The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-09-18
Going Too Fast.

1uAL LUGT0 Is uuuSud4 U1SLGOSS
throughout the country no sane man
can or will deny Almost every man
met with will say, ''the times are re-
markably dull" and ''there is little
hope of business reviving." Why is
this !? The Republican party being
in power and feeling that large
share of the responsibility falls justly
upon them, are using their best en-
deavors to escape it. They say it is
all owing to the agitation of the tariff
question during last session of Con-
gress that had this not been done,
business would have gone on as
usual. What folly this is. Stagna-
ton in business does not originate in
Congressional disputes and contro-
versies. It has it's origin in policies
that are radically wrong-wrong in
conception, purpose and intent
Principles lead to conclusions as GER
tain as roads lead from point to point,
and the politician, statesman, moralist,
ecclesiastic, on indeed any other per-
son who expects otherwise, will find
himself mistaken in the end The
people of this country have been
going too fast-living beyond their
means, and foohshly setting up mon
ey as their god and worshipping it
instead of pursuing legitimate bus
mess and being contented with legit-
innate profits. That is the origin of
the present stagnation in business.
When man or woman starts out on
q career of vice, the corporal de-
lights are such as to lead them so far
astray that reformation is next to i'm
possible, and so with people. When
they start out on career of specu-
lstion with a desire to make money
by any and every means without re-
gard to consequences, business is
stimulated to an unwonted degree
the laws are prostituted-public NOR
ais are shamed-the sacred principles
of religion are violated, and honesty,
virtue and integrity disregarded.-
When the reaction comes, as it will
beyond all question, what can follow
but fraud, peculation and plumber ?
The besotted fool who wakens in the
morning from a nights debauch with
a violent headache, and feeling of
general badness, blames it on every
thing else but the true cause-iquor.
So with politicians. The present
stagnation in business in this coun-
try, brought on by policies at vari-
anee with the essential principles of
the government, is all blamed on the
agitation of the tariff in Congress, :"
which, In fact, had no more to do with
it than the war between France and
China. No, let the people get back
to that plain, honest and upright ad-
ministration in public affairs which
obtained years ago-let there be less
extravaganza in living-less show
and fashion-less desire to accumu-
late millions in day, month or year
let all be content with a legitimate
business which gives constant en-
ployment and fair profits, and we will
be a better people. The coming con-
test is not one of tariff or free trader.
1t is one of purity in the administra-
ton of public affairs-of whether
the books at Washington shall be
opened, and a settlement made be-
tween the government and the peo-
ple-of whether the thousands of
public Office holders shall be held to
a rigid accountability, or whether
dishonesty, fraud and peculation shall
continue to prevail until the last
vestige of public virtue shall have
been destroyed. This is the pivotal
question in the present contest, and
it is for the people to say what shall
be the result.
Forgeries and defalcations occur
as regular as the days. Confidential