Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-08-07
rHEREPUBLlC ISA SUCCESS
TT ere Have Been Troubles, but the
President Finds Us United.

TT ere Have Been Troubles, but the
President Finds Us United.
The enthusiasm with which the
of the Declaration OF In
is celebrated in no wise
as the event commemo-
rated recedes more and more into the
past. The methods of manifesting
patriotic spirit have changed in some
respects. The spread eagle oratory
ofiormer days has gone out ofvogue;
but the exhibition of devotion to the
republic and it's institutions, and Of
u strong and individual American
sentiment grows more rather than
less pronounced and emphatic.
1t may he truly said that to-day the
people of this country are united as
never before. The Union rests more
firmly on it's constitunal foun-
dations than ever before. There
is n more distinct national char
octer. The people cling more
lovingly and more tenaciously to
the principles of democracy, and rep
resentative government is admins
tered with greater purity, honesty
and efficiency.
In the earlier days of the establish
ment of the republic there was a
large part of the people that looked
doubtfully and pessimistically on the
experiment Of setting up govern
ment from which were excluded all
the forms and insignia and classifi-
cations Of monarchy; and among the
number were many of the more edu-
Gated and refined. They feared that
law and authority would not be
properly reverenced without the aid
Of the ancient superstitions as to
thrones and crowns and the impos-
ing force OF all the symbols and badges
OF sovereign power.
"It seems to me-" wrote in Deem.
Der, 1888, Gerard de Raynevnl, the
French minister to this country,
"that the Americans w" 1T ripe,
if may use this expression, or popu.
lar government. They were toe
much accustomed to the dist lions
of authority, rank, honors, birth
and of wealth for the class OF citizens
who enjoyed these advantages te
Willingly confound themselves with
the masses. The people OF Massachu
sets, among others already fea1
that they have instructed thei1
governments with too much power
However this may he, it appears
still very doubtful whether popular
principles will prevail and purge TIN
constitutions of this tinge of aristo
tracy"
This work Of purgation has beel
difficult and of a long duration. Tn
distrust of the people manifested it
SELF in opposition to every step in ad
vance toward real popular govern
ment. There remained many of thu
people who feared and detested uni
versal suffrage, and they would no
only limit the franchise, but the
would also restrict within marrow
bounds the number OF public servant
to be voted for by those who had tn
privilege of voting. Then in NOR
recent years came up the short live
struggle to keep out foreign settlers
l from any shure in the government
t They are alien to the American sent
ment, it was argued and they will pei
vert our institutions. Then came tn
, cry that popular suffrage might hav
t done well enough tor compact an
. homogeneous population, but thu
> it was dangerous power in tt
| hands of vast aggregation I
| people rapidly brought together b
y immigration and not yet assimila
, ed.
Q But to-day finds the republic mo-
united. more harmonious, Dett'
1 governed, and with a more distin'
r and common national sentiment tina
- before these many millions OF foreig
/, ers were admitted to citizenship
$ The more the people have been trus
n ed, the more they have taken the
il government into their own hnnd
o the more powerful has become tt
@ republic, and the more complete
It have been shattered the theories
8 the wailing political pessimists.
. But there still remains much to d
d These critics of popular governmel
It and skeptics as to the ability OF Il
;, people to exercise sovereign pow
:, are not yet vanquished at all point
i The work of purgation is not y
:. completed.-New York Sun.