Page:Johann Jacoby - The Object of the Labor Movement - tr. Florence Kelley (1887).djvu/4



The speech herewith placed before the workers of America is the noteworthy utterance of the Konigsberg physician and noble friend of the working-class, Dr. Johann Jakoby, a democrat in the best sense of the word, a warm advocate of the enlightenment of the people and of the improvement of their condition. Johann Jakoby, following the democratic thought to its logical conclusion, perceived that the bearer of the democratic idea in our day is the modern social democracy, and he the most eminent of his party was first to join the young Socialist Labor Party.

In America the old Jefferson democracy perished long ago, and with it as with the democracy of Jakoby the "democratic" party of to-day has its name alone in common, as may best be seen from the phases of "development" through which the "democratic" party has passed, the last stage included. The "democratic" party after being the pro-slavery party, passed through a phase in which it differed from its "republican" rival only in representing Free Trade as opposed to Protection. Then, the Tariff question ceasing to serve as an issue, and the old parties surviving only to divide the spoils (to the shame not alone of the "democratic" party, be it said), a presidential election became possible which turned not upon party platforms but up-on the relative decency of two candidates. The rise of the United Labor Party at the November election of 1886, which has been rightly characterized as the beginning of a new era in American politics, lent the "democrats" a passing raison d' etre as "saviors of society," representing neither platforms nor decency, but the great "principle" of "Patriotism." And the fusion of the two old parties for the furtherance of this "principle" is only a question of time. Already during the campaign of the past autumn, naively upright "democrats" who take "Society Saving" seriously, showered bitter reproaches upon the "republicans" for their "unpatriotic" action in nominating separate candidates. And the complete fusion of the "democrats" with their kindred spirits, the "republicans," will be delayed so long only as each of the old parties may still hope to "save" something for itself. Meanwhile the general saving of society is not