Conservative. 3 I
Ohioago
DEMOCRACY.
Record of January
4th contains the subjoined from that
pre-historio republican authority whoso
name is appended :
"W. L. Dale of Piercoburg , 111. , quotes
Mr. Cleveland as saying that the demo
cratic party can win success only by
'adherence to recognized democratic
principles , ' and then asks , 'What are
recognized democratic principles ? ' That
is an easy question. Recognized demo
cratic principles are found in a pure and
unadulterated state in the m xims of
Thomas Jefferson , the discoverer of
democracy , and can be interpreted by
the leaders of that party. There is some
confusion in the democratic party owing
to differences in the interpretation of
Mr. Jefferson's principles , just as there
is in the church owing to the difference
of opinion as to the meaning of certain
language in the epistles of St. Paul.
' 'Jefferson was to the democratic party
what St. Paul was to the Christian
church. Both of them wrote many
epistles. They were able , wise , clear
and comprehensive , but , owing to mental
astigmatism or some other reason , cer
tain passages m the writings 01 botn
convey different meanings to different
people. For example , Mr. Cleveland
and Senator Jones of Arkansas agree
precisely with Mr. Jefferson , but Mr.
Cleveland and Mr. Jones do not agree
with each other. Mr. Hill of New York
and Mr. Croker , both true and genuine
democrats , also agree with Mr. Jeffer
son , but differ on recognized democratic
principles so far as the management of
the party in New York is concerned.
Mr. Croker rejects what Mr. Hill advo
cates and vice versa.
"An even more striking illustration is
found in Nebraska , J. Sterling Morton ,
sometimes called the sage of Arbor
Lodge , has adhered consistently to
'recognized democratic principles' in
times of trials and in times of triumph ,
and his views are as sweet , pure and un
adulterated as the maple syrup that
comes from Vermont in hermetically
sealed jars. Mr. Morton cultivates the
germs of democracy at Arbor Lodge and
disseminates them through a weekly
newspaper called THE CONSERVATIVE ,
which is sent free to those who seek
after truth and to all others at the
uniform price of $1.50 a year. Not far
distant , in a neighboring town , another
distinguished expounder is preparing to
expound the recognized principles of the
democratic party in a similar manner
for the benefit of all who subscribe.
( The terms of subscription may be
obtained by applying to William J.
Bryan , editor and publisher , Lincoln ,
Neb. )
"So long as the country has the benefit
of THE CONSERVATIVE and the paper
which Mr. Bryan is about to publish
there ought to be no difficulty for any
one to determine what recognized demo-
oratio principles are. If Mr. Dale and
other inquisitive persons do not find
them in Mr. Bryan's paper , they should
search the columns of Mr. Morton's
CONSERVATIVE , and , to use a phrase
which seems apropos in this connection ,
they can pay their money and take their
choice.
"As a precaution , however , before a
final determination of the question , it
might be well to consult Messrs. Cleveland -
land and Jones and Messrs. Hill and
Oroker. WILLIAM E. 0 UUTIS . ' '
The Army bill is
THE AKMY IEL. , , . ,
now before the
senate. The feeling is apparently grow
ing that the insurrection in the Philip
pines is no nearer an end than it was
several years ago. General Mac Arthur's
casualty reports continue to come in
with uninterrupted regularity and with
no material decrease. The conviction is
gaining ground that it will take years of
hard fighting to effectually subjugate
the islands and bring them completely
under American control. Quite a num
ber of the senators , though opposed to
the Philippine program , are inclined to
support the army bill because they see
no other way out of the difficulty.
Senator Hoar , however , offers to sen
ators of this mind , a way of escape. He
suggests that the present army bill be
amended to provide that no additional
troops be sent to the Philippines except
what may be actually required to garrison
risen and protect places now in our un
disputed control , until the president
shall have made an effort to secure an
armistice with Filipinos in revolt and
invited ten or more of their leaders to
visit the United States and state their
case to the president , informing him
explicitly of what they desire. This is a
sensible suggestion and , if followed ,
would materially aid an amicable under
standing between the Filipinos and our
own government.
NEED OF REGULATING COURSE OF
' EVENTS.
In William J. Bryan's Lincoln speech
he said the question whether ha should
again be a candidate depended on the
course of events , and some of the party
members who believe Bryan has de
feated his party as often as one man
should be allowed to do it propose to
take the "course of events" in hand at
once and see to it that it shall run in
such a way as to convince the Nebraska
orator that it is useless for him to aspire.
Experience shows that this would be
prudent , for after Bryan's first defeat
his opponents in the party believed he
would kill himself off if let alone and
they found themselves mistaken ; they
remember that and propose not to take
chances a second time. Oakland ( Cali
fornia ) Enquirer.
PRESIDENTIAL TERM.
If ex-President Cleveland has started
an agitation that shall result in the
adoption of a single term of six or any
other number of years for the president ,
he has added another to the list of de
sirable reforms. Every thinking man
in the country knows that our present
policy in electing a president every four
years , and giving the incumbent a chance
to degrade his office by working for a
second term , is a costly mistake ; but it
will take persistent and united effort to
change it. There is some reason to
believe , however , that the country is
ripe for a change , and that the principal
thing required to effect it is an energetic
and resourceful newspaper press.
Philadelphia Ledger.
RAILROAD TOOLING.
Mr. Paul Morton , the Chicago railroad
man , contributes an article to the In
dependent in which he says that one of
three things is bound to come in the
transportation business of this country
legalized poolingconcentration of owner
ship , or government control. Li&e most
railroad men , he is an advocate of pool-
ing. But the people are opposed to this
plan , and both the people and the rail
roads are opposed to government opera
tion of the roads , so that there remains
only the third course the consolidation
of railroad lines after the manner of in-
dustrail companies in the trust move
ment. Mr. Morton believes this to be
inevitable if pooling is not allowed , and
it cannot be questioned that such con
solidation is gradually taking place ,
especially in the East. He thinks it
would be better for all concerned if the
roads were allowed to pool their busi
ness under the supervision of the inter
state commerce commission.
Mr. Morton argues , as do the trust
organizers , that competition has become
too severe , and that it leads inevitably
to consolidation. He holds that unre
stricted competition means continued
preferential rates for big shippers and
big cities , while legalized pooling would
protect the small shipper and the small
town. He believes that the absence of
a pooling law is hurrying the ownership
of the railroads into the hands of a few
men. If the movement is forced to
continue in this direction he looks for so
complete a consolidation of railway
interests as to produce a popular outcry
for government control. While he has
no objection to the concentration of
railroad ownership , he knows that most
people have , and he thinks it might be
better for all concerned if pooling were
permitted as a temporary substitute.
While most people will not agree with
Mr. Morton as to the advisability of the
cure he proposes , it is worth while con
sidering the alternative toward which
railroad affairs certainly appear to be
moving. Complete consolidation is no
more desirable for the public than
legalized pooling. Ohioago Tribune ,