Huntsville gazette., 1888-12-08


powers it will deal with the body of our citi-
Zens in manner scrupulorsly honest and fair
and absolutely just, 1t has agreed that Amer-
can citizenship shall be the only sFederstial nee
essary TO justify the claim equality
before the law. ana that no
dition in life shall give rise to
discrimination IN the treatment of the peo-
pie by their Government. The citizen of
our Republic in it's early days rgdly insist
ed upon full compliance with the letter OF this
bond, and saw stretching out before him a
clear field for individual endeavof. His tribute
to the support of his Government was meas
ured by the cost of It's economical mainte-
nance, and he was secure in the enjoyment
of the recompense Of his steady tribute and
coniented in it. In those days the frugahty
OF the people was stamped upon their Govern
ment and was enforced by the free thoughtful
and intelligent suffrage of the citizen. Combina-
tons, monopOlics ana aggregatons of capital
were either avoided or steTnly regulated and
restrained. Tdc pomp and glitter OF govern
mentS less free offered no temptation ana pre-
sented no de,uson to the plain people who.
side by side in frien ly competition, wrought
for the ennoblement and dignity Of man, for
the solution OF the problem of free government
and for the achievement OF the grand destiny
awaiting the land which God had given them.
PRIVATE VS.. PUBLIC INTERESTS.
A century has passed, our cities are the abid-
ing places of wealth and luxury; Our manu-
factories yield fortunes never dreamed of by
the fathers of the Republic; our business
men are madIy striving in the race for riches,
and immense aggregations of capital outrun
the imagination in the magnitude OF their I'M
dertakings. We view with pride and satIsfac-
ton this bright picture of our countrys growth
and prosperity, while only closer scrutiny de-
velops a somber shading. Upon more careful
inspection we find the wealth and luxury OF
our cit es mingled with poverty and Wretched-
ness and unremunerative toll. A crowded and
constantly increasing urban population sug-
geStS the eimpoVerishment OF rural sections ana
discomfort with agricultural pursuits Ine
farmer son. not satisfied with his fathers 5
simple and laborious life, joins the eager chase
for easily-acquircd wealth. We discover that
the fortunes realized by our manufacturers are
no longer solely the reward OF sturdy industry
and enlightened foresight, but that they result
from the discriminating favor of the Govern
ment, and are largely built upon un-
due exact IOnS from the masses OF our
people. The gulf between the employer ana
the emn!oyed is constantly widening, and
classes are rapidly forming, one comprising
the very rich and powerful, while in another
are found the toiling poor While we view the
achievements of aggregated capital we discover
the existence Of trusts, combinations ana mo-
nopohes, while the citizen is struggling far IN
the rear, or is traIupled to death 0eneath an
iron heel Corporations which should be the
CAREFUL restrained creatures OF the law ana
the servants Of the people. are fast becoming
the peoples masters. Still concentrating
ourselves upon the Wealth ana prosperity OF
our country and complacently contemplating
every incident of change inseparable from THESE
conditions, it is our duty as patrlotlc cltlZens
to inquire, at the present stage of our progress,
how the bond of the Government made with
the people has been kept and performed In
stead OF limiting the tribute drawn from our
citizens to the necessities OF its economical ao-
rninistration, the Government still persists IN
exacting from the substance OF the people
millions which, unapplled are useless ana lie
dormant in its treasury. This fragrant injustice
and this breach OF faith and obligation add ex-
tortion to the danger attending the diversion or
the currency of the country from the legitimate
channels of business Under the same laws by
which these results are produced the Govern
ment permits many millions more TO De
added to the cost OF living OF
onr people. and to be taken from
our consumers, which unreasonably swell the
profits OF a small but powerful minority. The
nenple must still be taxed for the support or
the Government under the operation of tarif
laws But to the extent that the mass OF our
citizens are inordinately burdened beyond any
useful public purpose and Tor the beneht OF
favored few the Government, under pretext OF
an exercise of its taxing power, enters gratult-
ously into partnership with these faVorltes
to their advantage and to the In
inrv of vast majority OF our
neople This is not equality be-
tore the law. The existing situation is in
iurious to the health OF our entire body politlc
mittcd all patriotic love of country and substl-
tutes in its place selfish greed and grasplng
ayarice. -. -
Devotion to American citizenship tor its own
sake and for what it should accomplish as a
motive to our Nations advancement ana Inc
happiness Of all our people, is displaced py tne
assuuntion that the Government, instead OF
strumentality through which especial ano
individual advantages are to be gained
The arrogance of this assumption IL
lncopcealed. II appears in the sordld us
regard Of all but personal interests II the re-
susal 10 abate for the benefit Of others one 1913