The Commoner.
iBRUARY 24, 1005
lidate, it must bo expected that differences of
Judgment will often result in the selection of a
mdidato acceptable to a majority but not the first
loico of a minority. This is not sufficient to
justify a man in leaving bis party if the candi-
lato is himself worthy of support and on the wholo
preferable to the candidate of any other party.
Aside from these general principles which
fovern members of parties, there is another rule
that has to be considered. Whether a man feels
it hi3 duty to leave his party or not, depends sonio-
pyhat upon hl3 judgment as to the party s future.
f ho has confidence in the good purpose of a ma
jority of his party, he is more inclined to excuse
mistake than he is if he believes the party has
foutlived its usefulness. A party cannot be held
(together for any great length of time after the
imember3 of the party have made up their minds
that the party has entered upon a permanent de
cline. "While a party has hope, even though its
(-progress is small, men will cling to it; when hope
is gone the party disintegrates rapidly.
Men may leave a party temporarily with an
expectation of returning to it, or they may 3imply
refuse to vote at all, thereby expressing dissatis
faction without indicating any intention to join
another party, or they may refuse to support a
particular candidate on the ground that he is
personally unfit and on the ground that his elec
tion would not strerigthen the party's position or
advance the principles of the party.
Applying these principles to the last cam
paign, we find that a few left the democratic party
because they had either changed themselves or had
become discouraged by continued democratic de-
y feat. Some of these went to the republican party,
some to the populist party, and some to the social
ist party. A much greater number left the party
temporarily, voting some other ticket a3 a pro
test against the action of the St. Louis convention.
Some of those who voted the socialist ticket CLia so,
not because of any intention to ally themselves
permanently with the socialist party, but to signify
their desire to have the democratic party more
radical than it was in the last campaign. S'ome
voted the populist ticket because Mr. Watson rep
resented some of the reforms for which the demo-
L cratic party has been contending. Some voted
the republican ticket either to emphasize their re
buke of the democratic party or because they had
faith that Mr. Roosevelt would initiate some re
forms. The great majority of the democrats, however,
voted the ticket, and the editor of The Commoner
was one of this number. About 80 per cent of the
voting strength of the democratic party was cast
for the democratic candidate, and a considerable
majority of the democratic votes was cast in th9
republican states of the north. Tho3e who voted
the ticket did not by so doing express themselves
a3 satisfied with the platform or the ticket. They,
many of them, simply declared that they had faith
in the future usefulness of the party and believed
that Judge Parker", if elected, would secure certain
reforms reform's important enough to justify sup
port at the polls. The editor of The Commoner had
occasion to make his position known both
through the papers and on the stump. Judge Par
ker opposed imperialism, which alone justified the
support of thdso who believe imperialism to be a
menace to this country. He stood for a reduction
of the army, which also gave him a claim to tho
support of those who fear imperialism. Judge Par-"
Jeer was opposed to the spirit of war which char
acterizes th03e who, like the president, are de
luded with the belief that the spirit of peace can
be promoted by rivalry in the building of war
ships.
While on some economic questions there was
not as much difference between the candidates as
there ought to have been, still the democratic plat
form was in every re3pect better than the republi
can platform wherever it touched upon economic
questions. The editor of The Commoner reserved
until the convention acted his decision in regard
to tho support of the ticket, but when the conven
tion concluded its work he had no doubt as to his
duty. The platform was much better than he had
expected tho convention to adopt, and it was ap
parent from the action of those in attendance upon
tho convention that, while they yielded to tho
tompting promises held out by the eastern demo
crats, they were sound in heart and purpose. He
felt when the convention closed and the convic
tion has been increased during the months that
have elapsed since the convention that he can be
of more service to his country acting with tho
millions of democrats who de3ire to make the party
tho exponent of an earnest democratic sentiment
and tho champion of positive and aggressive re
forms, than ho could by allying himself with any
other party.
. The election returns show that in spite of tho
strong reaaons for tho support of tho democratic
ticket a good many democrats something like 20
per cent refused to countenance tho attempt at
conservatism. Thoso who urge conservatism de
fended their position entirely by arguments based
upon the prospect of success. Tho overwhelming
defeat which met this concession to conservatism
ends tho experiment.
The radical clement of the party has been re
inforced since tho election by thoso who wero will
ing to risk the attempt to secure a part of tho
democratic creed by abandoning a part. And even
the conservatives have been compelled to admit
tho fallacy of their own reasoning. Tho president
has very much strengthened the radical element or
tho democratic party by espousing some of tho re
forms upon which tho conservative democrats
were weakest, and the growing public sentiment in
favor of reform is educating democrats Who were
right in their sympathies but uninformed upon some
o? the problems to be met. The democratic party
has an important work to do, and its future is
brighter than at any time since 1892. It was nec
essary to go through the struggle which in 189G
put the democratic party upon advanced ground.
The temporary retreat made by tho party in 1904
has taught a salutary lesson a lesson which prob
ably, could not be taught In any other way.
Ever since 1896 tho radical element of tho
party was blamed for the party defeat. It was un
reasonable to blame the radical element when
under Its leadership the party polled nearly a mil
lion more votes than It had ever polled before, and
did this in two successive campaigns. Under conservative-
leadership the party fell off a million and
a quarter votes, and this slump In the vote has
taught wliat reason and logic should have taught.
