The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-12-08


Of its economical administration,
the Government persists in exact
ing from the substance of the peo-
pie millions, which, unapplied and
useless, lie dormant in its treasury.
The fragrant injustice and the breach
of faith and obligation add to the
extortion and the danger attending
the diversion of the currency Of the
country from the legitimate chan
nels of business.
I Under the same laws by which
these revenues. are produced the
! Government permits many millions
more to be added to the cost Of liv-
ing of our people and to be taken
from our consumers which unreas-
onably swell the profits of small,
but powerful minority. The people
must still be taxed for the support
of the Government under the oper-
alton Of the tariff laws, but to the
extent that the mass of our citizens
are inordinately burdened beyond
any useful public purpose and for
the benefit of favored few the Gov
eminent, under the pretext of an
exercise of its taxing power, enters
gratuitously into partnership with
these favorites to their advantage
and to the injury of vast majority
of our people. This is not equality
before the law. The existing situa-
ton is injurious to the health of
our entire body polite. 1t stiles
in those all patriotic love of coun-
try and substitutes in its place sell
fish greed and grasping avarice.
The devotion to American citizen
ship for its own sake and for what
it should accomplish as a motive
to our Nations advancement and
the happiness of our people, is dis
placed by the assumption that the
Government instead of being the
embodiment Of equality, is but an
fundamentally through which es-
pecial and individual advantages
are to be gained.
The arrogance of this assumption
is unconcealed, it appears, in the
sordid disregard of all but personal
interest, in the refusal to abate for
the benefit of others one iota OF
selfish advantage, and in combina
ton to perpetuate such advantages
through efforts to control legisla-
ton and improperly control the
suffrage Of the people. The griev-
ance of those not included within
the circle of these beneticiaries when
fully realized will surely arouse ir-
ritation and discomfort. Our far
mers, long-sufering and patient
struggling in the race Of life with
the hardest and most unremitting
toll, will not fail to see in spite of
the misrepresentation and mis-
leading falacies that they are obliged
to accept such prices for their pro-
ducts as are fixed in foreign mark
cts, where they compete with the
farmers of the world that their
lands are declining in value while
their debts increase and that with
out compromising favor they are
forced by the action Of the Govern
ment to pay for the benefit Of 9TH
ers such enhanced prices for the
things they need that the scanty
returns for their labor fail to furnish
their support or leave no margin
for accumulation. Our workingmen
enfranchished from all delusion,
and no longer frightened by the cry
that their wages are endangered by
a just revision of our tariff laws,
will reasonably demand through
such revision steadier employment,
cheaper means of living in their
homes, freedom for themselves and
their children from the doom of
perpetual servitude and an open
door to their advancement beyond
the limits of a laboring class. 9th
ers Of our citizens whose comforts
and expenditures are measured by
moderate salaries and fixed incomes
will insist upon the fairness and
justice Of cheapening the cost of
necessaries for themselves and their
families. When to the selfshness
of the benefciaries of unjust dis
elimination under our laws, there
shall be added the discomfort OF
those who suffer from such discrim-
nation we will realize the fact that
the benificent purposes of our Gov
eminent dependent upon the patri-
otism and contentment of our peo-
pie are endangered.
Communism is hateful thing
and a menace to peace and organ
lied government. But the commun-
ism of combined wealth and capital
the outgrowth Of over-weening Gu.
pidity and selfishness which insid.
iously undermines the justice and
integrity of free institutions, is moi
less dangerous than the commun
ism and oppressed poverty and tot
which, exasperated by injustice anc
discomfort, attack with wild disor
der the citadel of rule. He mccks
the people who proposes that tht
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