Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-10-08

i publcstii lucd may DC lHe pIdclilR
Of power in the hands of the Presi-
dent and Congress, who may control
the people. The Democratic idea
may be the retaining of power in
the hands Of the people. The first
would place the power in the hands
Of a centralized government at
Washington, the latter would leave
it where the Constitution places it,
in the hands of the people. The
| difference in their methods may be
both practical and important, yet
both are desiring and seeking the
game end, the perpetuity Of our
government. Those who favor the
idea that the strength OF the gov
eminent lies in the united love and
patriotism residing IL the hearts Of
all the people have the correct idea
of the true foundation Of free
government. Power placed in the
hands Of one man is liable to abuse,
and if placed in single body Of
men is more or less unsafe; but a
government whose foundation lies
deep in the hearts of the people,
who are responsible for the exercise
Of power i'll u constitutional way,
il, and from the nature Of the case,
must be, enduring. Such govern
ment is courands, its prosperity de-
ponds upon ourselves, and the only
vital question is how best to main
tain it as it is, the best government
the sun ever shone upon.
Some politicians make much ado
about the payment of the rebel
debt. Did you ever know man
who was in fauor Of paying it :?
There is not a Democrat north Of
Mason and Dixon's line who would
burden himself to pay that debt.
All at the north are agreed about
that, and whatever the south may
wish, there are twice us many
Democratic votes at tn g north
there are at the south, to prevent
its payment, besides the express
constitutional provision that it
shall never be paid. Is it not
foolish, then, to raise such bug
bear merely for political effect,
when we all agree as to the impos-
sibility of its payment.
The people are also all agreed as
l
to the payment Of the national
debt. Some propose it in one way,
some in another; but there is no
honest man who wants to leave it
Us Il burden to postcrity. If any
one tells you national debt is a
national blessing, he is political
dcmagogue who is after your vote,
and will be sure not to get it. There
| is not man of us who would not
toll early and late to pay off his
debts than leave a mortgagcd estate
to his children Let the money of
the people, instead of being hoard
ell in the treasury, be used for
paying off the debt rs fast as pos
sible. No man is free 50 long rs
he is in debt; NE is but slave to
his creditors. The same is true of
Il nation. So long rs this nation is
in debt its energies are crippled in
every direction, and it is d slave
to the money power, Instead of u
blessing, Il national debt is an un-
mitigated curse. In this connection
hc must say but word against the
national banking system. 1t was
not wholly because his father was
Jacksonian Democrat that he was
opposed to national banking. 1t
was because Of the danger of
| placing 50 much power in the
hands Of Il corporation, or class of
corporations, dependent for their
tnvors, for their very existence even,
on the supremacy of political
party, Under such circumstances
its power to corrupt the party, and
It's influence to corrupt the party,
and the inducements to use its
power for that purpo sc, is to be
dreaded as unsafe and even dam
gerous.
He was opposed to it also be-
cause of the enormous tax the
people We're required to pay as
interest ON bonds held by their
great monied corporations, who
acting in concert, were able to man
| ipulate the currency, making it
! plentiful or scarce, thus ctlccting
| lnjuriously the markets and values
Of all kinds Of property for their
own benefit and the benefit Of
spectators Only in ease ofneces-
slty should amy such corporations
be allowed to exist. During the
war, when property was insecure,
and tho money capital Of the
country was boarded, il may have
been necessary to offer extra in-
ducements to capitalists, to COM
pensate for the risk III loaning their
lmorey, but since such Il necessity
has ceased it is most unwiSe and
unjust to allow any such corpor,-
=. l. Il,