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The Commoner.
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tional government, freedom of speech and liberty
of press. . ,,, .. .
But for the world's acquaintance with tlie in
fluences that surround a Icing it would seem
strange that the czar of Russia could have so
long been blind to the advantages of constitutional
government. Self-government is the panacea for
discontent. Tho people will bear with patience
evils for which they are themselves responsible,
but will complain bitterly of evils of no greater
magnitude when- those evils are brought upon
them by the arbitrary action of a monarch. Para
doxical as it may seem, a monarch increases his
authority as he shares it with the people. The
fear that tho people- may not be capable of par
ticipation is ungrounded. The very desire to
participate indicates capacity, and that capacity
is still further developed by exercise. A ruler
is likewise short-sighted If he imagines that he
can increase his own security by silencing criti
cism. Opposition expressed is less dangerous
than opposition suppressed, just as powder is less
harmful loose than when its pent up force must
break its way out. Then, too, a public official
needs assistance in the discharge of his dutie?
even tho assistance of his enemies. They point
out mistakes and utter warnings against errors.
An enemy is often more frank than a friend, and
therefore is often more useful. "Oh, that mine
enemy would write a book!" is tho greatest
tribute over paid to the value of free speech, and
it is at the same time a tribute" to the wisdom and
sincerity of the one who uttered the sentiment.
A ruler usually has to pay his friends for their
assistance, but with free speech and a free press,
he secures the service of his enemies without
compensation or promise of reward.
Russia has her face to the light, and all the
.. VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4,
people of that country from czar to peajnn. ...
share .the blessings which will flow from ?J ,n
forms just Instituted. m the r
The effects of this revolution in nB,u
affairs will be felt the world over, wiilo i Su
downtrodden people of Russia these reform, im
provide relief from an acute situation, thi J"
fcoimced tendency toward popular govermS
will flfanrmmirA mnfirl0n, ., .. buvtrnient
will discourage imnerialtam nmi . "ra
publfcanism in whatever form and in whaLf
section imperialism and republicanism mav ii
struggling. The effect upon the American noo.
will be advantageous because it will remind thim
that when the people of "Darkest Russia" nn
make such progress toward the American ideals
there is every reason that the American pconlo
should adhere to those ideals more strenuously
than ever and .should vigorously protest against
every effort to compromise them.
ISTHE DEflOCRATIC PARTY DYING?
The Now York World intimates that the demo
cratic party is dying and the reasons for this
impression are stated as follows:
A Tammany city convention adopts reso
lutions praising President Roosevelt for "the
surprising courage, remarkable tact, dis
tinguished ability and commanding influence
displayed h" him as the central figure in the
greatest peace triumph of the age."
William Jennings Bryan, twice candidate
for president on tho democratic ticket, ten
ders to Mr. Roosevelt his sympathetic sup
port in the campaign of regulating corpor
ations in general and railway rates in par
ticular. The Massachusetts democrats commend
Mr. Roosevelt for his services in establishing
peace between Russia and Japan.
Tho Rhode Island democrats indorse Mr.
Roosevelt's rate-regulation policy.
The republicans of Massachusetts aro de
manding a revision of the tariff.
Former Senator Caffery, of Louisiana,
says the southern democrats are protection
ists, and predicts the organization of a new
party.
When a president elected as a republican
moves for reform upon the lines proposed in
three successive democratic national platforms,
it would be strange if he did not have the sup
port of democrats. The failure of democrats to
support him in that proposed reform would pro
vide better proof that the democratic party is
dying than the New Yrrk World is able to cite
in the patriotic, democratic and consistent atti
tude taken by democrats generally with respect
to Mr. Roosevelt's efforts to enlarge the powers
of the interstate commerce commission.
Former Senator Caffery of Louisiana has not
for many years been an authority on democratic
opinion, and that the republicans of Massachusetts
are approaching the democratic position on the
tariff question gives no reason for the belief
that the democratic party is dying.
Democratic principles as they were presented
in 1896 and in 1900 are, admittedly, more popular
today than ever before. And when we see dis
tinguished republicans advocating democratic
methods in the effort to provide the people with
relief and prevented from establishing reforms
because their party is wedded to its corporation
idols it is absurd for any one to contend that
"the democratic party is dying."
