The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-03-24
Terms, So a Year.

the aggrandlzement of the opulent classes q.
by virtue of the tendencies described, has
been only relative; for all classes have :
participated in measure, in the vast
benefits flowing from the new Industrial
system. But even this relative advantage
has so threatened the social euuilibrium.
and thereby the stability of social order. g.
that it has led to new political arran geinents
in every country in order to cOunterbalance
it. As power, however, lodged in one class.
always tends to its own 'perpetnaticn, and
to the engrossment Of alFthe advantages of
society, the ascendency tins secured to !,
privileged few has bee felt everyw here as
serious menace to the pnblic welfare Z.
For, unless cnrbed, this power, held by u i.
virtual oligarchy. must result in the esta-
llshment OF an 'm,o'tus i" imperio, domi-
mating the Legislature, muzzling the press
and even coercitiS the judiciary. 1t can
hardly be restrained ny the force Of public
opinion, because. when its influence is fnlly
developed: 1t can exert an imi,erious coer-
cion over the organs of public opinion. It
can not be held in leash by legislative
enactment, because it can bring efseptual
stress to bear on the Legislature. In order
to protect society from these fatal conse- =
quences only one expedient has proved
effectual, and that eXpedient is now beinu
adopted in an increasing. d gree by every
government, more from an instructive sense
of the danger to be averted than from apr
1t consists in the constant increment of the
functions OF government and the continuous
enlargement OF its duties toward the mem
bers OF society. The instances of the anu
mentatien "f governmental authority consti-
tute some of the most interesting pbenOmenn
OF this century. The postal service and -
banking in many of its branches have heeu .
taken as exclusive government monopolie.. i
In England the telegraph service, and in
Germany, the railroad system have been
absorbed III the same way. The policy of
internal Improvement has led to IL nDtahl.%
extension of governmental function. sxa !
has established IL new and intricate aysteu,
OF relations between the State and ifs Gift,
zens. The principle OF protection, adopt.d
into the fiscal system of every civilized
country, without exception, has its rn;s,u
detre III the policy of raising IL barrier in the
home market to the law of supply and
demand and to the pressure of competition.
established In foreign countries by the .
consolidating forces we have described, In
fine, these instances go to show that within
an AREA OF observation covered by hardly
half century. ii new and distinct movement
has been concurred i'll by every ciyjliz.d
country the effect OF which IL to transfer
new functions to the State and among then,
such as were supposed in the philosophy os
the last century to belong exciusiy civ to the
family and the individual. the control of
education and the regulation OF labor. 1t
has been resisted in some degree in America.
on account of the traditional repuunancc to
every form OF interference with Individual
freedom of action and it is in America. TINT
these consolidating forces are now prodn-
cling tho most serious consequences and
causing the most lively apprehension.
While tic vigilance of the press has been
directed against the aggregation of power
IN the government, which was the asncnt in
which it appeared most dangerous to our
ancestors, he danger has been looming up
III another form, which really furnishes !,
ground Tor more serious alarm. The eccen-
trio play Ut an unsijuste, force is much
meEe dangerous in II republic than under
any other form of government In a mon
archy 1t is controlled i'll degree by the all
thority OF the sovereign. white under iusti-
tutlons controlled by suffrage the irregular
mo vement Is propagated throughout the
whole social machinery. And the history
of republics shows that they are never ~,
much endangered by direct usurpation ~
Dy the social disorders that corrutat tho.
popular sentiment and relax the popular
vigilance. All the indications from the ne.
cent movement of public opinion 20 to-
show, therefore, that the expcdents used
to counterfeit the danger iii Europe, are be-
coming more acceptable here. The American,
people have such vivaeious sense of any
menace to the equal operation of their ill.,
stltutlons, and such trcuchant way of
dealing with emergencies, that mere tradi-
tionai theories do not long arrest tue exaeu.
tlen OF reforms, When they are nanitestty
demanded by the occasion. We st*. tb.r,.-
lore, That popular sentiment has already
prepared the way for innovation by the
violation OF one OF the cherished American.
traditions concerning the form of our civil
service. We see, also, that the popular
jealousy OF mDnopulieS, created by Theses
forces is already exhibiting
ltself IN political agitation, ana dis thes.
forces develop themselves more. and more
on the industrial arena. the question of
adopting II couat.racting expeliont will
enter more and more into pubic discussion
lhe Vit.t AREA vi virgin territory, in which.
our redundant population has found re1nu.
neriftFe occupation. has swallowed up dis
content an" the social struggles depending
from this question have thus been adi,ur,
lea. But THIS resource is now we'll mir,
exhausted, tor monopoly has invaded the
public domain: The nioth-s of THROWN.
Ap protective ittees against the encroacn-
nents OF consolidation viii, Therefore, ttiY-
1lshtih burning questions OF political de-
oale Tor the next generation. and the easy
gong theories which have catered inf, oIir
Inheritance of social ideas will uoalY up for
sharp lnJulsitiun.
What IS the meaning of all this phenomena.
lere referred t., an.l oi the soci.. laws To-,
Ehich they point! Do they Indicate ts,lt
ne SIT Cycles ot our ancestors, dlre,;itsL t,y
he purpose ut ATTAINING free. iih,vpneut
MI tue specialization OF function accord
ng to individual vohtion. have been vain.
)r do they, on the contrary, mark the final
r!umph OF the ideas that furnish q he am
mating purpose IN these struggles. and the
commencement of the tr,lnslt1n.t 10 higher.
OfHIs oi tins Development of popular ILL.,
rty III Whit social cDniIriun will they
efiniiidtt hcse are uIlesfiol,s which il 10
OF necessary Tor lis to answer here We
re not committed to the advocacy Of any
ohfIcai theory III the matter. O,lI. sall,fet.t
las been simply to direct attention To tho
lenolnen;t us they appear, aud to explain
hem on some principle OF generalization It,
lay he necessary to say, however, thai tus
DcIall'sn which Is thus resulting from; til,
volutinii Of social forces is essentially dit
sIent from the Procustean systems, which.
8 formulated by the trcncl, social p'siios,,
hers, are viewed with such inlls .uise.I
version BY our people. They rea,,.rel
)ntchilontsi adoption by the State, wi.etp
entirely nml,rtcticabie and rllinYrIcaI.
hey were revolutionary in design and ,si,.
rs because they subj sctc the citizens 10 IL
Tranhy more tantdsiicaI than WAS ever
'sslbic stiier any system of Oriental DIES
ssisnt. HE socialism tIltt is arlsl,y in
odefu social Development proceeds from
We tee adjustment of Institution, to the
NV requirements OF the higher form. ,f NJ
NJ s,.sfy.y f. Il.