The anti-monopolist., 1875-01-07
A SAD pICTURE.

The Chicago Tribune, (Republican.)
speaking of prophecy Of our great
ness, made by 'Argenson, French
writer, more than hundred years ago.
says:
He did not see corruption rampant in the
general administration of Government, dis
honesty cropping out in State, county, and
municipal offices all over the country; legls-
lators bought and sold like sheep in the
shambles subsidies bought and squandered;
Credit Mobiliers corruptlng public men the
public credit weakened by Spectators and
rings of politicians detaulting officials car
pet-baggers filling their pockets by impov-
ershing the people scandals breaking out
in society and the church; the cause Of re-
| ligion detled by its teachers; the churches
! turned into fashionable coteries, and pietv
| growing weaker and weaker; crime increas-
| ing with fearful rapidity; family ties sew
| cred for the slightest cause; men Fastening
! to get rich, regardless of the manner; peO-
! pie living beyond their means to keep up
| appearances the influence OF the Church
and the discipline OF the family powerless
I, the growing generations leaving the Old
standards OF truth and running after every
will the -wisD of science, careless where 1t
leads; Young men and women growing pre-
| maturely old with the designations OF fash
| ion and luxury few men able to trust their
| neighbOrs no guaranty OF honesty binding
| These are some OF the things which the Keen
eyed French prophet did not see i'll his vision
| OF the future. These are some OF the re-
suits of our fast life, insane itch tor money
and reckless competition with each other
This is, indeed, terrible, but We
fear truthful indictment of our times
We must call halt. We must go slow
We must rid ourselves of the evil:
which were, perhaps. the natural out
growth Of an extraordinary and over
flowing growth and prosperity.
All that there is Of goodness ant
purity in the nation must work toEeth
er for the salvation Of the people.
We have never before had in tn
world just such an experiment of fire.
government as this of the United States
The old civilizations were limited to
city or a few provinces, governed b.
the simple rule Of might. We hav
here the highest development Of man
intellect conjoined with the grandes
theatre of human action ever known
the forces Of the nineteenth centur
working themselves out on the aren
of continent. If less than one hur
dred wears have produced the result
enumerated by the Chicago Tribune
what fruits will be harvested in anoth
hundred yearsi Can Republican inst
| tutions stand the strainl The foun
tain cannoe rise higher than its sourc'
The government will be what the pei
pie are. Il the people arc without mo-
Atty, religion. honor CT honesty. no
long can the government endure! Thes
are grave and momentous question
) which il we do not solve now our chile
! rem will be pressed to answer. If r
publican institutions cannot maintai
: themselves, the mind shudders at Il
! prospect. There will be a generatio
a of war, rapine and anarchy, in whic
: the people will be either purified in'
/ fitness for self-government or lose tn,
Q capacity forever.
i The newspapers Of the nation coul
do great and good work ifthey woul
: !. follow the example Of the Chicago TT
: bune. and denounce wrong; point on
\ the dangers that threaten society. AZ
: dare to do right under all circumsta1
! I ces. Partisan newspapers by their ab
r and cunning defense of evil and evl
: doers have had large share in produ
= ing the deplorable results depicted
s the Tribune they have destroyed u
moral sense of the people. until thu
e can scarcely discern the difference b
q tween right and wrong, or truth y
4 falsehood; until in short, Jay Gould re
q resents our mercantile honesty, and b
"a King is the type 6 the American stat
10 man.