Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-06
Timely Reflections.
Editor Gazette

EultOT GaZelIe.
That the town is ripe for every man who
can cast a vote to become politician there
IS 10 doubt. BY 4 politician We do not
mean 4 class of slick fellows who have al
ways run for Office, and been for sale when
ever there was some Doodle going around.
We mean politician in a pure sense-One
devoted 10 the study OF the science Of gov
erumcnt. Every voter, no matter what his
vocation, has time TO study our system Of
government. Every country is proud of
its achievements, and we are IN a great
measure proud OF our ours. We claim that
we have furnished to the world what 10
other government has ever dOne-an exam
pie of L people ruled of, for and by them
selves. \ people enjoying the greatest
amount of liberty and freCdOm-yct not IN
terferiug with the rights of others. For a
century our republican form Of government
has stood a severe test, ana the declaration
that ''all men are born free ana equal Us 10
protection under the law still maintains.
But let us not fiatter ourselves that our
government is perfect-that III it has not
long since been sown the seeds of certain
disintegratiOn ana decay.
While evolution has gathered the strength
Of q cyclone by modern inventions and dis
cOveries, still we must know that the science
of government, like the race from which it
emanates, IS YET in semi-primitive and
imperfect state. Since man first formed
his tribal relations on tine borders of the
Caspian sea in Asia, TO this good day he
has through successive centuries left US a
record OF what he no doubt deemed a per
feet system Of government. No student of
history can fail to observe the causes which
led to tho downfall of the Grecian and
Roman republics. Yet Greece made the
Roman republic possible, and Rome the vet
more perfect republic OF the new world.
AS Rome protied by the mistakes of Greece
SO Will some future republic profit by the
mistakes we make. Our mistakes NAV not
be many vet enough to destroy our rights
and happiness is q free and independent
people. The late civil war made many in
roads in the constitution and established a
system Of class legislation and paternalism
which is now mendcing and may at an
early day overthrow the government Very
nearly the same causes led to the downfall
OF Greece and Rome AMI later on to the
French revolution. As perpetual vigilance
is always the price OF liberty, our patriotic
minds should now be directed to correcting
such abuses and eraCting such reforms as
will give US pure and good government.
Let US have universal education and a study
of our form OF government by every voter
There has been too much Indifference and
ignorance among the masses. History fur
niShes no record Of & people surrenderinc
their rights without a struggle We have
Just emerged from bloody fratricidaI war
and its wages like the wages Of sin are with
Us, and to-day our government shows its
greatest weakness in its inability TO
cope with and curb the destructive en-
croachments of the money power. See
what class legislation has done since 1850.
Seventy families out of 100000 OF peO-
pie own, by correct statistics, one-half Of
the entire wealth of the United States.
Farmers owned to per cent of the wealth in
1850, and il was not mortgaged. Now thew
own - per cent, and most of that is under
mortgage; yet they pay so per cent of all
the taxes, as in 1860"
Can any one blame tie farmers for rising
up and demanding relief AL wealth must
come from the ground The Eastern
money-monger, like the Jew that is being
expelled from Russia, produces nothing
They feast upon the producer. The farmeris
wrong in the sub-treasury business. but win
do much good by agitation, as it will be the
means of enlightening many hitherto IN
thinking voters. Let me close this with
few extracts from some Of our greatest
minds who, though dead. counsel with US
to-day.
From speech of John c. Calhoun. in the
United States senate, give the following
clipping;
place the money power in the hands OF
combination Of a few individuals, and they,
by expanding or contracting the currency,
may raise or sink prices at pleasure; and
by purchasing when at tho greatest depres-
sion and selling when at the greatest eleva-
ton, may command the whole property and
industry Of the community, and control its
fiscal operations. The banking system
places this power in the hands Of