Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Nev. County, Ark.) 1885-1???, 1892-03-17
PROTECTION INCOMPATIBLE
WITH PURE GOVERNMENT.

question that is seldom presented in
speeches from the hustings or in de-
/ bates in Congress, and that Is its
moral effect. Usual ly we discuss it
as a system of class taxation, or as a
burden upon our industries and a
stumbling block to our material
prosperity. We endeavor to excite
hostility against Protection because
of the dollars and cents it takes from
us and the dollars and cents it pre-
vents us from getting. This is right
enough and always timely. For
either reason we have most substan-
tial grounds of opposition and of
constant war upon the system.
But it is we'll, occasionally, to in
qure into the effect of such sys-
tenn on the workings of our institu-
tions.
IltC SONCl 10 ilN ioi 'tSoS VI
all governments to run. If this
we're not so there would be more free
governments in the world. A free
government is one that derives all its
powers from the grant of the people,
aud exercises these powers as the
servant trustee of all the people,
never for the benefit of part with
out injustice and wrong to all the
rest.
Protection is partnership be-
tween the Government and a part
when narrowly scanned, small
part-sf the people, in the use and
enjoyment of the power of taxation
over all the rest.
1t was the attempt in the begin,
ming of eur Union by the first Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, who was a dis
believer in free government, to bring
about that traditional partnership be-
tween the Government and the So
called money power that called at
once into full and vigorous existence
the great political party whose chief
duty for hundred years has been
to oppose and prevent such partner
ship.
The theory of Democracy, as ex-
pressed by Mr.. Randolph Tucker,
is the maximum of liberty, with the
minimum of power consistent with
preservation of our just rights.
The Democratic party, therefore,
when true to itself, has always been
grudging in its grant Of powers to
government, and always in favor of
keeping government as simple in its
operations aud as severely frugal in
its expenditures as is consistent with
the proper discharge of the duties
committed to it by the people.
The greater the power entrusted
to it, and the larger the purse pro-
vided for it, the greater the tempta-
ton of those who administer it to
use the power of the purse for their
own benefit, the benefit Of a class,
or at most of Il party, instead Of
using them for the common good
alone
The doctrine of Protection is in
direct opposition to Democratic
ideas. The system Of protection
makes unrelentlng war against SIM
pie, honest government.
1t teaches that this common serv-
ant of us all, having no power and
no money except what it holds as
the trustee of all, has the right and
duty to bestow favors, bountics,
bOuuSCoi SuboitiCS pilCCt anu ihbt-
rect on favored classes. 1t inevitably
therefore raises up powerful selfish
interests which struggle to get con
| troll of the Government in order to-
secure these favors, bounties and
subsidies for their own enrichment.
1t thus introduces into elections
bribery and intimidation. The
immense sums contributed to cam
paign committees, the harsh and
watchful intimidation of voters, these
come directly from those whose pri-
vate money interest in party success
is so much greater than their interest
in pure government that they en-
tirely lose sigh or regard for the lat
ter.
We shall never be free from bribe-
ry, corruption, blocks-of-live intimi-
dation, aud all the train of poison.
Gus il nuences. hat threaten the suf-
frage. "a, long aa m"n are tempted TO
slrugg for the possession of the
taxing power as source of business
prosperity and personal riches.
But are not only tainted elections
the natural and universal fruit OF