The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-19
THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

The money question, the states right
question and the question of socialism
constitute the three great political is
sues of the day. And questions of
deeper political Importance were never
before the country. What forms which
of them may assume, how radical
may be the developments of each or all
of them no man can predict,
One thing, however, is certain, that
a strong arm and firm mind will be re-
quired to guide the country during the
next decade. New and p~erplexing con-
t~ingencies are sure to arise. Dissimi-
lar and antagonistic interests are GER
tain to clash Civil commotion can
only be averted by the wisest and most
judicious measures taken by a leader
in whom the nation has implicit conf
dence, whom all the people have learn
ed to respect.
In the present condition Of parties
we need an executive who will bow to
none, who will be influenced by none,
who will deviate neither to the right
hand or left, but pursues the path Of
duty without regard to consequences.
An impartial hand must hold the scales
of justice even, or amid the contendipg
| parties and classes characteristic Of
this age and this country some will
pass the limits of law and order, and
inaugurate a reign of terror. This is
not an exaggerated statement. Our
country is in some respects more crit
ically situated than any other nation
on earth. AS a state We are among
the most powerful, wealthy and pros
| porous in the world. No possible dam
| ger threatens US from without. we could
defy an invasion from Europe in arms.
Our peril is from within. 1t arises
from our heterogeneous population and
our peculiar form of government
Fifty millions of people in this country
govern themselves. This vast popula-
ton with all the unruly ele ments it
must contain, with the destitute and
criminal waiting only an opportunity
to sweep away all barriers and spread
desolation, born of anarchy over the
land. All OF this immense number OF
human beings, the rich and the poor,
the native born and the foreign born,
the good and the bad, those we'll dis
posed to the government and the laws,
and those desiring then overthrow,
all are controlled simply by a tacit sub
mission to the laws. The only direct
show Of force being a few policemen
who parade the streets of the large
towns.
In every European nation possessing
one tenth OF our population the people
are controlled by a large military force.
| Without this support some of them
would fall in n single week. While
the United States illustrated the fact,
It was deemed impossible for the gov
eminent of a great nation to exist
without the support of a standing army
to coerce the people into obedience.
Although the United States has for a
century maintained its free institutions
through the medium of popular suffrage
still 1t is certain that we are entering
upon a new career, that a new exper-
fence lies before us fraught with perils
more formidable than any hitherto en-
countered. Nations o extinct en-
countered foreign foes and conquered
them, they survived the dangers of
civil war, rs we have done but beneath
internal strife they fell.
The conflicts of parties, the conten-
tions of classes are of all evils the most
to be feared by a state. This third ell
ement of national danger stares us
in the face. and unless Il statesmen
are endowed with wisdom, are in all
their measures controlled by a desire
for the common welfare, will involve
us in most serious difficulties. A man
committed to no particular interest, So
licitous only for the good Of the nation,
superior to selfish considerations of
class or party, should at this crisis oc-
cupy the presidential chair. Who that
man is let the people decide.