Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-02
Admirable Address By VIM. Preston john
st0n, LII. ID.

VIM. Preston Johnston, LID, President
of Tulane University of Louisiana deliver
ed, on the 18th of June, an address at Wash
ington University in ST. Louis, Missouri,
which we find published in extenso in the
New Orleans Picayane of juno 2Srd, and
which we have read with interest, profit,
and pleasure. Its theme is, "The func-
ton of the city," and it is discussed with
marked ability and clog fence. 1t is full OF
profound and philosophical thought express
ed in strong, concise, and eloquent lam
guage. He combats the ancient and gener-
ally accepted idea that cities are sores on
the body polite, and maintains that they
are instrumentalities which are destined to
confer the greatest possible benefits upon
mankind. He mentions the fact that this
is no longer, in its true sense, Republic,
but a plutocracy, rich mans government
ia government of upstairs, who have
grown rich by GRADING the faces OF the
poor and robbing labor by small cheating
and large stealing, by freezing out minori'
ties and watering stock, by bribing the re-
representatives. of the people, by buying
franchises from legislators and trustees who
did not own them, by corrupting the foam
tain of justice itself; government by such
a gang as this, sneak thieves of the public
purse, which we are now called upon to
submit to, year after year, masquerading
in the guise of every party in turn, sickens
and disgusts us aud rankles in every honest
heart. We loathe such travesty, such a
/ foul sham, which should be ground to pow
der and scattered to the winds of heaven,
4 that true republic, government of virtue
and intelligence, may arise in its stead"
The political economy taught and prac'
ticed by our government is that in which
''selfshness is assigned not only as a mo-
4 tive of human action, but as the only right
motive, and as principle which will solve
every social difficulty" He said "Jesus OF
Nazareth taught different political econ
| omy; old-fashioned people believe that He
came into the world to preach to men
doctrine, which, followed, would uprooi
selfshness from their very souls, andenable
| them in their dealings with their fellows tc
be just, to be generous, to do as they would
be done by. The political economy OF
| charity is that of Christ; the political econ
l omy of selfishness is that of Satan. We art
I told that the Christian political economy il
| an abstraction; that when we come to &C
ton we must practice the ethics of the
devil. To such creed I will never sub
SCRIBE"
/ Under the adopted economy of selfshnesl
"capital and labor are at war. We may
call it by what name we please, but it ii
war; covert it may be; breaking out, a
byet, only like the border trays that light VI
| a debatable ground, but still liable at an!
| moment to burst forth into furious con
| Aagration."
I He says that Gin the United States, NOR,
THAN in any other civilized country, thu
rich man escapes the burden of taxation
HE puts his wealth into intangible securi
ties, and pays but nominal tax.
| repeat that the rich man nowhere pay
tax in proportion to the benefits he en-
Joys, and least of all here in America
which, though republican in form, has be
come plutooracy in fact. He must bt
compelled to pay his share, to acknowledge
his obligations, to do his duty, and to sub
anti to checks upon inordinate gains ant
power"
| Property belongs to Society, and thos'
who possess it hold it in trust, and can b
deprived of it whenever Society determines
that it is used to its injury.
The opulent person who bestows largely
for benefcent purposes should receive due
honor and praise, and the best usa he car
make if his money is to donate it for educa
tioaal purposes.