The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-27
THE BEAUMONT LECTURR


Of seclAl rrUhlems.
Hon. Ralph Bsaumont, ~ third pes>y
orator, spoke % Elactrio hAll VI about III
people last night. This was fsmapkahlA
considsrinR tho fast that hs was hsrs snly
ten days ago. and spoke u Ne aamo plaeeI
Mr.. Beaumont said that his dissoureeE
would be upon social problems ana tks Nv
lations they bore upon human pseesess andt
civilization. He said that thsrs wese soutey
things that occurred during our humnsf
progress which . RssAt many ps0ple ala
not seem to understand. One ef thNm Waa
tho orRanism Of society. II Was i eSeae
deal like that Of the human svstsm, that u
had its periods Of hsalth and disease. 0ov-
srnments and forms Of governments had
their day, performed thsis mieSion and
passed away, good deal NE
same as matter of the vegetable wosld.
That new ideas and customs wsre ooaS
stantly appearing and erowAing old on q
away. Our govsrnmsns was No diNesent Y
from that Of hnadrsds Of others that ha 4
proceeded IL. That about every ~ often
the body politio became % diseased that u
had TO be purified. and shat hs knew 81 ID Y
two ways to do IL. One was BY oducatina
the people to adopt nav methods II ~
form OF laws and customs. in ! peaoeAble
and intelligent manner; thN other Wa the
upheaval Of society in violent forms OF rev.
olution. The progressive, earnest and
thouehtful portion of society always sn-
deavored to have the people br ing abOut
ths change by tbs former nsthodoI
the conservative element OF society In Alt
ages has had an adopted policy which 10 to
let we'll enough alone and let things drift,
and history informs ~ that In every Ii. !.
stance where this policy has bssn pursued
II has resulted in the uphsaval Of soCisty H.
violent revolution.
The lecturer said that no oalm and
thoughtful student could visw the present
unrest in society without coming % ihs
conclusion that this nation Of oars Wae
about approaching one OF those spocha
when change Ia our system OF Qoveyu-
ment must take place. There has not bssnj
day during the last four yesrs that ono
would not appear IN item staring him Il
the face recording struggle that
was taking place in one or more localities
between employers and employees, md
every year this struggle 10 getting bitteYVr
and bitterer. Az for himself. he could ndt
SEQ how the present system. known o. the
competitive system. which was the ca0ss "
existing evils, could much longer endure,
He believed that that system had "a ia,
He was not prepared to say what systom
would supercede it; he did not worry mueh
about that. He believed that when the
time came for the people 10 adopt IL, q
would be ready and would fit the occasion,
He had NO doubt the founders OF this row
ernment were honsst and sincere; that II
was their intention that this ROvsrnmsat In
fact, ~ we'll as in name, should bs SOW
eminent of the people, BY the peoplo and
for the people. But il had been 10 pfe.
vented from the original intent hy tho
founders. that ii had become goveYnreer1
OF corporations by corporations and 1ov
corporations. h FF9
It appeared to him that 4 small psscent.
age Of the population had through the oor-
government for the purpose pf plundsrina
the balance of the PEOPLE by law. n fact.
it could be truthfnlly said that these pcople
had made the laws and then stolen a6coi u
ing to law, and BY that means had kept ouA
of Jail. 'ssl lg h
Mr.. Reaumont was mot quite % ~itty ny
when here on the former occasion, but tha
serious and logical manner In which ~
attention of his audience, a.