More and more the American people are com
ing to realize that the democratic party repre
sents the real conservatism of the country
that it stands between the radicalism of the re
publican party on the one hand and the radical-'
ism of the socialist on the other. More and
more the people are coming to understand the
evils of monopoly as described by democrats in
1S96 and in 1900, and more and more they are
coming to believe that the democratic methods
for reform along th,ese lines must be adopted if
popular government is to be preserved.
The Washington Times, in an editorial
printed int itg issue, of September 21, while dis
playing its gratitude for republican victory in
189G and 1900 on account of the money question,
added: "Now it is clear to us that practically
every other notable feature of those two dema
gogic platforms was fully justified." And the
Times further expresses regret that the opponents
of the democratic party in those two campaigns
were too "pig-headed" to perceive that while that
party's deductions might be all awry its "prem
ises might in the main be sound." Also, that
the opponents of the democratic party in those
campaigns would feel better today if they had
not jumped "to the preposterous extreme of con
tradicting every premise on which those policies
were supposed to hang down to the Ten Com
mandments.1' Time was when political parties were pre
sumed to display strength and political leaders
were regarded as statesmen when they withheld
their endorsements of proposed reforms advo
cated by the opposition; and there have been
instances where men vigorously fought the very
reforms which they had previously as vigorously
advocated, and all because the opposition had
adopted their own plans. But such things are
of the past.
If democrats are not sufficiently sincere and
patriotic to support their own plans for reform,
even when those plans are adopted by sincere
republicans, then they are incapc'jle of giving
strength and vitality to the political organization
to which they belong.
If the democratic party were made up of
men who would desert their principles and their
policies simply beca'use an honest republican had
undertaken to -put those principles and policies
into effect, it might? 'in' truth,' 'be daid that tho
democratic party, fa , dyjng.;. , , . ,
But at this time when the masses of the peo
ple are hopefully turning to democratic policies,
and when those republicans who are honestly
striving for reform find their efforts thwarted by
the powerful hold which monopoly has upon their
own organization, there is every reason for the
democrat to have faith in his party's vitality,
and hope. for the ultimate adoption by his coun
trymen of the principles for which his party has
fought.
THE GREATEST GOOD TO THE GREATEST NUflBER
J. T. Harness of Colorado, Tex., writes: "En
closed find eighteen subscribers and money order
for same. In a few days will try to get up a list 4
of signers to the primary pledge. Could and
would have done so before, but to me it didn't
look right until I had sent in some subscribers.
Faith without works is dead. Prefer to show my
faith, by my works, small and humble as they
are. If my good wishes would give you sub
scribers by the millions you would surely have
them. Those sending in lists to the primary
pledge should kill two birds with one stone by
sending in subscribers' names as well. Yours for
the greatest good for the greatest number."
Taking advantage of the special offer Com
moner readers have sent in subscriptions to The
Commoner in number as follows: George I. Gar
gett, Alma, Mich., 22; Benjamin Stagg, Crowley,
La. 14; Dr. O. H. Russell, Lomax, 111., 10; I. N.
Hodge, Bremen, Ohio, 7; John Roush, Lewis, la.,
6; J. W. Hardaway, 'Umatilla, Fla., 9; R. O.
Thomas, Montague, Tex., 6; James Pace, Nowata,
I. T 6; S. C. Vedder, French Gulch, Calif., 6;
John Anderson, Rogersviile, Tenn., 10; William
SimmonB, Hinton, W. Va., 10; Perry Craig,
Pleasant Hill, Mo., 6; W. T. Conner, Guthrie -Center,
la., 10; Levi Moyer, Edinburg, Ind., 10;
A. S. Beardsley, Dillon, Mont., G; W. N. Clay,
Barboursvllle, W. Va 6; J, C. Moyer, Kent,
Ohio, 8; B. L. Thomas, Dyersburg, Tenn., 7; G.
L, Hettick, Quenemo, Kans., 10; H. M. Cochran,
--Union Star, Mo., 6; J. G. Briggs, Versailles, Mo
6; Xi. W. Jones, Foster, Mo., 6; J. R. Brim, Mesa,
"Yash., 6; jMMcComb, Wabash, Ind., 6; Charles
n
E. Demoret, Shandon, Ohio, 6; George B. Jones,
Andrews, N. M., 6; E. M. Crawford, Petersburg,
Tenn., 7; W. T. Tujl, Magnolia, Miss., 12; B. J.
