The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-12-22
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
TFrom Harper's Weekly

WetkiD i
The presidents message begins with
q natural reference to the completion,
with this session OF congress, of the
first century OF our national constitu-
tional existence. He proceeds to con-
slider whether the history of the century
shows any serious departures from the
original constitutional intention, and
he finds the chief one to be q disposi-
ton to prostitute the power OF the gov
ernment to promote certain individual
interests. This course, as fundamen-
tally opposed to the maintenance OF the
equal rights of all citizens, he holds TO
be very serious aud perilous error.
The illustration that he selects is the
protective tariff. In treating this point
the message seems to us to generalize
too broadly and without discrlmina-
ton. But rs strong and just warm
ing against the plutocratic tendency
which every intelligent observer
acknowledges in the present situation,
the message is timely and suggestive.
| AT the close of national election i'll
which more money has been spent than
ever before, and i'm which personal
interests were frankly owned to be the
controlling motive of an immense vote.
IL is not too soon TO consider whether
organized and corporate wealth is not
becoming serious public danger, sIhe
message also points out, What Enn1f
be forgotten, that ffz ~ |32 -
ersslsss : Sie |lI 8 &2S1d |''
i - { 11ddais and inter.
cl6 16bend Tor success upon the
IH1gerument, and as such favors cal
never be. eqnitably adjusted, it breeds
bitter discomfort, and fosters hostility
20 all government.
All this is a wide departure from
the. .character.apd, ,purpose pfsthe con
stitutfon, and from sound and conser.
vative principles of government. The
primary condition of national peace
and order is the. general CONSCIOUSNESS
that the necessary burdens OF govern
ment are imposed equally upon all land
that taxes are laid for public ard not
for private purposes. But in his state
ment of this truth the president seems
to us to draw a singular and misleading
distinction between the people and th'
government. Under the constitution
the people are the government, and L
intimate distinction between them il
mischievous. If an extereme tariff b.
adopted, If burdens are unequally dis
tributed, it is done by the people them
selves though their freely elected rep
resentatives. If, indeed, the represen
tstives are not freely elected, and legis
lation does not represent the popula
will, then of course the constitutions
system has failed, and distinction be
tween the government and the peopl
exists in America as in Russia. Bu
we do not understand the president t,
, hold this view. All that can be said
therefore, is not that the government
unjust to the people, but that he peopl
do not yet clearly comprehend tn
advantages of sounder system
taxation. The evils and the dangers 9
an extreme protective policy the presi
dent states strongly, but with certal
heat, which, however, need not diver
, attention from the truthfulness of th
! statement. His last official word In th
form of the annual message is mainly
{ word of warning against tendencie
and laws which the most patriot
3 Americans perceive and deplore, an
which can be remedied only b
/ constant and intelligent discussion
If such discussion should tail TO pre-
= vide the remedy, there would be Il
doubt that we had abandoned tt
sscourse of safety" The rest of Il
message is all excellent summary OF tt
. department reports, which show th,
' President Cleveland has no reason
. regret the condition in which he wi
leave the country upon retiring frol
v the executive chair.
I THE DAUNTLESS.
il