National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-19

sees relations with the paper will call. Du
notice will be given of the removal of tn
business department to the new REPUBLIcA
suilding.
THRIFT GONE MAD.
The stringency Of the money market, OK
:asioned by the late panic, the sufferings q
he poor, occasioned by the rigors Of win
Ter, and the unfortunate partial suspension
If manufacturing, occasioned by combine
lien of evident circumstances, have ha
much to do with the creation of the pre-
railing public demand for strict economy i
The administration of Government affairs
When the revenues of the Treasury begal
10 fall off after the panic people becam
frightened. The bankruptcy of the Gov
eminent was accepted as foregone AM
rapidly approaching conclusion. A spasn
Of fear passed over the body polite. and TO
the time being the utmost solicitude wa
felt on all sides for the reputation Of the ma
hon. Here was an opportunity, which tn
3emagogues did not fail to take advantage
Of. to raise hue and cry against the ex
.ravagance of the times, against the reck
lessness of private and public business, ant
against the honesty of the dominant party
With an assumption of virtue which wa
Sarefaced, and with forgetfulness of tn
past which was ludicrous, they arrogated tt
themselves the right to criticise the acts o
their superiors, and actually succeeded il
70 badly soaring many Of our Republican
leaders, as to drive them pell-mell, followed
ike sheep by their flocks of lesser leaders
INTO a stampede, which has been most prop
.rly characterized as Thrift on the Ram
page"
But this has not been the work of the
aemagogues alone. 1t is the result of an
alarming ignorance among some of our 50.
called statesmen of the causes from which
iegitimately follow the spirit of unrest and
discomfort which just now so fitfully dis
turbs the country. Take the Granger move
ment as an instance. 1t began as bugbear,
Tightening politicians, and aiming to do
something for the benefit of an especial
class. That especial class, it must be ad-
mitted, embraces the very bone and sinew
Of the land, and, as consequence, the
greatest importance attaches to its organized
action. Yet when we snalyze the demands
made by the Changers at the st. Louis con-
vention we find that the objects which they
seek are exactly similar to those which any
party of progress and honest reform natu-
rally attempts to attain and we find, fur
.her, that, so far as practicability Is con-
eerned, their proceedings were as fruitless
IS the efforts of parcel of school children.
In fact, the men and women gathered there
only succeeded in organizinga mutual ad
niration society, and really failed to realize
the object Of their meeting. The wordy
platform, the preambles and the resolves
adopted by them are vain, and will be mean
;ngless unless they are given strength by
some more practical, active and energetic
organization. Underlying their platform
we find the causes of discomfort, and much
Of the reason for the stampede to which we
have alluded. 1t is the grasping control of
monopolies, aided by Congressional enact
ments of various character, by which the
legitimate business ofthe country is dwarfed.
These monopolies attract the surplus money
Of the country by offers of investment
which promise greater rewards than
those offered by investment in
agriculture, manufacture, or the more stable
and necessary avenues of commerce. In
turn, these same monopolies, for the pur-
pose of paying large dividends and building
up superior attractions for investment, &C.
iually pauperize the agricultural and manu-
featuring interests, on the success of which
The country must rely, not only for its ac-
,ual support but for its material prosperity.
To specify or itemize their character would
be useless task, if, indeed, to attempt it
would not be in vain; for the grasping and
anscrupulous greed of the monopolists has
permcated every kind of business, from
:ailroading to banking, in which, or through
which, the labor of the country is compelled
70 filter its savings. In this way the pro-
iuctiyc interests of the entire community
have been subjected to slavery which is
aow only beginning its revolt. The
Changers have taken the lead, but, like pio-
neers Of any kind, they strike wildly and
aave hit upon no practical scheme of relief.
These arc facts which should furnish
God for grave reflection. They show the
evils which beset us and which underlie
The disturbed condition of the nation. They
cannot be avoided. and the party foolish
enough to temporize with them will meet
, deserYedly dsgraceful doom. 1t is in
rain that the Executive Departments are
,adgered and bullied into reductions of
annual estimates, and that the expenses of
he Government are reduced q paltry few
millions. To make those reductions may
ihow desire to economize-rampageous
:hrift-but the people, the laboring classes,
he farmers, the manufacturers, and the
starving poor will not experience relief
from such economy. The soup-houses and
prisons will not be relieved by the pres
encc of q single inmate or customer. Deep
er down, more radical, and more earnest
must be the work to afford needed relief.
It must strike at the very foundation of our
overgrown and false prosperity. 1t must
be such as to subordinate the aggregation
Of capital as represented by the interests of
monopolies of every character to the ad.
vancement of labor, individual or classified
The tone of our legislation must be changed.
We must go back in our habits of thought
and speech to the "old time" ways Of
thinking and speaking, and interject into
our public affairs some Of the old fashioned
Fourh Of July patriotism kind which,
In the country districts, formerly found
expression in the declaration that agricul-
mre is the basis of national prosperity. We
nave forgotten this kind of patriotism in
sur latter-day enthusiasm in building rail-
roads and in providing internal improve
nents, without safeguards to prevent the
.hieving monopolists who control them
from eating up the very vitals Of our inter-
asl and material success. To do this may
be to take from the plethoric pockets Of
Congressmen and their constituents many