The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-12-08

TO their advantage and to the injury Of
vast majority of our people This
is not equality before the law.
The existing situation is injurious
to the health of our body polite 1t
STILES in those for whose benefit il is
permitted all patriotic love of country
and substitutes in its place selfish
greed and grasping avarice. Devotion
to American citizenship for its own
sake and for what it should accom-
plish as motive TO our nations adj
vaneement and the happiness of all our
people is displaced by the assumption
that the government, instead OF being
the embodiment of equality, is but an
instrumentality through which espe-
cial and individual advantages are to
be given.
The arrogance of this assumption
appears in the sordid disregard of all
but personal interests, in the refusal to
abate for the benefit of others one iota
for selfish advantages through efforts
TO control legislation and to improper
ly influence the sutfrages of the people.
The grievances ofthOse not included
within the circle of these beneticiaries,
when fully realized, Will surely arouse
irritation and discomfort. Farmers,
long suffering and patient, struggling
in the race of hfe with their hardest
and NEST unremitting toll, will not
fail to see, in spite of msrepresenta-
tions and misleading fallacies, that
they are obliged to accept such prices
tor their products as are fixed in the
foreign markets where they compete
with the farmers of the world; that
their farms are declining in value
while their debts increase, and that
without compensating favor they are
forced by the action of the govern
ment to pay for the benefit of others
such enhanced prices for the things
they need that the scanty returns of
their labor fail to furnish them support
or leave no margin for accumulation.
Our workingmen, enfranchised from
all delusions, and no longer frightened
by the cry that their wages are endan-
gered by 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 child
rem from the doom of perpetual servi-
tude, aud an open door to their adj
vancement beyond the limits of the
laboring class. Others of our citizens
whose comforts and expenditures are
measured by moderate salaries and
fixed incomes will insist upon the fair
ness and justice of cheapening the cost
of necessities for themselves and their
families. When to the sellishness o.
the beneiiciaries of unjust dlscriminaf
ton under our laws, there shall be
added the discomfort of those who
suffer from such discrimination, we
will realize the fact that the benefcent
purposes of our government, depend
ent upon the patriotism and content
ment of our people, are endangered.
Communism is hateful thing and
menace to peace and organized gov
ernment, but the communism of or
ganized wealth and capital, the out
growth of over-weaning cupidity and
selfshness which insidiously under
mines the justice and integrity of free
institutions is not less dangerous than
the communism of oppressed poverty
and toll, which, exasparated by injus-
tice and discomfort, attacks with wild
disorder the citadel of rule. lie
mocks the people who proposes that
the government shall protect the rich,
and that they in turn will care for
the laboring poor Any intermediary
between the people and their govern
men:, or the least delegation of the
care and the protection the govern
ment owes to the humblest citizen in
the land, makes the boast of free institu-
tions glittering delusion and the pre-
tended boon of American citizenship |
a shameless imposition.
Gratuitics in the form of pensions,
are granted upon no other real ground
than the needy condition of the appli-
cant, or for reasons less valid; and |
large sums are expended for public
buildings and other improvements
upon representations scarcely claimed |
to be related to the public needs and
necessities. The extent to which the |
consideration of such matters subordi-
date and postpone action upon subjects
of great public Importance, but in
volving no special, private or partisan
interest, should arrest attention and |
lead to reformation.
4 few illustrations of this condition |
may be stated. The crowded condi- |
ton of the calendar of the supreme |
court and the delay to suitors and de-
nial of justice resulting therefrom, has
been urged upon the attention of
congress, with a plan for the relief Of
the situation approved by those well
able to judge on its merits. While |
this subject remains without effective |
consideration, many laws have been
passed providing for the holding of
terms of inferior courts at places to |
suit the convenience of localities, or to |
lay the foundation of an application |
for the erection of new public build |
ing. Repeated recommendations have |
been submitted for the amendment and |
changes of the laws relating to our
public lands, so that their spoliation
and diversion TO other uses than as
homes for honest settlers might be
prevented. While measure to meet
this conceded necessity of reform re-
mains awaiting the action of congress,
many claims TO these public lands and
application for their donation in favor
of states and individuals have been al
lowed A plan in aid of Indian man
agement, recommended by those well
informed as containing valuable fea-
lures in furtherance of the solution of
the Indian problem has thus far failed
of legislative sanction, while grants of
doubtful expediency to railroad cor
porations, permitting them to pass
through Indian reservations, have
greatly multiplied.
The propriety and necessity for the
erection of one or more prisons for the
confinement of the United States con-
victs, and a post Office building at the
national capital are not disputed. But
these needs yet remain unanswered,
while scores of public buildings have