Lame Again
![Lame Again image](/sites/default/files/aa_democrat/aa_democrat_18980211-p01-06.jpg)
The Courier in its effort to brace np a shaky argument in favor of the present gystem of electlng United States senators - the system which has giren the senate the stfbriquet of tiie millionaires' club - insista that The Demoerat is continually cïying oul agaiiist existdng laws and successfu] men. In this particular the esteenied ('Diirior is as mucli mistaken as it is in its niany other hallu'ciJ)atlon& The Domo. Tai cries out againsi those existing laws which glve mie claas of onr people undue a-dvantage over another and abridge the right oC every man, supposed to be guaranteed by our institutions, to the oqual protectlon of the laws and enjoyuieul of the blessings of good governnieBi;. Neither is The Democrat opposed to successful men. Il rejoices in the snocess which has rewarded indnstry, enferprise and well directed effart. It is ro that suecess that eivilizatSon owis its rapld advanvo. The mm wiio, by hand ot brain, haa eddeil to tlu world's stock of 'wealth, is a j)!!1)lie 'benefactor and is entltled to as distingirished considera t ion as riie world's military héroes and states Wither is The Democrat opposi coTporations and other usefui eo nations of capital the purpo fadlitating iodustry and coBimere, so long as these corporations are fined to legitímate functions. The successful men wliom the Dcrnocraf "crys out against" are the ufep vIio have won their success al tiic expense of others and who seek tú use the power and prestige .-iil by their wealth to pervert ilie jus) fnuctions of government to their Etirtlirr aggra i lit. lt "crys those suecessful men who.se ;■ consista of special privileges- pvivileges whose eommereia] value aes in the power they confer of i tribute upon the people, and aïways ready to eorrupi legi preserve thoe "vested Hglits." The Demofr.it stands for "Kjun fsad justiee to all; special privi to none." [f the Cüouriei is i)J''.-i-'':; it tnay cal] that populism ot nny olüsr '"sin." Tht' Democrat rests vn. the 'belief rb.-i.t it is Ue bro&desi and purest kind oí DeniocracyAs the ('onricr branches out in this controversy it srives jidd 1 proof of its toryism. We beg Jeave to remind oui roineinporary Iba! toryisin i the very ánfithesis of prqgEess. If our fo;efathers had been atiafied to listen to the spirit of tóryïsm and tbe doctrine of "reeted rlghts" Euglisii blnge would still be geweraiag England by divine right, the Stun.vis would inner bave been supplanted by constitntional goverumen-t, America would sttH be a dependeacj of Gxeat Brita.ia, va-.. and even the black man would have been servlng Southji mastens. The Courier .say tliat becausea mtan has been suecessfnl in .business i no reason why ho would nor make a competent United States senaioi:. Vevy mie. 'Rut it lias nevert heles been the unfortunate experionce witn miilionaire senators, and the corporation lawyers who have been sent t :u ce by the money o-f raillionaircs, (likc own BuTrows for insraucel. thai they have looked out for their owu iKterests and the interests of cïienis first and the intereetsr of the people last. The Demoerat concedes taal eren with the senators elected by popular ■vote there would still be the dauger thar. bad men would be e-lected by the siuffrages of that considerable class wbo vote it straight, yellow dog and all, but the people neveTtheless have a reto upon the work of a political conventlon which they cannoi exercise ayer the acts of a venal legislature. It has becomf" an axiom among those who mato it a business to prevent the people from haring their own way "that it is eheaper to purebase legislators tban it is to eler them." So long as that condition ists it is idle to talk aibout eeeuriDf? a representatlve electlon Ty a state legislature. Tho Courier has heard of no scandals in connection with the election of Uuited States senators. Of course the unpleasantness at Colutnbus is öf too recent occurrence to have come under the otservaüoa of erar contemporary.
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Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat