Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-08-26

England has a legitimate Empress who
does not govern, but obeys the people
and parliament, while our illegitimate
President overgoverns and defes the
people and Congress.
THE SPIRIT II NOT THE FORM.
Show me land where the will OF
Congress is held in contempt by the
executive, and where by the impudent
use of the veto power it ceases TO be
the executive and becomes the dicta.
tor of Congress; show me land where
seats in the Senate are bought with
the gold of Nevada, bartered for mis-.
sion to Peru or handed over as personal
property from father to son, as in the
State of Cameron show me land
where two men like Conkling and Cam.
eron are practically the political mon.
archs in the two greatest States, and
over nine millions of people; show me
land where executive influence of the
vilest partisan character controls the
army, the navy, the treasury, the judi.
ciary, and legion Of over one hundred
thousand office holders; show me a
land where one person controls 5000
miles of railroad, mostly built by gov.
ernment subsidies; where another has
forty-seven millions of government
bonds registered in his name, and
where still another can appear at a
White House reception with diamonds
on her body worth over n million OF
dollars; show me a land where the
money power, the organized capital,
privileges and monopolies OF the coun
go, IN al he ha 10
protected manufactures, etc, are favor.
ed and fostered by the government,
and where all these powerful interests
unite in opposing any change of that
government; show me land where
laws are disregarded, elections nulifed
and the highest courts are perjured to
prevent a change and give the enor.
nous Executive power to one clearly
defeated by the people; show me hero
worship, one'man power, boss rule,
Senatorial triumvirates, defiance OF the
popular will, fraud and sham; show me
an impotent House of Representatives,
polluted Supreme court, u stolen
Presidency, and you have shown and
seen the spirit of Imperialism The
danger is not about a change in the
form, but in the spirit OF our Govern.
ment
THAT DANGER HAS ACTUALLY CONE.
1t is before us now. IL is the issue of
the hour, and the duty OF the Democ.
racy is TO meet il, battle with il, over.
throw il and restore and re.establish
the same principles of true. popular
self.governmentu upon which the Repub.
lie was originally founded and without
which il is sure to founder. Gentlemen,
those who were horn to IL may treat
il as a matter OF course, but | prize
American citizenship. | did not gain
il without sacrifice, and cannot lose it
without sorrow. Where was born
the most ancient empire of the world
Imperialism nourished. tore the ties
of home and kin, broke the fetters OF a
subject, and, though but boy, came
to these shores triendless, homeless.
tongueless, guideless--save that grand
guiding star of liberty which this Re.
public presented to all the world.
became an American; | became free.
Before the Republic clothed me with
equal citizenship, it's laws exacted as =
condition that should renounce alleg.
lance 10 Imperialism and emperor.
joyfully complied with that condition.
have kept faith. ! am only keeping
faith now. When. by the secret march
of centralization and the open defiance
OF daring and desperate political
party, this Republic itself is infected
by tendencies of Imperialism-what
more natural, what more fit. what more
grateful than that those should be first
10 recognize the danger, give the signal
of alarm and come TO the rescue who
know from actual sad experience what
Imperialism really is and who owe their
freedom TO the Republic?
PROSPERITY MORE DANGEROUS THAN Pov.
ERTY.
One point made by Republican orators
is the great prosperity Of the country.
"The country is doing remarkably well
everybody is prosperous-all due to
the Republican party, OF course-why
not let we'll enough alone p II there is
prosperity in the land. 1t is in spite of
and not on account of the ruling party !;
il is through the labor OF the toiling
millions, not to the work of politicians;
through the unexampled resources,
country, and not through notoriously
fraudulent Administration or corrupt
party. But there is one aspect of this
prosperity which deserves serious
thought. Great prosperity produces
great wealth. Great wealth is power. 1t
inevitably forms a class which selfishly,
though naturally, fosters its own inter
est. No government can make the
wealth of country. but the wealth of
country may make the government.
| heartily despise demagogical appeals
against the rich or any particular class,
but this question is so grave that IL
must be treated without gloves. The
growth of the money power in this
country has been fabulous, and it's con.
nection with, and interest in, the Gov.
ernment is alarming. Our foreign COM
merce-that Is, exports and imports
alone amounted 10, for the year just
closed, how much do you suppose