The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-01-23
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OdAIOIul6tsX al 1OAo AA4AAs'~'
issued an address to the members
of the organization urging them te
withhold their signatures from petit
tons to Congress praying that body
to guarantee the bonds, amounting
to $1OO,OOO,OOO or more, Of the Mic
araqua canal. A bill for this pur-
pose was introduced in the last
Congress and failed to pass, but It
seems now that the schemers aim to
make certain of its passage by flood
ing this Congress with petitions
(if. they can get the signatures
signed by farmers and other classes
known to be opposed to subsidies
on principle. In this effort they
are seconded and aided by such in
fluential papers as they are able to
enlist in their service by deceit,
bribery or other means. Hence It
becomes important that farmers
like Mr.. Cannon, who understand
the situation, and ar6able to present
it's salient as we'll as its vulnerable
points to the country, should un-
dertake the task Of enlightening
their neighbors in relation to the
real animus Of the petitioners de-
mand and if possible defeat it. The
issue is one that cannot be met too
soon nor too firmly. Already class
legislation has transferred thous-
ands of millions of dollars from the
pockets of the producers to those
of the sharpers, and it is time they
were given to understand that not
another dollar Of public money is
to be given to the furtherance of
private enterprises.
! AS might have been expected, the
Examiner favors the subsidy, and
in attempting to refute Mr.. Can
mons address, which it has not the
ability to do, advances none but
the stock and scare-crow arguments
of the corporations. But we know
Mr.. Cannon too we'll to fear that he
will be deceived, or fail to enlighten
his people in regard to the frivolous
and false nature of the pretended
reasons advanced by either the
canal. company or their convinced"
newspapers. Mr.. Cannon is fully
and intelligently acquainted with
the purpose, nature, illegality and
inherent wrongfulness of subsidies.
He knows as we'll as any other pub
lie man Of our acquaintance that
they are one and all the resort of
knayes who seek to enrich them
selves through the unlawful channel
of public taxation. Hence this arti-
Gle is not written to defend Mr..
Cannon against the attack of the
nor to inform him in re-
gard to his duty and how to per-
form it in the case in hand, but to
try to make point against a great
wrong likely to be done by the
Congress now in session.
After admitting the validity Of
Mr.. Cannon's arguments as against
the subsidization of railroads in
general and the Central Pacific in
particular, the Examiner attempts |
20 differentiate canal from railroad |
subsidies by statements which, if |
hey deceive that paper, We feel con-
ident will fail to deceive the con-
,emned farmer. 1.-The dishonesty
If the aided roads," says the Exam
ner, "has planted in the popular
mind just distaste for the extern
ZION of analogous help to. other
transportation companies, under or
linary circumstances" The phrase
under ordinary circumstances, as
must be plainly seen, being adroitly
ldded to the already completed SEN
ence to convey to the readers mind
he idea that there are extraordinary
circumstances under which public
i'd should be granted to private
Enterprises, and that the Nicaragua
ANAL is one of those extraordinary
circumstances. Having fixed that
n the mind of the reader strong
Joint would be gained::- But the Elk:
miner reasoned from false prem
SEES throughout the whole of the
bove quotation. The people of the
United States would not refuse to
10 right because one or a dozen
operations had abused their conf
ence and misused their generosity.
We're it right to grant subsidies to
rivate enterprises they would grant
hem and find a way to punish the
7rong doors; but the fact is the
eople whom the Examiner slurs
y charging that they would refuse
just subsidy through anger or
pite at a few rascally railroad COM
anies, are beginning to learn that
II public aid to private undertak-
ngs are dangerous and unconsti
utional abuses of the taxing power,
nd they oppose them on principle,
OF for spite nor through. anger. 1t
nables the favored. few. to live in
luxury and splendor, at
be cost and off the earnings Of the
axed many whose earnings at best
re inadequate to decent support
{ themselves and their families,
nd whose lives are, per force, lives
t drudging righteousness, haunt
d by continual, harassing fears of