Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-11-26
me Cry of "Paternallsmp Urged Against
the Peoples Party.

AA ENeN bNt+N'At - t'tN%fN"@rAN ~N+ "fNt
railroad and telegraph monopolists, who
hold In their management tho remnant
OF the republican party OF this great
American nation, ever and anon are
crying out in senseless statements that
1t Is the aim OF the peoples party TO de-
stroy the incentive TO individual exer-
tion on the baseless assumption thar the
claim is made that the government must
be bearer Of gifts 10 all Of its subjects.
1t would seem TO be folly In meeting
this charge 10 exclaim, mot So" but
for the persistency with which these
inveterate and reckless teachers present
the.charge.
In 1858 the whig party, in the Ameri-
can republic, was In about the shape po-
litically that the present republican
party may be in on and after March 4,
1893, 1t may be in order to go back TO
the former days and notice few utter
ances that emanated from some OF the
American statesmen at that period of
time. Hon. Augustus G. Dodge, a
United States senator from Iowa, on
February "A, 1853, said in the United
States senate:
"This government stands In the posi-
tion Of political parent whose duty II
is TO watch over, guard and protect the
interests OF every citizen. That duty
requires that we should enable every
one within the limits washed by the At
lantic and Pacific oceans to secure
farm or homestead for himself and fam
lily. That is a generous, nay, just and
noble system, which would repudiate
this selfish policy OF shillings, and look
to one which is more ia accordance with
the genius OF our Institutions. The
homestead bill is but just tribute TO
agriculture-th first, noblest and Cod
favored calling Of man. The soil OF a
country Is the gift OF the Creator to his
creatures, and in government OF the
people that gift should not become the
object of speculation and monopoly.
THE constitutional power TO pass the
homestead bill is clearly confessed in
the following language Of the United
States: Congress shall have power to
dispose of and make all rules and regu-
lations respecting the territory and 9th
or property belonging TO the United
States.'n
Senator John p. Hale OF New Hamp-
shire. said on February "A, 1853.
81 am for the land bull, as an original
measure or as an amendment, here. now
and forever; and il, sir, leave the SEN
ate OF the United States with one sim
gle regret it is that this measure, called
for by humanity, by Christianity, by
civilization and By justice, may not be
matured into your statute book and be-
come law, that may be permitted TO
record my name in favor OF il. Do you
want to keep the public lands and make
them mere bonuses TO large, soulless
corporations? DO you want to take
them from the many that you may give
them TO the few? Do you want to keep
the landless landless, the homeless
homeless, the poor poor, and the wretch
ed more wretched still, that you may be-
stow in immense largesses on "A corpo-
ration this poor boon OF land which be-
longs OF right to the children that God
has planted upon IL?
"What is the government OF this
country? Where does it live? Have
any OF you ever seen the government?
The government Of this country is the
people. Those are the people upon
whom it is proposed TO oestow the lar
CESS which will benefit all branches Of
industry. commerce, manufactures, ag-
riculture, by spreading abroad wide
cast over the land, the means OF happi-
ness, the means of comfort, the means
of progress, the means Of wealth. 1t is
to increase them by taking the poor
man, the homeless man, and converting
him into householder, landholder,
and q man OF substance, comfort and
wealth"
Now. after the lapse of all these years,
with the republican party created since
those days. achieving national victories
from 1860 down through the following
OF the time-the positions
occupied by Senators Dodge and Hale
in 1853 how well would they be literal
ly agreed to by the present administra-
tion and its Immediate, most special
friends? 1t might be proper for repub-
lican champions to think on these
things. gs.-NatiOnal Economist.