Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-13
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
The disposition of political parties of
any considerable age to submit to the
domination Of class interests and to become
subservieat to the venal ends of influences
that serve self-seeking only, is the weak
ness of tie party system of the Republic.
When slavery was supreme in the
United States both the Wing and the
Democratic parties sought the condition of
subserviency to it. 1t rejected the over
lures of the Wing party, and accepted the
abject varletry of the Democratic party.
Slavery was the greatest corporation, in
fact, that ever menaced government on
this continent. 1t became a corporation
by reason of the alliance of all slave-hold-
ers in all the slave-holding States the
complete control of the life of the slave
holding States by the slave-owning classes,
and the control of the electoral vote and
delegations in Congress from the slave
States by slave interests. This powerful
combination had to be broken down and
destroyed by the creation of new party
and the exigence brought forth the
agency.
A question that now confronts the peo-
pie of the United States is whether the
Republican party, being dominant, is re-
peating history in a slightly varied FORM
Has it become measurably the party of
monopolists, of trusts and of rings, and the
creature Of the within of ring masters? Is
it becoming, or is it already, class party?
Such inquiry unquestionably occupies the
public mind, which in many quarters is
responding afirmatively to these questions.
Something of this is confessed by SO
stalwart champion Of that party as the
New York Tribune, when, in discussing
the Mckinley bill and its relation to the
recent rebuke at the polls, it rather tim.
idly asks:
But was the greed of individuals or corpora.
lions unable to shape any clause of the Act? If
one or two trusts which still survive had been
forced out OF existence by the bill, the measure
might have commanded more support at the
outset than it did. Again. if among thousands
oil worthy public servants some individuals in
posts of trust have failed to do their whole duty
10 the people whose servants they are, some
fraction of the reverse may be owing to these
delinquents also. In several States moreover
there was Republican management which cid
not satisfy the sincerest voters. it is now duty
OF all who are charged with responsibility to
say whether such management shall be sus
tanned and prolonged. In word, it is proper
time for the very best thought and the con-
science OF the country he heard and hpp1qd
1t is not difficult to read between the
lines of this hesitating criticism the con-
viction Of that journal that there is men,
ace to the party which must needs be
needed. 1t is mistaken, however, when it
lnfers that the rebuke was not directly
aimed at, and intended for the controlling
party, and half confession of this truth
is found in this further quotation from the
same journal:
The lesson given to their rulers By the voters
OF this country can be interpreted. by anybody
who pleases, to mean the man in the next new
But ne will be happiest in the long run who asks
his own conscience in ali sincerity, How much
OF that belongs to me% congressman may well
ask their own consciences how far they have
been governed by their sense of right, and how
far swayed by desire to please ignorant, vicious,
o. greedily selfish elements among their con.
stituents. Has there been no conspicuous or
half-conscious betrayal of public welfare to
demagogues and knaves?
The truth is, that the subservient dis
position to which we referred in the out
set is so pronounced that it must challenge
the concern of every citizen who esteems
country superior to party power and tri-
umph.
If We pass dangerous centralizing tend
encies, and party counseling that takes
rings, trusts and moneyed power into
communion with it rather than the high
est Interests of the people, we discover in
the emphatic and repeated demands for
change in the methods of choosing United
States Senator'S, the expression of aug
menting public conviction that the Senate
of the United States is dangerously filling
up with millionaires, and gaining by Justice
the title of " the rich mans club" The
time since this, the most important and
potent of all deliberative bodies, has taken
on something of aristocratic character, is
not long, and it portends time not longer
in the future when, if the drift continues.
the title of Senator will be claimed as the
equivalent in rank and demand of that of
Earl or Marquis in monarchies.
1t is charged that there are about a
score of men in the Senate whose wealth
exceeds a million dollars each, and the
major portion of whom are more conspicu-
Gus for their income than for the states
manlike qualities which should equip the
citizen for so high trust.
II is not 10 be understood that there is
of necessity incompatibility between the
possession of great wealth and the posses
sion of high intellectual qualities, nor
that an aggregation of wealth in the hands
of man necessarily disqualifes him for the
possession and exercise of statesmanlike
abilities. Where these conditions COM
ibine in the individual actuated by high
motives and patriotic purposes, the nation
may be served to even greater advantage
There is no offense in wealth honestly ac-
quired and wisely administered. 1t is
conservator, under such conditions, Of in
dustry and the best interests of the coun-
try and its people. But when it accom-
plishes self-seeking by political control,
the antagonism of the people is inevitable,