The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-28
Popular Government Is Imperiled
When Citizens Look to 1t for
Favoritism.
Danger in Private and Special
Bills, Passed by Law
Making Bodies.
Address of Mr. Cleveland at tho Last
Dinner OF tho Commercial Club
Of Providence.

Providence, r. /. June 27.-The dinner
of the Commercial club this evening was
tho last OF the season and distinguish ed
assemblage sat at its board. Private and
| special legislation was the theme of the
evening. Ex-Chief Justice Durfee WIS the
first speaker. Ho lamented the corruptness
of the lobby and emphasized the Importance
of citizens and business men taking more
active interest in politics. Ex-President
! Cleveland spoke at length in
the same strain. He said this
unfortunate neglect of matters OF politics
and legislation has actually reached such
pass that business men think and speak OF
politics as something quite outside of their
interest and duty, and if not actually dis
reputable, may we'll be left to those who
have taste for it. The ex- x-president sought
to remind his hearers of the interest which
all of us have as members of our
American body polite in wholesome gen.
eral laws and honest administrations
I'm order that the patriotism
and intelligence of the country
should prevail in our legislation, the pat
riotic and intelligent men of the country
must see to it that they are properly repre-
| Mr.. Cleveland said it seemed to him that
private and special legislation as it at pres
ent prevails, is evil, chargeable to a great
extent to the listlessness and carelessness
of the people. The people have right to
claim from their representatives their best
care and attention to the great objects of
legislation In which the entire country is
interested. This is denied to them if their
representatives take their seats burdened
| with private bills in which their immediate
neiRhbors are exclusively interested, and
which they feel they must be diligent in
advancing, if they would secure their con-
tinuance in public life. They are led by
the exigencies of their situation. as they
view it, not only to the support of private
bills of questionable propriety, but to the
neglect OF important questions involved
IN general legislation.
Furthermore, the Importance of the sue
cessful championship of these private bills
seems SO vital to them that they are easily
led to barter their votes for measures as
bad or worse than theirs and thus is nnug-
urated the system called lobbying which
comes frightfully near actual corruption !;
and the people at large lose not only atten-
tion to their affairs but are often no better
than robbed of money in the public treas
/ ury. 4t.
| Another and more pernicious aspect of
special and private legislation. is the habit
1T engenders among our people of looking
| tOWdIQ tue GOV6t1lInellb IOr ala IN tle aC-
complishment OF special and individual
schemes, and the expectation which it Gre
ates that legislation may be invoked for the
securing of individual advantages and un-
earned benefits.
No thoughtful American should shut his
eyes to the truth that when our people re-
gard the government as the source of in
dividual benefit and favoritism our popu-
lar government is in dangerous hands, and
| it's entire pei version alarmingly imminent.
| These perlls are not alone chargeabe to
confessedly private and special legislation.
Measures of general character, apparently
proposed for public good, frequently origi-
nate in selfish calculation, and neither the
cry of protection to American interests nor
pretended solicitude for the public good
ought to succeed in concealing schemes to
favor the few at the expense of
the many; nor should Importance
to the country of legislative action
upon any subject divert US from
inquiry concerning the selfish motive and
purposes which may be hidden behind tn
proposal of such legislation. 1t is qui to
time that our business men and all Ameri-
can citizens who love their country be estir
themselves for battle against the evil ten
denotes of private and special legislation,
whatever gulse it may assume.