Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-05-15
SAD EXTRAV VACANCE,
EX-PreSident Cleveland Speaks at the
Dedication of a Democratic
Club House.
A Powerful Arraionment of the Last
Congress For WaSteiul
Expenditure.
Careless Appropriation of Public
Funds at the Bottom of Our
Economic Evils.

BUFFALO, MAY II. - The Cleveland
democracy, Butfalo's foremost political
organic 'tion, opened a new club house
this evening with Ex-President Cleveland
as guest and speaker of the occasion. He
was greeted at his arrival with the wild
est cheers, long continued and oft re-
peated.
Cleveland responded to an address of
welcome with speech delivered with
great earnestness and was received en-
Enthusiastically. He said:
As stand for the first time face to face
with the Cleveland democracy, | expert
ence mingled emotions of responsibility
and plide. My sense of responsibility
arises from my relation to your organiza-
tlon rs its Godfather, and my pride from
the noble manner IN which you have borne
my name | acknowledge your right to
require of me at this time an account of
the manner in which have kept the DO
liticai faith to which you are devoted.
This right grows out of the fact that the
word democracy, as it stands in the
name of your organic ltlon, means so much
and Is so worthy of your care. that It's
Significance should not be in the least
ciouGed by any prefix which is not in keep
ing with democratic aims ali purposes
In giving an account of my political be-
hayior, | can only offer Il record of politi-
cal conduct familiar to all my country
men, and supplement this record 10y the
declaration that | have done the best
could to deserve the confidence in me
which you have so gracefully manifested
For the character of the record thus pre-
sented, you yourselves are anSwerabIe with
ma-for it has been maze under the in
ttuence and encouragement of the senti-
ments and doctrines which the
Cleveland democracy have cultivated
and enforced. When we started
together IN political life
and responsibility, your accepted creed
taught that politics waS something more
than adroit jugglery that there was still
such thing as official duty and that it
meant obligation to the people; that the
principles of our government were worthy
Of conscientious study, and that the doc
trlnes of true democracy. honestly and
braveIy enfol ced, promised the greatest
good to all our countrymen and exalted
through the length and breadth of our
land, impartial governmental care and in
discriminating justice.
You were not content to allow these
truths to remain with you as mere idle
beliefs. They supplied constant and ag-
gresive motives for Your political activity
and were your inspiration as you weut
forth to do battle in the democratic cause
resting your hope of triumph upon an un
wavering faith in the thoughtful aud well
Informed intelligence of the American
people.
Thus you were found doing valiant ser
vice In the campaign of education. As
the smoke OF. the last stubbornly fought bat
tie cleared away. no soldiers on the field
were found surrounded by more trophies
of victory than the forces of the Cleveland
democracy.
Surely your rewards are most abundant
You have not only aided in the advance
ment of the democratic standard, but you
bave also contributed yon1 full share in
demonstrating that the people cln be
trusted when aroused to thOughtfulness
and duty.
When suggest to you that much sturdy
fighting still awaits all those enlisted Ia
the democratic ranks, feel that am
speaking to veterans vino have no fear of
hard campaigning. We may be sure that
unless We continue active, watchful
warfare we shall lose what we have
gained in the peoples cause. In
sldlOuS schemes are started on every side
to allure them to their undoing. Awaken
ed to a sense of wrong and injustice,
promises of redress and benefit are held
up to their sight, like Dead sea fruits
that tempt the eye, but turn to ashes on
the lips" The selfish and designing will
not foregO the struggle but will constantly
seek to regain their vantage ground
through tempting faliacies and plausible
preteXts of fTiendliness.
believe the most threatening figure
that stands in the way of the safety of our
government and the happiness of our peo-
pie, is reckless and wicked extravaganza
in our public expenditures. 1t is the most
fatal of all the deadly brood born of
governmental perversion. 1t hides he
meath its wings the betrayal the peo-
cinatiug glance the peoples will and con-
science. 1t brazenIy exhibits today bill
lion dollar congress. But lately. large
surplus remained in the people pubiic
treasury after meeting all expenditures
then by no means economical. This con
dition was presented to the Amer
that the burdens of taxation
was unjust because unnecessary; and
yet while the popular protest is still heard.
the harpy of public extravaganza drvours
the surplus and impudently calls upon It's
staggering victims to bring still larger
supplies within the reach of its insatidte
appetite. A few short years ago pen
sion roll amounting to ffty-three millions
of dollars was willingly maintained by our
patriotic citizens. Today public extravt
gance DEGREES that three times that sum
shall be drawn n Jn the people, upon the
pretext that Its expenditure represents the
popular love of the soldier. Not
many years ago a river and harbIt5I'
appropriating eleven millions of dollars
gave rise to a loud popular protest. Now
public extravag nce commands an APP
preparation of twenty-five millions for the
same purposes, and The people are silent.
Today, millions are paid for barefaced
subsi ~; and this is approved or condoned
at the behest of public extravaganza and
thus a new marauder is turued loose
which in company with its vicious tariff
partner, bears pilfered benefit to the
households of favored selfish interests.
We need not prolOng the details Turn
where we will we see the advance Of this
deyouring and destructive creature.
Our democratic faith teaches us that the
useless exaction of money from the people
upon the false pretext of public necessity.
is the worst of all governmental perver-
sions, and involves the greatest of all
dangers to our guarantees of justice and
equity. We need not unlearn this lesson
to aoprehend the fact that behind such
exac,ion and as its source of existence, Is
found public extravaganza. The axe will
not be laid at the root of the unwhoIesome
tariff tree with its vicious inequality and
injustice until we reach and destroy its
parent and support.
But the growth of public extravaganza,
in these latter days. and its unconeeaIed
and dreadful manifestations, force Us tD
the contemplation Of other crimes, of
which it is undoubtedly guilty, besides
unjust exactions from the people
Our government Is so ordained that its
life blood flows from the virtue and pat
rietism of our people, and Its health and
strength DEFENDS upon the faithfuIness Of
their public servants. If these are de-
stroyed, our government, If it endures.
III ardTrra oYztr f4Iffpfy IN htaS.