People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-07


nation, unsympathetic with the
popular needs would take its Wall
street greed for its impulse, It's unlim-
tied stretch of opportunity for its
field, it's Plnkerton Mercenaries for
its guards, and would loot this con-
tinent, all It's States, all It's Terrific
RES, all its trades, ali its professions,
all its cities, towns and hamlets, to
the Vanderbilt motto OF
@rHE PEOPLE BE DAMNED~
Not only have they made out our
case for US on the point of consoi-
dation, but also on the point of gov
eminent operation. They have fallen
out among themselves, the glutton-
Gus thieves, and scores Of the roads
have been thrown into the hands of
the United States Courts. The gov
eminent is running them.
They have asked the Federal
Courts to take the laborers by the
neck and hold them to the engines.
Inc courts nave QOno so.
Very stupid is that citizen who
will not conclude that if consolida-
ton be a good thing, if government
management, when asked by the
capitalists, be a good thing, if govern
ment control Of the tl4ins, engines
and laborers (when asked by the
capitalists) be a good thing-then
government management asked by
the laborers, asked by The people, is
equally as good a thing, and will
forever settle this eternal strife be-
tween INSCRIPTIONS corporations and
the subjects Of their rapacity.
JEFFERSON OPPOSES STANDING AR
MES AND NAvIEs IN TINE OF
PEACE.
One of those points upon which
Mr.. Jefferson most earnestly and
constantly insisted was that large
military and naval ablishment, in
time of peace, would be subversive
OF our liberties. He never lost an
opportunity to warn the people
against it. He also opposed the Gre
alton of numerous offices and the
extravagant expenditure of public
moneys.
Let me quote from Thomas Fl.
Benton's great work, Thirty Years
View :"
"The total number Of men in the
(navaI service in 1841 was a little
over 5000; the total cost about &c.
100000"
Mr. Benton protests against this
naval establishment as altogether toe
large and too costly. He shows
how it has been doubled since 1888
in direct opposition to Jefferson's
views, and the demands of the
country.
The population of the country at
the time Mr. Benton speaks of 1841)
was IL, 100000.
The Naval establishment cost 49,
100000.
To- day our population is 6O,000,-
600 and the navy costs us nearly
rnirty millions OF dollars, and they
are building new battle-ships all the
time.
For twenty-five years we have
had profound peace. The Ocean
waters that surrounded us, and the
teeming millions Of our population
make us absolutely secure against
foreign attack. Especially as every
European nation has its enemies at
home, who would profit by such ar
opportunity as an invasion of this
country would furnish.
Then why this eternal building Of
battle-ships costing about 100000
each ?
Simply to get upon the same foot
ing of class rule and class power
which prevails in Europe, which
our snobs and Goldfish aristocrats are
trying to copy and which they know
can only be maintained by strong
military equipment.
MODERN ECONOMY.
According to Mr.. Benton, the cur
rent expenses of our government
during Jefferson's administration
were about $3,500,000. The popu-
lation was then about 5000, 600
The cost of government was there
fore slightly less than sixty cents
apiece.
CAT the end of Monroe's admins
tration" (says Mr.. Benton) |'the ex-
penses had risen to S7,000,000."
This was in 1926. The popula-
ton VAS about II, 100000. The cost
of government to the people was.
therefore, less than seventy cent.
each.
"In the last year of Van Buren,
administration" (says Mr.. Benton)
'they had risen to about $13, 000,-
000."
This was in 1841. The popula-
ton was about II, 100000. The cost
of government was, therefore, about
seventy-tive cents per head.
To-day, the regular annual ex~
penses OF carrying on the govern
mental machinery is 100000, 900
The population being 60,000,000,
the cost of government is now nearly
screen dollars apiece.