Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-13

0ASN
| Whichever il is, it IS fraugnt will mis-
chief and with mischief only. Tens
of thousands of intelligent Texas
farmers will smile at this silly
TRADE and pass ii by as the
idle wind. But it should not be
forgotten that in the ank of the agCi-
cultural class. forming as il does the
great bulk of our population. there are
many whom a hard fate has deprived of
the benefits of education. a govern
ment, whatever its form, is in more or
less danger whenever its theory and prac-
ticaI operation are not understood by any
considerable number of those from whom
its powers are derived. Universal suf-
frage is valuable only as its exercise is
directed by an enlightened public senti-
ment. 1t will not do any particular
harm to tell the intelligent farmer that
the administrations OF Coke and hubbard
and Roberts and Ireland and Ross were
controlled by corporate power and that
the legislation passed during their terms
was directed by the same influence,
because the intelligent farmer knows
it is false, Inc the only feeling
il will stir in his breast viii
be q feeling Of pity or contempt. In
every neighborhood in Texas this circular
and speeches ana editorials, breathing
the same spirit, ave been scattered.
The poison has been laid, and is ex-
pected to do its perfect work. And let
no man underrate the effect which all
these false teachings may produce upon
the ~uneducated part of our population;
for the day may come when their ballots
will represent a controlling influence in
our elections. If you SOW to the wind
you shall reap the whirlwiud; if you SOW
to prejudice you shall reap hate; If you
SOW to ignorance you shall reap crime;
and sowing to them all may you not, in
the end reap al abundant harvest of
communism? [ had thong hit that it was
the part of political wisdom to inculcate
a love of country, of government, of
pure principles and of truth. l had
thought that with all its faults
our government, both national and
state, was the best that was ever be-
slowed upon the children of men,; but
these apostles do not think so, and as
surely as the night follows the day, out
of their teachings, if suffered to go IN
challenged, will grow Il hatred of gov
and a heritage of woe. If they
are right, Republican government is not
only not q success, is not even an eX-
pertinent, but a denOnstra ted failure.
For if, during all these years, govern
ment has been controlled by monopoly
and corruption; if the peoples repre-
sentatives ha We uniformly betrayed the
peoples trust, then the proof of that
failure-is at hand, for the people them
selves are no better than their represent
tatives, and the whole scheme of popu-
lar government is indeed a failure. The
ear of patriotism may even
now hear the distant NUT
terings of a coming storm. Under
EIS, 20 nso 90 90 FnSr 70 lnnlr
upon, may there not lie the smouldering
volcano? A hungry and poverty stricken
population, goaded to desperation-nOt
by government, but by the appeals of
blatant demagogues-may yet prove to
be mighty in riot as we'll as at the ballot
box.
1t has never happened in the world of
fiction thOt a novel has created such a
movement as Bellamy's Choking Back
ward - 1t has led to an organization
termed "Nationalism'' which has its
literature ana clubs in many parts of the
country. Its theory is the adjustment
of the private ownership and control of
property n its assumption by govern
ment. The nation IS to OWL all means
of transportation and communication all
lands, houses, goods, mills, factories
and property of whatever kind, including
liz 2oOO NAL0 ~ ASO u ~ WV BNOHAO -
whom it IS to pay wages according to
merit. 1t proposes the ideal pa%ternal
government. Bellamy neither discovered
nor suggested anything new; he merely
responded TO an existing widespread
sentiment. He only gave voice to u
spirit which is abroad in the land-a
spirit which is a menace to the perpetuity
of republican government, and will con-
tlnue to be such until the virtues of in
telligence and patriotism shall cast it
out.
There is another mischief that is being
wrought by these false teachers. One of
the chief pillars that upholds popular
government is the spirit of liberty; that
spirit must not only exist, but it must be
felt and enjoyed. And yet it is sought to
make our farming and labOring classes
believe that they walk in the valley of the
shadow of bondage. The literature of
the d~emagogue absolutely swarms with
lamentations about the ''yoke of oppres-
sion - the "bOndage,' the "galling
chains of slavery that are being fast
eued upon the people. Although there
is not one word of truth in all this it yet
serves a most mslevolent pur-
pose. When such false no
tons sha have been impressed
from year to year upon the ~unthinking,
and around the hfe-slde shall nave been
instllled into the minds of children, who
can measure the extent of evil it may
work? The freest people in the world
may be told that they are in bondage
until they come to believe it, and so far
as the success OF popular government is
concerned, it might as we'll be so as to
be believed.
I think there is a good deal of mischief
couched in the following extract which /
read from the circular before referred
to-:
''The greatest evils now affecting, not
only the producer but the entire coun-
try are political evils.
And the political interests of Texas
farmers will be either more advanced or
worse slaughtered by the results of the
coming elections than ever before in our
history.
This is to be a pivotal epoch for the
people of Texas.
They will either take forcible and per-
manent control of governmental affairs,
or, We fear, surrender forever to the
aViI QCaOaiaa thar will 0nDOao than - 1