National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-09

Il
enterprise, however meritorious or promis-
ingly remunerative, is always unpopular
with the general public, and to-day, if such
a thing were possible, q vote upon such
suggestion by the entire people would result
in its defeat by overwhelming numbers.
Born and bred, as many of these people
have been, and living in limited country
side, associating only with their own SIM
ple-mannered, plain, unassuming and
economical fellows, the sums of money
and the amount of capital required
in the management of important
| business affairs appear to them to be fabu
lous, TO be eXtravagant, something beyond
their conception and away above the posi-
bility of their experience. They may be,
and generally are, wise enough in their
small way to put into practice the homely
old proverb Nothing ventured, nothing
earned" but they are appalled, when the
same principle is to be applied to the larger
transactions of public significance.
The Centennial Exhibition did much to
educate them out of this rut, to prove to
them the possibilities and ccrtainties Of n
commercial existence of which they had
never before dreamed but the great trouble
is that not enough of them were able TO
learn by personal observation the
wonderful lesson of national adj
vancement presented at Philadelphia
in 1916. And greater trouble is that the
average politician, publicist, or local leader
or whatever he may be, however honest
and progressive in other respects is
too much of n coward to combat their un-
informed preiudices. lie does not dare TO
fight the demagogues, and flies in disgrace
ful retreat before the so-caled popular can't
about economy in public affairs. lie hides
his head at the empty cry of Retrenchment
and Reform, and becomes scrvile tool of
the dog-in-the-mangcr plan of conduct
which is the curse of the hour
If it were possible that either one of the
two great parties in the country could shake
off the shacllles of this bondage to mis-
taken prejudice and launch out into sys-
tematic increase Of public business the
present generation, not to say anything
of those to follow, would rise to
call that party blessed. Imagine, TO illus
trate this meaning, u transcontinental rail-
road completed in the North and another
in the South supplemented by lines of
steamships running to and from our ocean
ports to all the markets of the world: would
the farmers OF Wisconsin and Iowa burn
their corn for fuel, or would the manufhc-
turcrs of the Middle States be confined to
local markets in the sale of their wares =?
To particularize, and to show how success
could and would attend the unfolding of
such possibilities: 4 few years ago, Mt the
port of Havre, in France, the strcet-car
horses and other animals of burden were
fed, MS they had been for generations,
upon a mixture of mash, when the
American Consul suggested that our In
dian corn was better food and cheaper.
To make n long story short, the consul's
suggestion was adopted; it was successful
! and our shipments of corn to that port
amount annually now to hundreds and
} hundreds of thousands of bushels, carried
thither, it is true, in "iorcign bottoms" but
, carried, nevertheless, to the benefit of tho
7 western farmers many of whom contract
, their brows and raise admonishing fingers
5 to warn their Representatives to cconomizc
; to cut down consular fees or salaries and tC
retrench, so as to reduce the rates of taxa
tion.
A broad comprehensive, and generou.
= public policy, one that would be in thor.
ough accord with the colossal dignity and
l overshadowing power of the nation, is ney.
IL. Ia. ~.
Z, impulses and pigmy-lille restrictions of thi'
= demagogical era. We say possible, for We
= rely upon the intelligence of the Amer
= can people as n guarantee that sucl
e q policy would be supported if its un'
I doubted usefulness and certain benefits
G were duly explained to them. Hide bound
e as many Of them unfortunately are, the re
= suit of years of privation and toll, they
! can he taught that the meagre reward Of
c their labor now could and would be in
n creased ten-iold if the gates of commerce
S now closed against them by their owl
+ penuriousness, were to be opened to adm
o the flood of prosperity which is ours a
c command. As an honest man is able t,
= pay he pays willingly, and his willingness,
is increased with his ability. So true il
this that the burdens of taxation, whicl
were heavier during our late war than they
, are now, or are ever likely to be again
n were cheerlully carried for twO-iol'
q reason-irst, because every cent thu
paid was so much contributed to tn,
. support of the Government; and, sec
ond and mainly, because money wa
plentiful and times were flush" And tho
: same checrlulness would exist now unde
. the condition of things for which we plead
q also for a two-fold reason-frst, because TN
- money paid would be for the exaltatOn o
4 our national importance; and second, be
!, cause it would secure remunerativc pros
= perity to the entire community.
q But there is lack of leadership and n
. absence of pure statesmanship in the land
/. which seems to cripple these great possibili
: ties and has II tendency to continue tn
=. ignorant and bigoted rule Of imbecile dc
o nothngness, so to speak, There are no
4 half dozen members of either House, O
/, national leaders of either party, who do no
q believe in the principles or policy herei
e., okatnha1 Rut tharn nr