The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-03-09
BURNING WORDS OF THE PRESI-
DENT.

From the Saline county Democrat
President Cleveland in his late
message to congress, states truths that
gives warnings which it we're well that
the people of the United States should
deeply ponder. Below we give some
excerpts from the message, placing
some of the most striking truths in
juxtaposition that their import may
the more readily be apprehended by
the reader:
When the experiment of our govern
ment W as undertaken the chart adopted
for our guidance was the constitution.
Departure from the lines there laid
down is failure.
The government itself is under bond
to the American people that IN the
exercise of its functions and powers it
will deal with the body of our citizens
in manner scrupuously honest and
fair, and absolutely just.
A century has passed. Our cities
are the abiding places of wealth aud
luxury.
We discover that the fortunes realized
by our manufacturers are no longer
solely the reward Of sturdy industry
and enlightened foresight, that they
result from the discriminating favor of
the government, and are largely built
upon undue exaction from the masses
of our people.
AS we view the achievement OF ag.
gregated capital we discover the
existence OF trusts, combinations and
monopolles, while the citizen is strug
Cling lar in the rear, or is trampled TO
death beneath an iron heel. Corpora
lions which should be the carefully
restrained creatures of the law and tho
servants of the people, are fast becom-
ing the peoples masters.
Instead of limiting the tribute drawn
from our citizens to the necessities Of
it's economical administration, the
government persists in extracting from
the substance of the people millions
| which, unapplied and useless, lie
dormant In its treasury. This fragrant
| Injustice and this breach of faith and
| obligation, add to extortiOn the danger
attending diversion of the currency of
the country from the legitimate chan
ncls of business.
Under the same laws by which these
results are produced, the government
permits many millions more 10 be
added to the cost of living of our
people and to be taken from our con-
sumers, which unreasonably swell the
profits of a small, but powerful
minority. The people must not only
be taxed for the support of the govern
ment, under the operation of tariff
laws but to the extent that the mass of
our citizens are lnOrdinately burdened
beyond any useful public purpose, and
for the benefit OF favored few, the
government, under pretext of all
exercise of its taxing power, enters
gratutiously into partnership with these
lavorites, to their advantage and to the
injury of vast majority of our people
This is not equally before the law
The existing situation is in urious to
the health of our entire body polite.
1t stiles in those all patriotic love OF
country and substitutes in Its place
selfish greed and grasplng avarice.
Devotion to American citizenship for
its own shape aud what il should
accomplish as motive 10 our uation's
advancement and the happiness of all
our people, is displayed by the assump'
ton that the government instead oI
being the embodiment OF equality. is
but an instrument ality through which
special and individual advantages are
to be gained. The arrogance of this
assumption is unconcealed. 1t appears
in the sordid disregard of all but
personal interest, in the ref isal tu
abate tor the benefit of Others one lOIa
of selfish advantage, and in cOmbina-
ton to perpetuate such advantages
through efforts to control Legislation
and improperly control the suffrage OF
the people.
When TO the seIfshness OF the
bemefciaries OF unjust discriminiOu
under our laws there shall be added
the discomfort of those who suffer from
such determinations, we shall realize
the fact that beneticient purposes OF
our government, dependent upon the
patriotism and conteutment of OnI
people are endangered. Communism
is hateful thing and a menace to peace
and organized government. But the
communism of combined wealth and
capital, the Outgrowth of Overweening
cupidity aud and seiishness whicl
insidiously undermines the justice and
integrity of free institutions, is not less
dangerous than the communism ol
oppressed poverty and toll which
exasperated by injustice and disconten
attack with wild disorder, the citadc
of rule.
These are startling truths, aut
truths which cannot ba quibbIed ab0nt
Overshadnwed by "explanation," no.
obscurPd by cavil.
These are not the stltemPnis of III,
politician or demagogue, made for TIT
rurpo~e OF vote getting during
campaign, but are truths concerniu!
The vital interests OF the people, state