Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-07-24


there is not such freedom and federation
of political opinion and action that the
minority. party can exercise an effective |
and wholesome restraint, party rule be-
comes tyraHnical and corrupt. The |
prosperity which is made possible in the
South by its great advantages of soil and |
every voter can freely and safely sup
port any party he pleases.
Next in importance to freedom and |
justice is popular education, without !
which neither justice nor freedom can |
be permanently maintained. Its inter-
estS are entrusted to the States and to |
the voluntary action of the people. What
ever help the nation can Justly afford !
should be generously given to aid the
States in supporting common schools:
but it would be unjust to our people and
dangerous to our institutions to apply
any portion of the revenues of the nation
or OF the States to support of sectarian
schools. The separation of the church
and the State in everything relating to
taxation should be absolute.
On the subject of national finances my
views have been so frequently and free
ly expressed that little is needed i'm the
way of additional statement. The pub
lie debt is now so we'll secured, and the
rate of annual interest has been so re-
duced by refunding, that rigid economy i'm
expenditures and the faithful application
of our surplus revenues to the payment of
the principal of the debt will gradually
but certainly free the people from its
burdens, and close, with honor, the f.
nancial chapter of the war. At the same
time the government can provide for all
its ordinary expenditures, and discharge
its sacred obligations to the soldier of
the Union, and to the widows and Or
phans of those who fell i'm its defense.
The resumption of specie payments
which the Republican party so courage
Ously and successfully accomplished,
has removed from the field of controversy
many questions that long and seriously
disturbed the credit of the government
and the business of the country. Our
paper currency is now as national as
the flag; and resumption has not only
made it everywhere equal to coin, but has
brought into use our store of gold and
silver. The circulating medium is
more abundant that ever before, and
we need only to maintain the equality
of all our dollars to insure to labor and
capital measure of value from the use
of which no one can suffer loss. The
great prosperity which the country is
now enjoying should not be endangered
by any violent changes or doubtful e.
nancial experiments.
In reference to our customs laws a
policy should be pursued which will
bring revenue to the treasury, and will
enable the labor and capital employed in
our great industries to compete fairly
in our own markets with the labor and
capital of foreign producers. We legis-
late for the people of the United States,
not for the whole world, and it is our
glory that the American labOrer is more
] intelligent and better paid than his for
eign competitor. Our country
cannot be independent unless its people,
with their abundant natural resources,
possess the requisite skill at any time to
clOthe, arm, and equip themselves for
war, and, in time of peace, to produce
all the necessary implements of labor.
1t was the manifest intention of the
founders of the government to provide
for the common defense, not by stand
ing armies alone, but by raising among
the people greater army of artisans,
whose intelligence and skill should pow
erfully contribute to the safety and glory
, of the nation.
Fortunately for the interests of COM
merce, there is no longer any fOrmida-
BILE opposition to appropriations for the
improvement of our sharbOrs and great
. navigable rivers, provided that the ex-
penditures for that purpose are strictly
limited to works of national impOr-
lance, The Mississippi river with its
g great tributaries, is of such vital impOr-
lance to so many millions of people
that the safety of its navigation requires
1 exceptional consideration. In order to
secure to the nation the control of all its
waters, President Jefferson negotiated
the purchase of a vast territory, extend.
ing from the Gulf of MexicOitO the Pacif.
ic Ocean. The wisdom of Congress
should be invoked to devise some plan
3 by which that great river shall cease tC
be terror to those who dwell upon its
9 banks, and by which its shipping may
: safely carry the industrial products OF
l 100000 Of people.
r The interests of agricultural, which ii
4 the basis of all our material prosperity
and i'm which seven-twelfths of our pop
: ulatiOn are engaged, as well as the in.
1 terests of manufacturers and commerce
9 demand that the facilities for cheaI
Transportation shall be increased by the
t use of all our great water courses.
: The material interests of this country
f traditions of its settlement and the sen
d timents of our people, have led the gov
/ eminent to offer the widest hospitality
to emigrants who seek our shores fol
i new and happier homes, willing to share
g the burdens as we'll as the benefits of Oul
# society, and intending that their pros
l. terity shall become an undistinguishabl,
: part of our population. The recen
o movement of the Chinese to our Pacifi,
IS coast partakes butJlittle of the qualitie
1t of such an emigration, either i'm its pur
d poses or its results. 1t is too much lik
3 an importation to be welcomed withOu
Is restriction; too much like an invasion t.
10 be looked upon without sOlicitude. w
y, cannot consent to allow any form O
If servile labor to be introduced among II
le under the guise of immigration. RecOg
s. nizing the or avity of this subject, tn
present administration, supported b
is Congress, has sent to China a commits
s. sion of distinguished citizens for tn
lie purpose of securing such modification
70 of the existing treaty as will prevent tn
le evils likely to arise from the presen
lie situation. 1t is confidently believed tia
re these diplomatic negotiations will b
ID successful without the loss of CONNER
a. cial intercourse between the two power.
at which promises great increase of II
c. ciprOcal trade and the enlargement G
3s our markets. Should these efforts fai
d !; it will be the duty of Congress to NIT
I'd gate the evils already felt and proven
st their increase by such restrictions a.
Id without violence or injustice, will plac
10 unon q surp foundation tho noooo ne ~,