The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-12-14
Presidents Message

w~,sH1SGroN Dec. S.-The following ia
.,o message of President Cleveland, trans
a,itted to congress to-day:
M the Congress of the United States:
srou assemble for the discharge Of the
s",;as YOU have assumed as the representa-
40, of a free and generous people, your
moeting is marked by an interesting and
;anrpssiye incident. With the expira-
,;on If the present session of the congress,
.ha first century of our constitutional ex-
istpnce as a nation will be completed. Our
sn,yival for II hundred years is not sufi-
.;0nt 10 assure US that we no longer have
hangers to fear in the maintenance, with
s,,irs promised blessings, Of a government
fonnded upon the freedom Of the people.
nh. time rather a~dmOnisbeS us to sOberly
;ronire whether. in the past, we have al
uays closely kept in the course of safety
AND whether we have before us a way
,,s;n and clear which leads to happiness
and perretuity. When the experiment of
mr. government was undertaken the chart
a8ODttu lNl uut SuiohlACC was u CCASVklu-
tim. Departure from the lines there laid
down is Z failure. 1t is only by a strict adj
bereaee to the directions they Indicated,
on6 by restraint within the limitations they
fixed, that we can furnish proof
II. the world of the fitness of
the American people for self government.
The equal and exact justice of which we
boast as the underlying principle Of our
Institutions should not be confined to the
relations of our citizens to each other. The
government itself is under bond to the
American people that in the exercise OF its
functions and powers it will deal with the
hody Of our citizens in a manner scrupu-
,ously honest and fair and absolutely just.
Il has agreed that American citizenship
shall be the only credential necessary to
iustify the claim OF equality before the
law. ana that no condition in life shall
give rise to discrimination in the treatment
Of the people by this government. The
citizen of our republic, in its early day,
ripidly insisted upon full compliance with
tbe letter of this bond, and saw stretching
out before him a clear field for individual
eDdeayor. His tribute to the support OF
his government was measured by the cost
of its economical. maintenance. In these
DAYS the frugality of the people was
stamped upon their go ernment and was
enforced by the free, thoughtful and intel
lgept suffrage of the citizens. Comblna-
ions. ~mo1opolles and aggregations of cap
ial were then avoided or sternly regulated
and restrained. The pomp and glitter OF
sgovernment less free offered no tempta-
ton and presented no delusion to the plain
people, who, side by side, in friendly COM
petition, fought for the solution OF the PROB
lem of free government and for the achieve
ment of the grand destiny awaiting the
land which the government had given
them. A century has passed. Our cities
are the abiding place of wealth and luxury.
Our manufactures yield fortunes never
dreamed of by the fathers of the republic.
Our business men are madly striving in n
race for riches, and immense :a~ggregatlons
ocapital outruu the Imagination in the
magnitude of their undertakings.
THE CoUNTRY's GROWTH.
We view with pride and satisfaction this
bright picture of our country's growth and
prosperity, while only a closer scrutiny de-
yelopes a so1nbre shading. Upon more
careful inspection we find the wealth and
luxury of cur cities mingled with the
poverty and wretchedness of unremunera-
tive toll. A crowded and constantly in
creasing urban population suggests the I'M
poyerjshment of rural sections and discon'
tent with agricultural pursuits. The
farmers son, not satisfied with his tatnefs
simple and laborious life, JOINS the eager
chase for easily acquired wealth. we dls'
cover that the fortunes realized ny ou1
manufacturers are no longer solely the re-
ward of sturdy industry and enllehteneo
foresight, out that they result from the dis.
eliminating favor of the government, ano
are largely built up on undue exaetlohs
from the masses of our people. Inc gun
between employers and employed Is COZ.
stantyy widening, and classes are rapldly
forming, one comprising the very rlci
and powerful, while in anothel
are found the toi]lng poor
As VIZ view tie achievement Of aggregatee
capital, We discover the existence OF trusts
COMPUTATIONS and monopolies, while IN
citizen Is struggling far in the rear OF ao y
trampled to death beneath an iron aeHi
Corporations which should be care1olI!
restrained. creatures of the law anu ~
servants Of the people, are fast
the peoples masters. Still congratuialin
ourselves on the wealth and prosperity .
our country, anllcomplaceptly contemplsa,t
ing every Incident Of change inseperaD,
from these conditions, it is our duty as pa,
riotic citizens to Enquire of our progress n ~
the bond Of government. VIII " ~
peOple. has been kept and performed. IL