The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-12-30
THE ExAcTIoNs OF rYRANrs
Tho Only Anchor and Safeguard to q
National Existence.

The Only Anchor and Safeguard to 4
National Existence.
No government is safe unless protected
by the goodwill of the people.-Nepos.
So it was written many centuries
ago. and history and time have en-
phasized the truth of the saying in
many countries and climes The
more ignorant the masses the more
submissive they are to the abuses and
exactions Of tyrants under the law,
but history furnishes abundant evil
dence in revolts and warfares that
even in countries where the peasantry
depended entirely upon the DISPOSE
ton of landhoiders for bare subsist-
ence-thought of competency never
en-, ering their beclouded minds and
where artisans were willing in
the exercise o: supposed duty
to the government to hand over to
the officials every cent of the earn
ings above the commonest living
the burden became unbearable. Gov
eminent greed IS Unsuitable greed.
When departure is taken from
simple FORMS when govern
ment ceases to be administered
economically, when opulence and
wealth instead of patriotism become
the chief incentive to Office seeking
If. indeed. the Office should not al
ways seek the man-when legislation
is so directed that favored few build
up enormous fortunes at the expense
OF the many. seeds of corruption are
sown that will inevitably work ruin
to any nation. no matter upon what
grand principles founded or achieve
ments boasted. AS long as govern
ment depends upon the good will of the
people its stabilityis assured. and no
injustice will be attempted The people
will be filed with that patriotism.
which forms the only anchor and safe
guard to national existence. When the,
slaveholding aristocracy of this coun
try. with all its arrogance corruption
and seltishness OF purpose was subdued
every true patriot exclaimed: ''Thank
God, the Republic has passed the
crucial test its experimental period"
But time has demonstrated that the
grand victory of right ,cr wrong
won by the people-men of the farm,
factory workshop and mill-was not
such great victory after all. since
upon the foundation of one overshad-
owing evil dismantled at frightful
cost of life and treasure. another not
bounded by geographical lines is
erecting itself more dangerous than
the first. The same method adopted
by the Southern aristocracy to enlarge
and strengthen itself has in part been
adopted by this new and more dam
gerous element in our national life;
j. e.. the control of ma
tional legislation and state legislation
were practicable. Several methods
have been adopted to secure this:
fraud and intimidation at the ballot.
boz. and corruption of Legislators.
and the purchase of executives. 1t is
not always that money is directly en-
ployed that oT;c.als are bought out
right but contributions of hundreds
Of thousands of dollars for campaign
purposes are made by moneyed mag
Mates created by class Legislation,
and the obligations are such that they
cannot be ignored. All this legisla-
ton. sugar coat it as they may, is di-
rected against the people-the pre-
ponderating mass of which the labor
ing men and women form the greater
part-and not until the latter are fully
aroused to sense of danger which
threatens them and the country they
preserved--aroused as once before
they were aroused when the cannon of
Sumpter called the nation to action
will they respond; ana then perhaps
it may be too late as through subtitle
legislation already enacted and con-
templated their means of redress, the
ballot will be so surrounded by pluto.
cratic influences and federal restraint
as to make a fair and free ballot i'm
poss BILE. Profiting by the experience
of the slave holding aristocracy, the
Goulds, the Vanderbilts. the Carne-
gies and tricks and the few
thousands of their class who control
the financial policy. the Industries
and the transportation of, the
country will quietly lay hold of the
different arms of government-al-
ready their power is visible with
some and when the ballot is rem
dered impotent as a means of break
ing their hold. nothing will be left
for the people to do but to submit as
the interests they control are varied
reaching into every state and terri
tory and backed by quietly organ
lied. but formidable national guard.
which is being increased every year
for no apparent purpose unless for
use in such contingency that physical
resistance may be out Of the question
because there could be no concentra-
ton of forces for such purpose AL
most too long have the people slum-
bered in fancied security. says the
Labor Signal and unless they are.
aroused to the dangers that threaten
and act the closing pages of the
history Of the American r,epublic may.
read like those Of other republics.
whose lives covered far greater
numb Der OF years than have ours and
whose downfall was brought about by
the same causes that threaten ours.
namely. legislation in favor of the few
against the many. the building up of
u moneyed aristocracy by means of
subsidies and special privileges. and
all at the expense Of what is termed
the laboring ana middle classes.
Will the people never think or act?
Werrk of tie Al lance.