The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-03-06

sunni wv 'N'FN'
to fatten upon the necessities Of the peo-
pie.
THE GENERAL OUTLOOK FROM 4 CENTRAL
STANDPOINT.
AT the risk Of being called croaker,
n bird Of i'll omen, etc, ! hazard the
statement that we are reaching, if We
have not already reached, crisis in the
life Of the Republic more threatening to
its integrity than was the late rebellion
"a crisis which will not he passed with.
out great risk, not only to the Union,
hut even 10 the continued recognition,
on this continent, by future nations born
Of it, dcbris, should il perish, Of many
Of the basic principles Of free Govern
ment. Already these principles are
either absolutely ignored by our legi,la-
tors, in applying them to all the prscti-
cal purposes Of life, % are tpidiy per
yerted to the enrichment of the few.
They, the fundamental principle afOre.
said, are now regarded, or at any rate
treated, by most legislators, as gliitering
generalities, beautiful IN theory but i'm
possible Of naturalization. BY many.
indeed, state Of society in which the
truths 50 admirably 1T forth by Jciler-
son in his immortal document should be
practically applied, for t,e t,ncit J he
whole, is not even desired. These per
sons would not he content with either
their fair share of the natural wealth,
provided by God for all the inhabitants
Of the planet, or with the amount ofcre-
d,cd wealth TO which only they are justly
entitled-the products of their own la
bor. They want more of thir natural
wealth than they are entitled to-more
than even they can advantageously use
and refusing, themselves. to contribute
by their labor, intellectual or physical,
To the created wealth Of the world, their
great aim Is to shape legislation, usage,
public opinion, religion, morals and ev-
cry other power known to them, that
they may become the legal, and be re-
gar,led as the rightful, possesors Of the
products Of other mems labor, aud that
their own work, which is at war with the
be.t interests of society, shall he regard
cd rs honorable a. that Of the man
whose labor contributes TO his comfort.
FEARFUL CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY
Never before have our political and
social systems 50 elaringly betrayed their
insuiliciency for the needs of free people.
/ The defects in our financial and trans
portation methods above alluded To. and
the obstinate indifference Of our Bour-
bon plutocrsts and their servants in the
federal legislature, when these defects
are pointed out and remedies respectful,
ly suggested. are not fraught with more
danger TO the permancy Of .he Republic
than many other abuses, which the
masses feel even more keenly. In many
parts Of the country workshops are de-
serted. water-wheels are still. ships lie
rotting at the wharves, and mechanics
and iaborers look gloomy, discontented
aud threatening, becsuse Idle or under.
paid. The station houses Of the large
cities are filed with dodgers who have
homes. Ton. " thousands o:' no.
Wouid-he-ind Istrious, people Gu to bed
hungry every night, without the means
of procuring a breakfast for their fsmi-
lies in the morning. except by Supplying.
in for,al pdsPc,I', at a =oup-house. Ev-
cry day the newspapers chronicle deaths
by starvation-often Of entire families
Day by day the rich are growing richer.
and the poor poorer. Members ofbo,h the
old political parties are banded together
in formidable ring" with the Prcsi.
dent at it, head. at the National Capitol
for the purchasing Of real estate, in the
District Of Columbia, and securing, by
bribery, appropriations frcm the Treasu-
ry Of the United States TO Improve il.
Defslcations, drunkenness. licentious-
ness. shsllowness, vulgarity, general
system of nepotism and currupiion are
the rule in all the branches of our shod-
dy Government. Culture, high purpose
and honesty in the administration of
public affairs are the eXccption-are
even derided and deemed sufficient cause
for dismissal from office, or other mark
of disapprobation. Iids the resolutions
(recently recinded) of the ruliians COM
posing the majority of the Massachusetts
Legislature, year or more ago, intended
to bring Mr.. Sumner into contempt, and
kill him off politically.
OMNIBUS GATHERINGS IN THE WEST AND
SOUTH.
~ u shohs' 'hh'i u"hS' th''' 'h'u"~
stances, there should have been lately in
the West, South and Southwest, several
quietly conducted conferences of repre-,
Sc NATIVE men of those sections, at which
resolutions were passed, eouched in tenn
perate but firm phraseology, to the
effect that it is the duty of those sections
in view Of the indifference of Congress
To the their needs--to ignore that body
and the Government, and 10 cooperate
in making such arrangements ss may be
necessary to secure cheap transit to the
ocean, via. the Mississippi and the st.
Lawrence. Ii is well understood in these
conventions and alluded 10, as a matter
of course, that only rs an indeIaudent