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of kings to govern liim? Let history answer
this question."
If republicans are unwilling to accept the
authority of Thomas Jefferson, they ought cer
tainly to heed the words of Henry Clay. The
whig party was the forerunner of the Republic
can party, and Abraham Lincoln was one of
Clay's warmest supporters. In 1818 Ciay
made a speech in the House of Representatives
on tho emancipation of South America' (See
the World's Best Orations.) In tho course of
his argument he took occasion to condemn tho
very sentiment which now finds expression in
tho Republican papers. Here are his words:
"It is tho doctrine of thrones, that man is too
Ignorant to govern himself. Their partisans as
sert his incapacity, in reference to all nations; if
they cannot command universal assent to the
proposition, it is then demanded to particular na
tions; and our pride and our presumption . too
often make converts of us. I contend, that it is
to arraign the dispositions of Providence himself,
to supposo that he has created heings incap'ahle of
govorning themselves, and to he trampled on by
. Icings. Self-government is the . natural govern
ment of man."
If, however, tho . Republicans want some
more recent authority authority more closely
identified with the Republican party let them
turn to the speech made by Abraham Lincoln
at Chicago in 1858.and they will find there a
'complete and conclusive answor to such a sen
timent as that quoted 'from the Democrat and
Chronicle.
Lincoln said:
"Those arguments that are made, that the in
ferior race are, to he treated .wJUh. as.- much allow
ance as they are capable ojenjoy,ing, tha,t as. much
lii to bo done for them as their condition will al
low what are these arguments? They are the
arguments that kings have made for enslaving the
people in all ages of tho world. You will And that
all the arguments in favor of kingcraft were of
this -class; they always bestrode the necks of the
people, not that they wanted to do it, but because
tho people were better off for being ridden. That
is their argument."
.: Whata fall is this! The self-evident truths,
proclaimed in the beginning of our nation's
history and revered for a century and a quarter,
have become "unconscious anarchy!" They
. must not be uttered aloud for fear they will
stimulate anarchy. "Was ever a party's trans
formation moro complete?
If one says, as tho editor of The Com
moner did, partiality in government kia
dleB discontent, tho cxhaltation of money
above human rights, tho fattening of
the few at the expense of the many, tho mak
ing of artificial distinctions between citi
zens and tho lessening of, the sacredness of
human life all these in their full development
encourage the anarchistic spirit "is he guilty of
"unconscious anarchy?" The Democrat and
Chronicle even finds fault with the declaration
that "our government must be made as good as
intelligence and patriotism can make it." This,
also, is "unconscious anarchy."
Anarchy cannot bo defended under any
circumstances, and no Democrat has any sym
pathy with it or toleration -for it, for the word
'democrat' means that tho people rule; it is not
chaos that is desired, but"a government of tho
1 1 T i
peopic, oy me people and lor the people." But
The Commoner.
a Democrat not only believes in government,
but in just government, and ho will not bo de
terred from pointing out and correcting injus
tice by the fear that sOmo one will carry his
discontent to the point of despair. What is
the alternative? It is to praise .evil or to bo
silent in its presence. It is to encourage mis
rule and corruption; it is to bring this govern
ment down to. the condition of those govern
ments in which oppression is so great and relief
so remote that the people become desperate. To
point out the governmental abuses which cause
anarchy is not to justify or defend anarchy. A
disease cannot be treated until the cause is as
certained. To charge a Democrat with being
responsible for anarchy because ho tries to ap
ply a rational and permanent remedy is as un
fair as to blame a physician for a disease which
he points out and tries to cure.
If those who believe in self -government and
who want to make the government entirely
beneficent arc to be charged with "unconscious
anarchy" of what arc they guilty who pervert
government, profit by its perversion and then
denounce criticism of their misdeeds?
W
Christian Advocate on Trusts.
It is a matter of regret that the Christian
Advocate should appear as a defender of tho
trusts. ' It docs not say that they are good, but
does say: "The simple facts are that there are
no trusts in the country, and though some con
cerns or owners are united for the same pur
pose, they are not trusts, nor have they by any
means all the legal powers that the trusts had."
After declaring that there are no trusts it fails
to condemn private monopolies in the form in
which they now appear. It simply says
"AVhether some way of regulating the size of '
such corporations can be devised without vio
lating essential rights, or whether, if possible,
it should be done, are other questions."
The readers of the Christian Advocate have
reason to expect more frankness and candor
than are shown in tho editorial quoted. If tho
Advocate believes that tho trusts arc good, it
ought to say so and attempt to defend them.
If it believes them bad, it owes it to its readers
to condemn them and point out a remedy. The
Advocate will find it difficult to support tho
trusts system without so amending tho com
mandment as to make it read "Thou shaltnot
steal on a small scale." Trusts steal on a
largo scale, and cannot be justified on politi
cal or economic grounds, much less on religious
grounds.
Mr. Cummins' Error.
In a speech delivered at Centreville, Iowa,
Mr. Cummins, the Republican nominee for
G ovcrnor, said : "Five full years of experience
have approved every statement, verified every
argument and vindicated every principle as
serted by the Republicans."
Let us take a glance at the statements, ar
guments and principles assorted by the Repub
lican party in 1890.
The leaders of that party asserted that wo
did not need more mpney and yet today, after
"five full years of experience" they boast that
their party has made wonderful -increase in tho
volume of money.
They declared that the policy of protection
was "tho bulwark of American industrial inde
pendence and tho fountain of American devel
opment and prosperity," and yet in the last
speech delivered by Mr. McKinley that great
Republican leader pointed out very clearly
that tho Republican position on tho question
must bo modified.
That platform asserted tho principle of bi
metallism by international agreement. No
serious effort was made to fulfill the pledge re
lating to international bimetallism and after
"five full years of experience" the Republican
position of international bimetallism in 189G
has been abandoned for tho Republican posi
tion of the single gold standard in lfyOl.
That platform declared that the Nicaraguan
canal should be built, owned and operated, by
the United States and yet a Republican secre
tary of state after several ui ull years of experi
ence" sought to negotiate a treaty in which
much of the practical control of that canal
would have been surrendered to Great Britain.
That platform declared that "from the hour
of achieving their own independence the peo
ple of the United States have regarded with
sympathy the struggles of other American peo
ple to free themselves from European domina
tion;" and yet after "five full years of experi
ence" the Republican party today finds itself
in a position where it dare not express sym
pathy with the struggles of the Dutchmen of
South A.frica to free themselves from European
domination.
That platform promised to tho American
workingmen "protection against the fatal
competition of low priced labor" and declared
that the imigration laws should be thoroughly
enforced; and yet no serious effort has been
made to fulfill this pledge.
That platform declared in favor of a strict
enforcement of the principle of the civil serv
ice law and after one or two "full years of
experience" this pledge and its principle were
violated by the removal of at least 10,000 pub
lic positions from the civil service listi
That platform promised the creation of a
national board of arbitration to adjust differ
ences between employer and employee and yet
that pledge has never been fulfilled.
That platform promised that the remaining
territories would be admitted and that the citi
zens of Alaska should have representation in
congress and yet neither of these ple'dges has
been fulfilled.
There are many statements, arguments and
principles asserted bv; the Republican party
that hayo not been approved, verified or vindi
cated after "five full years of experience." Tho
above are a few.
W
Where is the Majority?
The Austin, (Texas) Statesman asks:
"If Mr. Bryan 'is that good a democrat ho
ciaims lj.be why does he not bow to the majority
and lot the democratic party be reorganized on a
sounder basis than ,at present, even lr that reor
ganization eliminates himself as a factor and as a
leader?". :'
If the "majority"' want to reorganize tho
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