The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-09

urKlrg uniform general laws FOR the govern
AraoaE the first duties Of this general Assem-
bly, should be the enactment of such renel as
viii protect tee pro erty that IS now threateIled
under the unwise Local legislation Of your pred
Il We viii secure ONLY such legislation as is
absolutely needed by TIE state. AID. Iulls 90
servant OF ali the rights OF all the people,
ooiy slca local and special laws as come
nn1er uniform general lass en. 4SN
by properly constituted local authorities coar,
tiers granted unoer delegated sutnoIltS aal
ulifOrm stipulations- it viii then Dc pOsslole 20
restrict the session OF the general assembly %
the CO.. stitutional provision, and make them
annual instead OF Biennial Faxes VIII De re-
ducsd aud the burdens Of government made
LOOKING to the economical administration of
pablo matters, our organic law dsterni'eS the
expenses Of the government 10 the nxed sal
ares Of some Of its officers ] respectfully sug
gsst uniformity in this matter. also.
FIXED Salaries yoR LEGISLATORS.
LET the general assembly put themselves in
line WITH 81 other stat offic rs. making such
cbs1ges il our constitut on will give its mem
bs-s hxed salary for their services, reduced 70
the standard they have for long time in
dOrsed for others. This VIII further tend 70
lit the burdens of government from the people
and make uniform the rewards given for ser
vices TO the state.
Civil government comprehends not only the
enactment of wise and just laws and their
impartial enforcement over an intelligent and
virtuous people but il looks also % the devel-
opneat of material resources as the basis OF
our civilization Whatever encourages general
industry in the state makes the state progress
IN power and in wealth. Whatever mahes Ter
tile its fields. prosperous It's manufactures
thrifty its business and secure us caplIal- au
vances the enlightenment OF its people ana
makes the stability Of these institutions
One high duty Of all government IS the pro
lection of the property OF us citlzehs me
r,olicv therefor that seeks to make insecure or
destroy the legitimate investments OF all citi-
1sns. whether Individual or corporate, lays
violent hands upon the vitality or the state and
the property Of the people. nder the strongest
protection our state will secure, my admins
fration will invite to our fields, our factories,
our mines. our railroads. our shops, capital that
must make the resources Of the states strength
and TIE steady basis of civilization
| shall not take part, therefore. IN any lnds-
crimnate war made against corporations IN
this state Corporations are but the union Of
forces to develop the wealth Of the state. They
are made up of Individual citizens who do not
sacrifice any right TO protection under combl-
nation OF capital The same rights ano pfotec,
ton guaranteed 70 an individual citizen should
be guaranteed to several citizens when they be-
come properly associated under corporate
power. Nothing more, nothing less,
LEGITIMATE INVESTMENTS.
II is not the policy OF the state TO build its
railroads, run its factories and work its mines.
individual effort. individual influence and indi-
vidusl wealth can never compass The great pos
sibilties in our national development. Aside,
then from it's duty to its citizens in affording
the strongest protection guaranteed by law, the
advancement of the state, in all It's highest
powers, demands the security and protection OF
all legitimate inveStm whether by lndiv1d
Cals OF corporations.
Having said this much, II becomes me further
20 say. that the greatest danger now threaten
ing our government, both state and national.
is the power Of aggregated money. 1t buy the
ballot and makes the law; 1t purchases the
citizen and makes a slave IL bargains with class
and Expresses the people; 1t purchases power
and centrallzes the govern ment Unchecked, it
will override the freedom of our institutions
and build upon the ruins of the republic the
absolute power OF a merciless putocracy.
In the presence Of growing corporate power
let every citizen stand guard over the rights of
the people, every legislator be true to the trusts
he bears, and every officer OF the law faithful
TO the orders his holds, lest, unor1ded, it tread
out in merciless stamp the liberties Of the
people.
In the earlier ana better days Of the republic
business began IN partnership and grew TO cor
porstionS Corporations have now united and
made combinations. combinations have grown
strong and grown as the absolute power Of
money d monopoly, absorbing TO its itself the
sustenance Of the poor, while 1t dictates the
policy of the government and overrides without
mercy the liberties of the people.
THE MONSTER EVIL OF THE TIME
Monopoly is the monster evil OF the time II
is the constructor tightening its folds about the
body polite Ii is the tyrant ruling without
pity and without law. The legislature of the
state and tue government sheuld arrest and
distroy its aggressive power.
pend fiuay, not so much upon the efficiency as
upon the ad inistration of the law. The rights
and liberties and property OF the citizens, in the
last issue, must be protected by the speedy and
certain enforcement of penalties for the viola
tion of law. Delays in the courts, where
fragrant crimes have been committed, stir an
outraged community to violence and to wrong
IL behoovuS you to inquire whether or not the
pre.ent law allows needless delay, occasions
needless expense. and sometimes defeats the
ends Of just &c. Criminals should not be allowed
asrit $50 LII
good. Tempered with mercy, only where indi-
yiduai justice demands aud the peace OF society
Will justify, the criminal laws of the state
should be strictly enforced.
The perpetuity Of our system and the illustra-
ton Of its principles rest, at last, upon tho
purity Of the ballot. While popular sentiment
rebukes personal ambition. and the public iu-
tereSts foroid individual power the law must
guard the ballot against the evils Of both
Uncowed by force, untrsrnmeled by power, and
unhougnt by price. every ballot should be the
undualihed choice of a free man. a.. together
they should erbody the expressed will Of the
people;
bly, than The protection of the citizen in the ex-
preston OF his choice at the ballot box Under
a pure halIot. let Us have every man e.cvated to
Office. the unguestioned choice OF the people;
every measure advocated. subjected to the I'm
biased CRITICS Of the citizen; then every law
enacted will be the embodiment OF the popul ar
will. and viii destroy the arrogance OF indi-
viduai power, the tyranny OF class legislation
and the Capitalization OF government.
a WORD FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BY far the most.important matter involved in
our state policy is the education of the people
In a republican government, where every man
Is a sovereign, the masses should be enlightened
and made able u understand ths duties Of a
citizen. and TO guard intelgently the interest
of the state.
Iiliteracy is in no sense an element of security.
IT never can master the forces that make
progress and power. Ignorance leads riot and
vice hand to hand to disturb society, Destroy
business and overrurn the government. The
surest foundation for our system must he laid
IL the intelligence and virtue of the masses.
Until recent years, it has not been the policy
of the state TO educate its children Now it is
a fixed provision IN our fundamental law
shall not stop therefore to discuss the pro-
prietT or the wisdom of its enactment. 1t has
gone beyond the possi bility of debate Public
education has become the fixed policy Of the
age and the uniform feature of all systems as
1t ID the uniform demand of all people |
shall, therefore, not argue against the policy,
ont let one fact speak against its practical
operation whom / declare that illiteracy has
steadily increased IN rural districts since
the adoption OF our public school system.
In the interest and dignity and honor the
general assembly should improve the practical
workings of the system or the effort should be
abandoned by the state and left to the direction
and management Of individual citizens The
state cannot AFFORD to discharge such important
duties so inperfectly
Our puo.ic school system has cost the state
he 4 a.