whether under the guidance of
the Democratic party it will fol.
low course Of wise and con.
tinued progress or be given over
to the delusiye panaceas Of the
dreamy radical or the SNUG com.
placency of the conservative who
thinks that ali goes well IL only
it goes well with him.
Progress and Reaction.
The words progressive" and
"reactionary" have been much
used in American politics. There
has been little effort to define
their meaning. They are be-
coming mere tags which politi-
clans fasten on themselves or
their opponents without indulg.
ing in any mental process that
remotely resembles thought. But,
like shipping tags, the thing
which really counts is the desti-
nation written on them-progress
to what; reaction from what
that is the real question. Motion
may be either backward or for
ward; 1t may even be going
around in ci; cles.
From my point of view he
only deserves to be called a pro-
gressive who cannot see a wrong
persist without an effort to re-
dress it, or a right denied without
an effort to protect it; who feels
a deep concern for the economic
welfare of the United States, but
realizes that the making of bet
ter men and better women is a
! matter greater still; who thinks
of every governmental policy first
of all in its bearing upon human
rights rather than upon material
things; who believes profoundly
in human equality and detests
privilege in whatever form or in
whatever disguise, and who finds
the true test of success IN the
welfare OF the many and not the
prosperity and comfort Of the
few.
The civic unit Of America is
not the dollar but the individual
man. All that goes to make
better and happier and freer men
and women Is progress; all else is
reaction. Progressives Of this
sort, though they may not care
TO use the name, nevertheless in
their hearts are Democrats.
Appeal to Labor.
We shall strive, therefore, for
the things that look TO these
great ends; for the education Of
our youth, not only in knowledge
gathered from past ages but in
the wholesome virtue of self
g help; for the protection of women
and children from human greed
and unequal laws; for the pre-
vention Of child labor and for
the suppression Of the Illicit
traffic in soul-destroying drugs.
We shall conserve all the natural
resources. of the country and pre-.
vent the hand Of monopoly from
closing on them and on our
water powers, SO that our chill.
dren after US shall find this still
a fair land to dwell within
And to the veterans of our
wars, especially to those who
were stricken and wounded in the
country's service and whose con-
fidence has been so cruelty and
corruptly abused; we shall give,
in honor and in honesty, the
grateful care they have so justly
earned.
Concerning our sentiments to-
ward labor there is room for
neither, doubt nor cavil in the
light of our past history. The
right of labor to- an adequate
wage earned under. healthful con-
ditions, the right to organize in
order to obtain It and the right
to bargain for it collectively,
through agents and representa-.
tives of its own choosing, have
been established after many years
of weary struggle. These rights
are conceded now ty all fair.
minded men. They must. not be
impaired either by injunction or
by any other device.
Promises to Farmers.
The Democratic party, however.
goes a step beyond this. It's
attitude has been well described
as one inspired neither by defer.
ence on the one hand nor by
patronage on the other, but by a
sincere desire to make labor part