The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-02-21
An Unlntelligent Critic.

AL O0AuCo14I80Ot CT1LlCs
Senator Dolph, of Oregon, has
been asked for his opinion in regard
to the perpetuity Of the American
republic, and his reply. az published
borders on a surprise; although
few people longer expect anything
profound or sensible from poll
tician. The Senator, of course, sees
no signs of decadence in our insti.
tutions. nor can he discern any
cause of apprehension for the future
of our government. The picture
presented to his undeveloped mind
is one of unmixed evidence of per.
petuity. "The republic will stand
forever" bleats this innocent Ore.
gon lamb, unconscious that this
kind of slush has been the staple
stock-in-trade of all the great blath-
ersklte statesmen ~ who have been
compelled to witness the fall-with-
out knowing why they fell-of the
many past governments whose
wrecks strew the highways of his
tory.
But whether our government is
to endure forever" or whether it
is to be stranded on this side OF
that distant haven, as so many OF
It's predecessors have been, depends
not upon the rehabilitation and
gush of the ignorant, but upon the
far sightedness and wisdom with
which we shall conduct it. If we
shall succeed in avoiding the evil
consequences of the one great error
which wrecked Persia, Babylon,
Egypt, Greece and Rome, and which
is already circumscribing the liber-
ties and sapping the patriotism Of
our people, the republic will doubt
less survive a reasonable length Of
time, but forever" is silly exag-
geration.
However, let us confront the Sen
ator with few facts by way of
comparison, deriving our data from
ancient and current history, and
remembering as we proceed that our
government is only 100 years old.
When Babylon fell two per cent
of her population owned all of her
wealth. The people were homeless,
and SO thoroughly depraved and
bad that to describe their degreda-
ton in print would subject US to
punishment for an indecent publi-
cation. Yet they were not different
from other people in their natures
but were deprayed by robbery and
poverty.
When Persia went down, her con-
dition was even worse if possible
than that of Babylon. One per cent
of her people owned all Of the land
The Persians were vagabonds with
out habitations or hope.
When the wreck of Egypt took
place three per cent of her subjects
had absorbed everything. The con
dition of Greece when she sue
was little better.
Finally, and vastly more impor-
tant, when Rome, proud, boastiul,
enlightened, war-like Rome, whose
armies had desolated all of the
known earth and whose eagles had
disrnayed every human heart, met
her inevitable doom, 800 men had |
absorbed all of her rich domain.
These 1900 men rioted in ostenta-
ton, gluttony and every conceiva-
bic depravity, shielded from the
Just wrath of a nation of starving
Migrants by gold-debauched army,
The universal dependence of gilded
crime. 1t served their purpose for
a time; but the mob waited. The
sverwakeful genius of retribution
without the strongholds of
Rome's petted lords of all her
wealth, and it's chance came.
Compare New New York at this
lay with the city of Rome at the
birth of Christ. At that time 1900
men owned Rome. At this time
,ut of a population in New York
;ity of 100000 only 100000 own
homes.
The total indebtedness Of this
,ountry-national, state and al!
others, including individual debts
is estimated by good authorities
1t $25, OOO,OO0,OO0. This indebted
ness is the property of the absorb
ing class. Reckoning interest on
his sum at 3 per cent per annum,
he yearly demand upon our re-
sources would be $3.50, 900, 900. The
same class holds three-fifths Of the
OTIS in all the cities of the country.
In addition to this they have titles
70 about 5OO,OOO,0O0 acres of the
public domain, a large part of which
hey have acquired through the
agency Of ignorant and corrupt
The manufacturing in
lustries are fast falling into their
hands, and they are using the gov
eminent for the purpose of taxing
he public to pay for the manufac-
turing of the wares they sell to that
same public at an enormous profit.
Moreover, our rich men are grow
mo vastly richer and the great for