The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-07-10
LIKE A RIVER"
'ls u Fitting Similc for Willcy's
hook"
4 Militant orator and Z Profound Reasonsr
tAciains tlurrAh Tor The
New Platform.


Eselaims ilurrAh FOR The
New Platform.
4
From Dawn.
| The copy OF WHITTIER ARE We
Drifting III u Nation, and the New
Era In Republican Government was
received yesterday u. M, and / did
not retire last night until / had read
every limo In the book. II IL mas
irrly work, written In Il style well
adapted to the common sens. views
W that large class OF citizens called
by Mr.. Lincoln, plain people" The
ma,tsr contained in the lirst part
was quite familiar to me-, having
| made the subject, for several years,
| a special study; nevertheless, while
Il could not interest by being new,
the charming method OF prcsenta-
tlon made II IA fascinating Us III II
were Il first investigation OF the mt
ter: while the second part, 1.-THE
Remedy opened up vein Of
thought In sumo respects quite new
aud exceedingly interesting.
Az / closed the volume and men,
tally reviewed the synthcsis Of argn-
mcnt presented, the figure Of II river
occurred to nue. ~ fitting siMilc-at
first Il single rivulct, then slowly but
continually widening aud deepening
M from time to time augmented In
It's volume by the inflow Of tributary
streams, until ut last, resistlcss In It's
strength, II carries all before Ii In It's
majestic ilow. So this book COM
msnccs with single topic and rs
the progress Of tho discussion nat
urally suggests collateral themes
each IL permitted to flow into and
become Il part Of the general argu-
mcnt until the current OF thought
widdcns and dcepens until II be.
comes resistless In Its cumulative
power. Wrctchcd und gloomy rs Is
the present condition aud immediate
outlook OF the industrial class, /
cannot give myself up wholly to
despair while the republic has such
men as Freeman o Wiley to
sound the alarm, point out the dan
ger and suggest the remedy.
My education, training, and re.
search or history made mo inclined
to look with disfavor upon those
systems OF government which have
been designated "Paternal." Buckle,
In his History OF civilization In
Europe" seems to establish con-
clusivcly the fact that such systems
inevitably have a ccntralizating ten
dency, and that people accus-
toned to rely upon the government
for too many things become less and
less self.relinnt while ut the same
time the government or ruler"
becomes more and more powerful
to paraphrase line from Tenny.
son
and the individual ~lthcrr, and the state
II more and more"
We know that a too great central
ization Of power il tyranny, while
its opposite, too little, often degcn.
crates into anarchy. The happy
mean between these two extremes
is system IN which 1.-THE injury to
one IL the concern OF NIL" and where
the Individual Is protected In "lite,
liberty, aud pursuit OK happiness"
without any interference In the
affairs OF trade 50 long as they are
lcgi,imatcly prosecuted. 1t has
been question TO me whether the
true and legitimate function OF gov.
c,nmcnt did not begin and end In
keeping the people from hurting
one another, and guaranteeing the
personal protection In all proper
pursuits, leaving economic and kin
drcd matters to such natural adjust.
mcnts Us. IL Is claimed, the non.
statutory laws OF competition" and
1.-THE survival OF the iittest" will pro-
dacc--in short, that "thc govern.
ment Is only a big policeman" whose
duty l. simply to preserve order
among the people and In the inter,
est OF trade but not to engage in or
mcddle with trade" But there
views have to great extent been
lModiiled by my observation Of the
Iope ration OF the commercial affairs
OF this country since 1850. It has
occurred to me that the cutlery
against "paternal" government
raised so often In some quarters has
not been u sincere one, but like the
cry OF honest money" raised In the
interest OF usurers, 1t has been ap-
parent that those who object to a
I"paternar government for the pco.
lplc have been largely instrumental
In making our government rery
patcsNal toward money Kings, Rail.
road Daroas, and Land Monopolists.
These selfish children have come to
I"Cncle Sam" rs TO u father" and
whatever they have asked has been
freely granted by this "paternal gov
crnment," while the rest OF his chill.
drcn have asked for bread aud been
given n stone. lam convinced that
the evils and dangers attributed to a
paternal government would not have
been one hundrcdth part as great
had the government taken charge
OF the transportation aud banking
business OF the country rs has result.
ed from leaving it in the hands OF
) railroad monopolists and usury Shy
, locks, So l say goodbye to my
early scruples and hurrah Tor the
new platform" Indeed, with the
veto power in the hands of the peo-
pie, as proposed. the bug. a-boo OF a
paternal government is disarmed.
When We, the people, are the rul.
ing power, we need have little fear
of its becoming centralized despo-
tism, sec some difficulties in de.
wishing modus-operandi for the
new methods suggested in the las,
part of Mr.. Will-y's hook, hut con-
tent myself with the thought tina,
when the principle is correct, surely
there is wisdom and craftsmanship
enough to discover apracticle meth.
OIL OF applying it.
Mr., Wiley has my sincere regard
; and admiration for his labor in the
cause OF manhood emancipation. One
who sees "a clearly as he the terribl.
condition Of the industrial class and
how easily II might all have been
avoided. aud how the future might
still be made safe 10y the exercise OF
a little judgment by the people il
lreraid to public affairs, mnst peccs.