The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-01-02
The Pn.I Ysnr md the Pre.ent.

\ The people OF the United States nave
freSt reason to be thankful for the year
Just closed and to look with hopeiulness
to the year just opening. We enter upon
the new, year with q qulckened national
conscisncs. We have seen that sundiy
causes, heretofore regarded as inconsidera-
BILE and impotent for any great harm, have
bsen at work on the foundations Of our
social and political fabric. And We have
seen that when the people take hold in
earnest they are strong enough to defend
successfully every point Of attack. This is
our encouragement to persevere in the
goodwork.
No feature Of the pas! year is compsra-
BILE with the condisn punilhment Of the
Anarchist murderers, The men who were
in that wrelched conspiracy against free
government weakly thought the people Of
this country were helpless by reason Of
the very laws they had made insuring the
freedom of speech and press; and many
good persons who had no sympathy with
Anarchlsm or any other form Of laWless.
mess thought that in this assumption the
Anarchists were not far wrong. All doubts
on this score, by whomsoeysr entertained,
have bean finally and fsarfully resolved
r in favor Of the Republic.
Anarchlsm, with all that is in any way
related thereto, has impressed upon the
people,ss never bslore the necessity Of
paying some attention to the quality and
quantity Of immigration, and Of consider.
ing we'll whether the time has not come
to make the electoral franchise more val.
liable to newcomers by putting 1t little
furEher from their reach.
Through their Congress the people have
tardIly, but eaectually, asserted their
right Of control over the commerce be.
tween tho States. The new law has only
begun to operate, and yet az far as can be
Judged II is benefit to the country. The
law may need come oyerhauling, but the
beginning has been made and subsequent
movements Will be on that line. The peo-
pie will never consent to go back.
What has been done to strangle An
arohism and regulate commerce between
the States makes the people hopeful OF
doing something to bring to their proper
level the great Trusts that have sprung up
a. shield for monopoly in lts most ag-
gresaive and odious form. Pablo senti-
mint is getting ready to move on the
Trusts. When public sentiment starts the
Trusts may as well prepare to quit the
8eld.
The people are thinking on the liquor
question. By an immense majority they
have concluded that something must be
done to kill the dragon. There Is a d.
yersity OF opinion a. to the means, but
not much difference concerning the end
whichitisde desirable to compass. Thesaloon
has reached out for the mastery in poll.
tics. The people have made up their
minds to drive the Baloon out Of politics,
and the peoplesreshongsr thesaloon.
The saloon iu,a sSciAI q ven as political
evil, and on this subject too, the people
have very decided views, The present
year 10 to witness some substantial 3D.
vance on thiBIlne Of reform; and this in
spife Of some Obstructive mistakes which
Il cannot be hoped win be abandoned
within the year,
There are other moral advances for
which we may reasonably look, mot the
least among them being the election Of a
Republican President