Experience Is a dear teacher but, as someone has
said, many will not learn in any other school.
Experience has shown that the democratic
party must be a progressive party if It is to main
tain its position, and unless all signs fall, it will
enter the next campaign with an honest platform,
dealing candidly with all the questions before the
public and appealing to the conscience of the coun
try. The editor of The Commoner Is in a better
position to assist in the next campaign because of
the position which he took in the last campaign.
And just so long as he follows the course that
promises the maximum of usefulness he satisfies
his own conscience and can accept without com
plaint the kindly criticism of friends and tho un
fair criticism of enemies.
JJJ
m
Governing Others
The Christian Advocate of Nashville, Tenn.,
has a three-column article entitled "The Facts in
the Case," in answer to The Commoner's criticism
which appeared a few weeks ago under the head ot
"The Religious Argument." The Advocate dis
claims that it attempted to enter the field of politi
cal discussion and insists that it only dealt with
facts. In its reply, however, It wanders far from
tho question of fact, and enters the same defense
of imperialism that the czar presents In defense
of his autocratic rule. No king ever insisted upon
governing his subjects without their consent ex
cept on the theory that he was doing it for their
good, and no nation ever administered a colony
except on the same theory.
The position of the Christian Advocate Is
summed up in the closing paragraph. After say
ing that the people of the United States are not
tyrants and will not tolerate tyrannical treatment
of the Filipinos, it declares:
"The day has arrived in the history of
nations for it to be shown that one people can
govern another to that other's advantage."
This is what every tyrannical nation in history
has been trying to show, and it has always been
able to show it to the satisfaction of the rulera,
but not to the satisfaction of those governed with
out their consent. The Advocate says:
"When the Filipinos are convinced that wo
are seeking their good they will be satisfied,
and a little responsibility will not hurt us."
That is the delusion with which the tax pay
ers have been fed in every instance, and the ex
ploiters have been perfectly willing that their
country should assume responsibility. ;
The Commoner has criticised tho Christian Ad
vocate because of Its influential position in the re
ligious world and because tho editor of The Com
moner felt sure that the editor of the Christian
Advocate had inadvertently adopted the arguments
of the imperialists. The closing paragraph of tho
last editorial, however, shows that tho Advocate
boldly espouses tho doctrine that "one people
may govern another to that other'3 advantage."
As this is directly contrary to our theory of gov
ernment, It Is not necessary to carry tho contro
versy any farther. No ono can bollevc in tho doc
trine of self-govornment as set forth in tho Declar
ation of Indopendonco and at tho same timo assort
that "tho day has arrived in tho history of nations
for it to bo shown that ono people may govern
another to that other's advantage."
JJJ
Hail Contracts
It is strange that President Roosevelt has
overlooked the padded mall carrying contracts.
Former Senator Pcttlgrow of South Dakota Is
authority for the statement that on its present
contracts the government pays tho railroads each
year $40,000,000 for carrying tho mails, while tho
same lines carry tho samo amount of express on
tho samo trains for less than $4,000,000. Senator
Pettlgrew says:
Tho New York Central railway for carry
ing tho United States mall from New York to
Chicago over Its main lines receives each year
3 per cent of tho value of thoso lines as well
as of all rolling stock and terminals In New
York, Chicago and other cities.
Yet when I moved, after proving theso
facts, that this compensation bo cut down 20,
and afterwards 10 per cent, I was voted down
In committee of the senate.
Mr. Roosevelt has been slow to move against
tho trusts because ho "does not de3iro to unnec
essarily disturb the business Interests." He pro
ceeds in a leisurely way to carry out his views
as to some other necessary reforms because ho
"does not desire to be hasty." It would seem, how
ever, that when the railroads are robbing tho peo
ple on the mall carrying contracts the "business
Interests of tho country" would not suffer If Mr.
Roosevelt would immediately and actually be
come strenuous in a demand that the people bo
protected from the continuation of this steal.
JJJ
Growing in Favor
The Comoner's special subscription offer ap
pears to bo growing in favor. Every day many
lettera, showing the great interest tnose who be
lieve in tho principles supported by Tho Com
moner, have in the effort to increase The Com
moner's circulation, are received.
A prominent citizen of Fayette, Mo., writes:
"It gives mo much pleasure to present to
The Commoner eighteen new subscribers and
ono renewal. May the campaign of education
which you are conducting continue with ever
increasing interest, until the people from a
sense of duty, defy expediency, and demand
that principle, and not money, shall be tho
test of public office. Find enclosed $11.80 to
cover cost of club."
According to the terms of tho special sub
scription offer, cards, each good for ono year's
subscription to The Commoner will be furnished
in lots of five, at the rate of $3 per lot. This
places tho yearly subscription rate at 60 cents.
Anyone ordering the3C cards may sell them
for $1.00 each, thus earning a commission of $2.00
on each lot sold, or he may sell them at the cost
price and find compensation In the fact that ho
has contributed to the educational campaign.
These cards may be paid for when ordered, or
they may be ordered and remittance made after
they have been sold. A coupon Is printed below
for the convenience of those who desire to partici
pate in this effort to increase The Commoner's
circulation.
THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER
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sire you to send me a supply of subscription
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tvga
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