The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-23
TENDENCIES UNFORESEEN BY THE
FOUNDERS OF THE REPUBLIC.


to view their work in lite present stage
OF development, it would be curious to
enquire with what impressions they
would regard it, whether with disap-
pointment or the pleasure of fulfilled
expectations. Would they conclude
that they had builded better than they
knew. or that they had relied too much
ON the virtue Of the people for the pre-
servation in its purity Of the Republi-
can system which they founded?
These Statesmen must not be judged
by the political standard OF our own
day. for they were men of simple habits
and simple lives. and the careers OF all
were free from the least faint OF cor
ruption or self aggrandizsment.
What would probably impress them
most now would be the wonderful ma
terial development Of the country,
achieved through the energies OF
people made ten fold more efficient by
the marvellous forces Of nature, dimly
seen and imperfectly applied in their
own time. They would see the old
thirteen colonies developed by increas-
cd population, labor-saving machines
and the power of steam and electricity
into the richest and most powerful ma
ton on the globe. and all accomplished
in one hundred years.
They would find this great country
not only extending from ocean to ocean
and banded together with ribs OF STEEL
but permeated in every part with In
stitut,ons for the benefit OF humanity
common schools for all, colleges and
universities for the more advanced, hos
nitals for the MANNED and the diseased
retreats for the unfortunates, and asy-
Inns for those whom God has afflicted
with loss of sight or hearing or with
reason dethroned.
Where then would they find the reverse
nicture to dim their vision of 30 much
that is sublime in the history OF hui
mainly
In our opinion they would not look
long or in vain in studying our lowered
standards of public life in the past
twenty five years, the unexampled
Growth of individual and corporate
wealth within the same period, and Its
unscrupulous use in controlling the
legislation of the country. That such
a state of things should have sprung
nm and been allowed to exist in re-
publican country, governed by uni
versal suffrage, almost battles specula-
ton. and can only be accounted for
ON the ground that lowered moral
tone permeates the whole American
body polite, save in the South
ern States, which have not yet lost the
conservative traditions Of slavery, or
vet become a fruitful and inviting field
for corruption.
It would not have been an unreason-
able fear of the fathers OF the Republic
that universal suffrage would lead to
aqrarianism and the insecurity OF pro-
nerty. but who could have foreseen
that it would breed such progeny as
trusts controlling the necessaries OF life
and more oppressive than the edicts OF
Eastern despots, Of Legislatures con-
trolled by powerful corporations, OF
the wholesale purchase OF voters by
enormous contributions unblushinGly
made. and the elevation to the Senate
by corrupt means Of millionaires who.
as legislators, contribute nothing to the
national councils Could the founders
of the Republic nave foreseen the low
ering of public virtue aud elevation OF
the Goddess Success as a divinity to be
worshipped, whether as spotless as snow
or with garments stained with vice and
"A face bloated with debaucL; and could
the Jay Gould's of the present day have
been heroes in '76, with newspapers ia
chronicle their movements and doctors
to report Vie beat of their pulse to the
pubic
We forbear descanting on what the
fathers of the Republic would think OF
liberal religion and still more liberal
divorce, both so prevalent in one sec
ton of the country, and let us be thank
fuI that our great VIrginian, Washing
ton, cannot return in the flesh to pass
in review the Harrisons, the Wana-
makers, the Clarksons, the Quays and
Forakers of the present era.