The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-12-13
THE MESSAGE.
A Comprehensive Review OF the Az.
fairs of the Nation During the
Year just Closing.
The Present Tariff Claimed to BE
Detrimental to the Labor.
ing Glasses.
Our Foreign Relations are ali Re'
ported TO be In Very Salts.
factory Condition.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 3.-Ths
house and senate met at noon. Inc
galleries were crowded. The attend
ance of members was good. there being
more than quorum in both houses.
The roll was called, and committees
were appointed to notify the president
that congress was ready for any COM
munications. The following message
was then sent in:
ITO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED
STATES: As you assemble fer the dis
charge of the duties you have assumed
as the representatives of free and gen
erous people, your meeting is marked
by ansinteresting and impressive Incl
dent. With the expiration OF the pres
ent session of the congress the first CEN
tury of our constitutional existence as
nation will be completed.
'sOur survival for 100 years is not suf-
ficient to assure US that we no longer
have dangers TO fear in the mainte-
nance with all its promised blessings OF
q government founded on the freedom
of the people. The time rather admon-
ishes to soberly inquire whether in the
past we have always closely kept in the
course of safety, and whether we have
before US a way plain and clear which
leads to happiness and prosperity. When
the experiment of our government was
undertaken the chart adopted for our
guidance was the constitution. Depar-
ture from there laid down is failure. lt
is only by a strict adherence to the dI-
rection they indicate and by restraint
within the limitations they fixed that we
can furnish proof to the world of the
fitness of the American people for self
government.
1.-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
excise of it's functions and powers 1t Will
deal with the body of our citizens IN a
manner scrupulously honest and fair anu
absolutely just. 1t has agreed that
American citizenship shall be the only
credential necessary TO justify the claim
of equality before the law, and that no
condition in life shall give rise TO dis
elimination in the treatment OF the
people by their government.
'''rhe citizen of our republic in its
early days rigidly insisted upon full
compliance with the letter of this bond,
and saw stretching out before him a
clean field of individual endeavor. His
tribute to the support of his government
was measured by the cost of its econom-
ical maintenance, and he was secure in
the ENJOYMENT of the remaining recon-
pense and contented with it. In those
days the frugality of the people was
stamped upon their government and
was enforced by the free, thoughtful,
and intelligent suffrage of the citi1ens.
Combinations, monopolies, and aggre-
cations of capital were either avoided or
sternly regulated and restrained. The
poEp and glitter of governments less
free offered no temptation and present.
ed no delusion TO the PLAIN people, who
side by side in friendly competition
wrought for the ennoblement and dig
nifty Of man, for the solution of the pro-
blem of free government, and for the
achievement of the grand destiny await
ing the land which God has gwen them.
CAPITAL VS.. LABOR.
ga century has passed. Our cities
are the abiding places OF wealth and
luxury; our manufactures yield fortunes
never dreamed of by the fathers of the
republic; our business men are madly
striving in the race for riches, and inn
mense aggregations of capital outrun
the imagination in the magnitude OF
their Undertakings. We view with pride
and satisfaction this bright picture of
our country's growth and prosperity,
while only closer scrutiny develops q
Bomber shading Upon more careful
inspection we find the wealth and lux
ury of our cities mingled with poverty
and wretchedness and unremunerative
toll. A Acrowded and constantly increas-
ing urban population suggests the im-
provement of rural sections and discon-
tent with agricultural pursuits. The
ax,n ed he 60
er's simple and laborious life, joins the
eager chase for easily y-acquired wealth.
We discover that the fortunes realized
by our manufacturers are no longer
solely rewards of sturdy industry and
enlightened foresight, but that they re-
suit from the discriminating favor of
the government and are largely built
upon undue exaction from the masses Of
our people. The gulf between employ
ers and the employed is constantly Wild
ening and classes are rapidly forming,
one comprising the very rich and power
full, while in another are found the toll
ing poor.
SHOT AT TRUSTS.
Gas we view the achievement of ag-
gregated capital we discover the exist
ence of trusts, combinations, and mo-
nopolies, while the citizen is struggling
beneath an iron heel. Corporations,
which should be the carefully restrain
ed creatures of the law and the servants
of the people, are faster becoming the
peoples masters Still, congratulating
ourselves upon the wealth and prosper
ity of our country, and conlplacently
contemplating every incident of change
inseparable from these conditIons, it is
our duty as patriotic citizens to inquire
at the present stage of our progress how
the bond of the government made with
the people has been kept and performed.
Instead of limiting the tribute drawn
from our citizens to the necessities of its
economical administration the govern
ment persists in exacting from the sub
stance of the people millions which, un-
applied and useless, lie dormant in its
treasury. This fragrant injustice and
this breach of faith and obligation add
to extortion the danger attending the
diversion of the currency of the coun-
try from the legitimate channels of
business. Under the same laws by
which these results are produced the
government permits many millions
more to be added to the cost of living
of our people and to be taken from our
consumers, which unreasonably swell
the profits of a small but powerful min
ority. The people must still be taxed
for the support of the government under
the operation of tariff laws, but not to
the extent that the mass of our citizens
are inordinately burdened beyond any
useful public purpose and for the bene-
fit of a favored few. The government
under pretense of an exercise of IT'S tax
ing power, enters into partnership with
these favorites to their advantage and to
the injury of a vast majority of our peo-
pie. This is not equality before the law.
The existing situation is injurious to
the health Of our entire body polite. 1t
stiles in these all patriotic love of coun-
try, and substitutes in its place selfish
greed and grasping avarice. Devotion
to American citizenship for its own sake
and for what it should accomplish a. o
motive to our national advancement
and the happiness of all our people is
displaced by the assumption that the
government, instead of being the en-
bOdiment of equality, is but an instru-
mentality through which especial and
individual advantages are to be gained.
THE ARROGANCE oFCAPITAL.
- kl,so ;,