The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-05
The haIcxnn pass.

lt Is natural and easy to turn to the hal
cyon days OF the past to find the models Of
both virtue and happiness. That, as a gen.
eral rule, it is true that people In the past
were more virtuous or that the conditions of
life were on the whole happier, no sensible
and well informed person believes Yet
many people persist in comparing the pres
ent with the past to the disadvantage of the
former. Members of the Democratic party
are forever telling of the good old days"
when men were independent, contented and
prosperous; and it is perhaps natural that
President Cleveland should fall into this
habit with the rest. In his annual message
he INDUCES in some interesting reflections,
which it may be not uninteresJlng to exam
inc in the light of facts. Speaking of the
Constitution as bond binding the faith of
the government to the people. the President
says
The citizen of our republic in its early days
rgidly insisted upon full compliance with the let
ter of this bond. and saw stretching out before
him clear field for individual endeavor.
This is no more true Of the past than of
the present. There never was time when
the field for individual effort was SO clear.
In those halcyon days there were two or
three millions of human beings in this coun-
try for whom laws sanctioned by the Consti-
tuition absolutely denied field for individ-
ual effort Then the President continues;
His tribute 10 the support OF his government
tenabce.
The government was maintained so parsi-
moniously that its credit was so impaired
that when an hour of trouble came its securi-
tiac vra hall ID MO foraad IN rllo
II per cent. usury on IFS loans.
And he was secure in the enjoyment of the re-
m aiming reeompense OF his steady and contented
TOLL
Every human being, unless he be crimi-
al, is to-day equally sure of a recompense
even greater for toll less enacting though
equally steady; while in those days three
millions of human beings were doomed to un-
ceasing toll without any recompense what
ever.
Combinations, monopolies and aggregations of
capital were either avoided or sternly regulated
and restrained, -
Probably there never was time when this
country was so dominated by combinations,
monopolies and agRregations of capital as
when the hundreds of millions of human
chattels owned by the limited number of
Southern masters we're welded as political
power. For years itdominated every branch
Of our government, instigating political
crimes that the political offences of the pres.
end day do not approach.
The pomp and glitter of governments less free
| offered no temptation and presented no delusion
| to the plain people,
Does anybody think this is so now?
The plain people who, side by side in friendly
competition, wrought for the ennobement and
dignity of man, for the solution of the problem of
| free government and for the achi- vement OF the
grand destiny awaiting the land which God had
| given them,-
This was true of some Of the people, and of
some it was not. Now it is true of all.
No. The old Democratic days are gone
and there is no earthly reason for wish
ing them back. They were days of low
wages, high prices, human slavery, anti
quated methods. Life was no sweeter; nor
were politics any purer. Let the old Demo-
cratic days go.