Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-02-14
DON OAMERON's UNCERTAINTIES OF
GOVERNMENT.

DON OAMERON'S UNCERTAINTIES OF
GOVERNMENT.
tanning Grant for q third term, because
he would give US a strong government.
Senator Don Cameron said. recently. to
= correspondent of the Reading Eagle
The people OF this country are tired Of
the uncertainties of its government"
Mr.. Cameron means, when he speaks
of a strong government, n which rules
the people more firmly. If he does not
mean that, he means nothing. Russia
is that sort OF a government. yet It's
tenure of power, its real influence with
the people. IS as the strength of a rope
of sand. In Turkey we have an illus
tration OF a strong goAernment-a gov
eminent where even the life of the sub
ject is at the mercy of the ruler. But If
a strong government, If the people are
absolutely ruled, how weak are they to
protect their W rights, either against
their hundreds of petty tyrants or
against a foreign foe? Germany Is
. strong government. It IS new In the
heydey of its strength as a power among
the nations, but its people are misera-
bic, and its rulers lean as upon . staff on
the genius OF one map. When that man
IL taken away-when there is NO Bis
marck-thls apparent strength will be
a. weak as water. and the liberals so
strong even now. will demand and re-
ceive recognition. and the government
will be liberalized. France is stronger
to-day than she was under the brilliant
government OF Napoleon the third, and
the counsels Of a Gambetta tend more
toward the hapPiaess of man than does
the advice of q Cassagnac.
Is nos our government now, and was
1t not from the days of Washington.
Adams and Jefferson down to the be-
ginning Of the war. q government by
the people and for the peoplep Who is
stronger than the peopIeP Aye. there's
the rub. The people desire some things
which Mr.. Cameron docs not like. He
wants no Uncertainties" on these
points.
For instance: During the excitement
and turmoil of war. when immense row.
enues had to be raised, IN Ubiquitous
tariff was imposed upon the country; =
protective tariff; = tariff which
takes out of the pockets uf the producers,
every year. and places in the purses
of protected m%onopolists S400. 900. 900.
Just think OF it-four hundred mil
lion dollars per aunum, and even more
This suits Mr.. Don Cameron. 1t is
into his pockets, and the pockets of his
friends. that this money goes. 1t does
help M single laboring man to n add
tional dollar. 1t is the exorbltant profit
secured to the capitalist. and the CAPT
taiist alone, by protection. Mr.. Don
Cameron does not want any uncertain
ties here. He very ~strenuously desires
that things shall 60 on with. ut change.
Hear what his convention said. last
week :-''1 bird. The persistent efforts
of free-traders to destroy our tariff
piecemeal by legislation to repeal duties
on special articles, admonishes US Of a
necessity of adhering more strongly
than " to the tariff policy of the past
twenty years, which has built up our
grand system of manufactures, festered
the OF the government and
promoted u national prosperity. The
business of the country will not Bear
this tinkering with the tariff, and if any
revision of that tariff is to be made at
all. it should be done through a commits
slsn Of capable men, after = thorough
and patient hearing Of all parties to in
terests involved"
Upon what meat do these, our Caesars,
feed. that they have grown so great ?
Have "tree traders" no rightsP Are
the farmers Of the country inferior in
their fibre, and muscle, and brain, and
citizenship to the manufacturing lords Of
the east Arc the efforts OF their rep
resentatives "tinkerings," while protee-
tive measures seem to be wholesome 2
Was it the robbery OF the people by
protection" or the grain and beef OF
our farmers which brought the country
prosperityl
Whose labor brought the millions in
gold which were shipped to us from Eu-
rope, u few months agoP Certainly
not the labor OF the protected industries.
The "business Of tho country" for
sosth Whose business Is moro i'm
portant than that of the farmer :? And
yet he cannot ship a bushel of grain
without paying an unholy tribute to the
rolling mill because Of protection. He
E~cannot buy . log chain. . trace chain. q
spade. an axe, without being similarly
debarrsd the privilege Of buying where
he can buy the cheapest.
Tho whole system is q fraud, but 1t i.
one by which the Cameronian kind o.
gentlemen thrive. They want q '~strons
government" to perpetuate it. Then
behold their GROWING piece Of inso'
lence: If any revision of that tariff ID
to be made at all, It should be done
through a commission of capsule mer
alter \ patient and thorough b airing o.
a ! parties in interest,"" That is to say
. Place the matter in a few hands, tina
we. who are in interest, may approach
and be heard. Being heard. that W
may influence these lew capable men
to think as we do.
No. no II there is any virtue In q nu
merous legislative body. 1t is that it il
harder to control it by lobbles. Who i
to lobby for the farmer? No n Th
manufacturers are a compact body
They will swarm In the rooms OF Thu
commission Of capable men, and daze
with their money and their brains. Will
the farmer, who is in interest on th
other side. is walking between the beam
OF his overta1ed pillow, or eating frol
his overta1ed plate, or hugging his vii
in her overtaxed lawn. No; the eountr
wants none of these, and it is very VI
certain. Mr.. Cameron that your pet mea!