National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-18

weeks there would be q hundred furnace freJ
lighted which are now dark. o hundred mines now
more than three fourths Of all the lille labOrers
in the United States would be offered employ
ment OF fair wages!
This is q contamination so deVoutly to be
wished that one is tempted to AK s.What pre-
vents IL from being donef" We have considered
the usual objections MADE In newspapers aud IN
political debates. They are ~ that Il IL not the
province Of Government to asssI or promote pri-
vhte interests by public funds; and (2) that the
debt and taxation are already suficientiy onerous
without fresh burdens. The fallscy that under
lies the first declaration arises out Of misState-
ment ofthe case. It Is assumed that governments
are ordained among men for merely negative pur-
poses; that is, to prevent something being done,
to prevent invasion, to repress Instruction and
sIrest hreh kers ofthe peace. This view has
where In history nor In speculative reasoning any
large support. A much more congenial and be-
neheent theory Of government is that 1t Is insti-
tuted among men for the purpose Of achieving
sCme desirable object by their cooperation which
they coul6 not accomplish separately and slngly.
We hold, with the mass Of mankind, that govern
ment is for positive not negative end; that It
may and should initiate and promote the welfare
and the happiness OF the governed, as we'll as
merely to keep them from destroying each other.
eaninI Of nTivate Interssts as aIso IN the nss Of
public treasures. In the larger sense the rail-
rOeds Of the country are public convenience,
while in the technical and legal sense they are
private property. They carry the public malls,
the troops and subsistence OF armies as needed;
beside ministering to the daily wants Of the
the aid Of the States we should have had no such
system Of railroads or canals as we now have; but
for the extension Of the credit of the Government
to the Pacific railroad we should, 1t is quite safe
to say, have had no rail line to California. 1t is
difficult TO understand upon what other theory
the Government has for q century been erecting
lighthouses on its coasts, surveying harbors,
deepening channels or rivers, and otherwise as
sisting the floating commerce, than the idea that
Il redCunded for the common benefit, although
the first recipients Of the beneht arc the private
owners Of the shipping. 1t msy be asserted that
these are but part Of the common defenses, the
commercial benefits being incidental. Such is
not in fact, the true history of their origin; but
granted for this occasion has the nation armies
and forts on land as we'll as sailors and ships on
the seas? 1t is impossible to construct railroad
on land which may not, as much as beacon on
the coast, be Of great service to the military
power OF the country.
Dismissing, however, the military aspect of the
case, and returning to the needs Of our suffering
and starving labOrers, 1t is but short time since
Government aid was invoked in behalf OF suffer
eTs from FIRE, sufferers from inundatiOn and sui
feTers IRON insect plaques. Is IL not time some
voice should be heard in the national forum in
behalf of the sufferers from enforced idieuess-
not by their own fault or chOice-the relief for
whch,is in the hands Of our Representatives.
The second objection falls more easily than the
FIRST. In the hrst place. these desired objects can
be accomplished without the addition OF O dollar
to the burden Of the debt, and in the second place
the taxation would be more easily borne than
now; because we should nave more labor AID more
wealth to pay with and the fewer paupers to keep.
1t is easy thing to demonstrate that the annual
loss to the country from this unwilling mass of
idlenesS is greater than the entire cost of oil the
canals and railroads now seeking for encourage
mCnt at the hands OF the Government, even If the
sum were sunk in them forever, without any re-
payment. As We understand X, Government will
Lot lose a dollar by its loan OF credit but DO
paid to the last penny, and at the same time effect
q saving in the transportation Of the public
freights and Of the expenses of all private per-
sons. Is not this an object worthy the attention
of Government, far transcendlng the petty dis
putes which now mainly engross Its attention?