The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-10-08
UNSAFE THEORIES.

UNSAFE THEORIES.
The Populists have assumed the po
sition of the saviors of the country
and, according to their doctrine, they
will change legislation so that it will
be in favor of the poor man. Then
object is to inaugurate millennium II
which the ills of the unfortunate vic
tim of circumstances will be remedied
and, although he may have spent hi
earnings in wasteful expenditures, hi
will be placed on an equal footing with
those who have practiced the strictes
economy and thereby accumulated
wealth. This sounds well to the toller
who has labored for the bread which
per;sheth; and spreads before him the
hope of better days. There are SO
many evils which have been burden
some on the common people for untold
years that any promised relief is very
attractive, and any plausible theory is
tenaciously grabbed Ike the stra" is
by the drowning man.
The world has existed for many
thousand years. and during that long
period systems have been reduced to
practice, and only the ittest have sur
vived. About two hundred years ago
a brainy Scotchman by the name of
John Law attempted to revolutionize
the monetary system of France by in
PRODUCING the idea that the govern
ment stamp could make sny quantity
of money. His scheme proved unsuc-
cessful, and John Law became bank
rupt. Again, the idea was advocated
in Texas &C tlme when the Lone Star
republic was in great need of circulate
ing medium, and the result was de-
probation and bankruptcy. Not With
standing these demonstrated facts, the
Populists declare they have found
panacea for this stringency in the
money market, and they claim they
can revolutionize matters if the people
will trust them with the management
Of affairs. Our present financial sys-
tenn has been the result of the conclu-
sion of the best statesmen of the coun-
try, after devoting long years of care
full study to the question, and it has
been eminently successful. When the
war ended in 1865, pessimists prophe-
sled that the burdens placed upon the
people would be felt for generations
yet unborn. and the country would
never realize prosperity for the next
century. The sequel has proved that
the finances of the country were never
in as good condition, and labor de-
mands better wages and laborers are
in better condition than they ever
were in the history of the country.
There is no wildcat money in circula-
tion, and any bank bill can be taken
with perfect confidence. Would it
not be the height of folly to change
this condition of things? And yet
these calamity -howlers would wipe out
these national banks and inaugurate
different system. Experience is the
best teacher, and always will be while
men are practicable and sensible.
But the charge is made that all leg
islation is for the railroads and corpo-
rations, and nothing Is done for the
poor man. The fact is that the poor
of all countries receive more consider
alton to-day than they did ten years
ago. In large cities the means of ed
ucation are accessible to all classes,
and they are better intellectually, NOR
ally and physically than they were a
few years ago. The reformatory meas
ures which have been inaugurated in
populous centers have greatly i'm
proved the condition of the laboring
masses, and they are more nearly on
an equality with the privileged classes
than they ever were. They have less
hours for work than they ever had.
and they possess more of the conven-
fences and luxuries of life. 1t is i'm
possible to raise them to the highest
level, for the lazy and shiftless will
always gravitate to the gutter
Make them rich to-day, and
they will be poor tomorrow. Of
course, there are accidents = fire,
bloods and death-which form the ex-
ceptions to this rule; but, guided by
unvarylng rules of cause and effect, it
is fair to draw the conclusion that the
different divisions in society which
have prevailed for centuries past will |
remain the same in the future. The |
utopia of the poets rests in the fertile |
Imagination, and if it were to become
reality it would lose its attractiveness.
Deity, with unlimited power, has
never attempted to equalize matters
regarding wealth or conditions of the
human race, and it is wild dream of
impracticable theorists to improve on
the work of God Almighty.
THE ROAD QUESTION.