Carney, Yellville, Ark., 8; W. H. Butler, Cayuga,
Ind., 6; S. P. Elliott, Conifer, Colo., 7; G. H.
Fairbanks, Cleveland, Ohio, 6; J. W. Canaday,
NeeBes, S. C, 6; Dr. E. B. Koger, Tate Springs,
Tenn., 6; J. H. Ball, North Nassau, N. Y., 8; P.
B. Hart, Lamont ,Okla., 10.
The following named subscribers have each
sent five yearly subscriptions: J. H. Mobley, Piru,
Calif.; S. L. Rycraft, Alsea, Ore.; Cyrus -Clary,
Baldwin, Kans.; P. B. Hart, Lamont, Okla.; H.
A. Cornell, Phosphorta, Fla.; D. H. Sweet, Thomp-
sonville, HI.; J. F. Sophy, Garretson, S. D.; B.
Depue, Wellington, W. Va.; I. N. McClintock,
Horton, Kans.; D. S. Burson, Richmond, Ind.;
W. J. Reid, Sheridan, Ark.; Patrick J. Sullivan,
Naugatuck, Conn.; George W. Cline, Albany, Ore.j
John Shimp, Springfield, Mo.; R, F. Bostick,
Gainesville, Tex-.; J. H. Cantwell, Prohibition,
La.; C. D. Brewer, Marshfield, Ohio; H. C. Risk,
La Belle, Mo.; G. H. Van Home, Beatrice, Nebr.;
J. S. Ennis, Korn, Okla.; O. L. Moore, Jefferson
City, Mo.; S. F. Poindexter, Lynchburg, Va., B.
W. Mathis, Crystal Springs, Miss.; R. A. Page,
Milan, Mo.; William Charet, Hazleton, Ind.; i.
M. Judy, Adrian. Mo.; J. H. Shoe, Degraff, Ohio;
William E. Rose, Council Grove, Kans.; J. M.
McClay, Shenandoah, la.; C. C. Hughes, New
Boston, Mich.;; D. a St. John, Clarendon, N. Y.;
Thomas Hannett, Shepherd, Mich.; J. H Manley,
Buckhannon, W. Va.; J. B. Ingram, Keller, Wash.;
George B. Harden, Maxwell, Calif.; G. W. At-
ticks,,New Cumberland, Pa.; J. W. Nichols, Mor
gan, Ark.; Thomas Connell, MCiongah, W. Va.;
James W. Woolf, Post Oak, Mo.; G. H. Little
wood, Lisle, N. Y.; F. F. Keller, Scottdale, Pa.;
D. B. Spencer, Farmington, 111.; Silas A. Cline,
Danville, Ind.; C. R. Feist, Easton, Minn.; George
C. Voshell, Aurora, Ind.; George '. M ore, Green
ville, O.; Mark Gordon, Lincoln,. 111. ; W. F. Coal
ing, Rock Elm, Wise; Joseph E. Henry, west
Brooklyn, 111.; J. T. Myers, Everton, Mo.: mer
L. Bosley, Heater, W. Va.; John F. Neill, Higgtns
ville,'Mo.; A. C. Clary, Bryan, Ohio.
JJJ
REFERENDUM NEWS
The Referendum News has been established
by the People's Sovereignty League of America,
with headquarters at Washington. The News n
to be published monthly and will be JJ.V,"
the referendum movement. George H. bnmt,
conspicuous among the energetic and pawsta b
reformers of the day.fs editor. The first nuninu.
recently issued, will be interesting to people ueu-.
erally, while it can not but be helpful to the
portant reform for the advancement ot uni"
the Sovereignty League is striving.
JJJ
FOREVER?
The St. Louis Globe Democrat (KiKSiel
says "The flajg which is up in the P1"1'"1,,'
will stay -p fo&ver." Then what become, oi
claim so frequently made that according tc i
republican policy the people of the Pliiupi'"1
aro ultimately to have independence?
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