The Russellville Democrat., 1891-07-02
VIS0I0US LEGISLATION
AZ Discussed ~ Ex-Presidpnt cisvslsnd
Saturday Might
Before tho Commsrcial club o. Pvovi-
dsnce, r.. The People
to Blame.

xAt hkS +@h4A0e BANVH w tAS NtAa~
mercial Clup, Of Providence, r.. f.,
Saturday night, ex-President CIeye-
land delivered the address. Among
other things he said:
81 seek to remind you OF the in
terest W hich you and all OF us have
IS members Of our American body
polite in wholesome general laws
and honest administration. This In
terest is represented by the share to
which each Of us 10 entitled in the
aggregate Of advantage which snch
laws and such administration secure.
In order that the patriotism aud in
telligence OF the country should pre-
vail in our legislation, the patriotic
and intelligent men of the country
must see to 1t that they are properly
represented in our national councils.
1t seems to me that private and spe-
cial legislation, as II at present pre-
walls, is an evil chareeabls to great
extent to the listlessness and care
lessness OF the people. There is q
kind OF legislation, which upon its
face and concededly is private and
special, and which engrosses far too
much of the time and attention Of
our lawmakers.
SEE THAT DUTY Is DONE.
"The people have right to claim
from their representatives their best
care and attention to the great SUBJ
jects of legislation in which the en-
tire country is interested. This lie
denied them il their representatives
take their seats bprdened with pri-
vate bills, in which their immediate
neighbors arc exclusively interested
and which they feel they must be dill
gent in advancing, II they would Sc
cure their continuance in public life.
The relations of our countrymen
toward their government should be
founded upon their love for it as the
fountain head OF their national life,
their faith in 1t as the power which
preserves them free people, their
reverence for it as the perfect work
of the highest patriotism, their con-
fdence In its justice and equality and
their pride in its ownership and
management.
I'm the light OF these considera.
tons no thoughtful American can
shut his eyes to the truth that when
our people regard their government
as the source OF individual bene fit
and fsvoritism, and when their in
terest in it is measured by the ex
tent in which they hope to realize
such benefit and favoritism, our
popular government is in dangerous
hands and its entire perversion is
alarmingly imminent.
THE REMEDY.
Measures Of a general character,
and apparently proposed for the pub
lie good, frequently originate in sell
fish calculations, or so completely
subserve in their details, selfish plans
that they also tend toward the
fatal point of sordidness among the
people and unjust paternalism in the
government. No matter what plaus-
ible pretexts may be advanced for
such legislation, il it has in it these
elements, it ought to be condemned.
Neither the cry OF protection to
American interests nor pretended
solicitude for the public good ought
to succeed 10 concealing schemes 10
favor the few at the expense of the
many, nor should the Importance to
the country Of legislative action upon
any subject divert US from inquiry
concerning the selfish motives and
purposes which may be hidden behind
the proposal Of such legislation"
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