The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-03-10
CLEVELAND'S INAUGURAL,

expression OF confidence and personal attach
ment which has called me to this service, am
sure my gratitude can make no better return
than the pledge now give before God and
these witnesses of umrya c'N ed and con- pietc de-
Votlon to the interests and welfare OF those
who have honorcd me.
Il deem ii iiitmg on this occasion. while in
dicatng the opinions 1 hold concerniu;; public
questions of pre- sent iinpC rtanCc, also to briefly
refer to the existence Of certain condtiO ions ana
tendencies among our people which seem to
menace the integrity and usefulness OF their
government While every American citizen
must contemplate with the utmost pride and
enthusiasm the growth and expansion of orr
country, the Sllificiency Of our institutions to
stand against the rudest shocks 81 violence, the
wonderful thrift and enterprise of our people,
and the demonstrated superiority of Our free
government, it bchOOVeS us to constantly
watch for every symptom of insdiOus niirn-
ity that threatens our national yigor.
The strong man who in the confidence of
sturdy health courts the Sternest activities of
life and rCjOiccS in the hardwood OF constant
labor may still have lurking near his vitals the
unheeded disease that dooms him to sudden
collapse. 1t cannot be doubted that our
stupendoGS achievements us II people and our
country's robust strength have given rise to Il
heedlessness of those laws governing our ma
tiOnal health, which we can no more eVadc
than human life can escape the laws OF God
and nature.
"Maniicstly nothing is more Sital to our su-
premacy II nation and to the beneticent pur-
poses OF our government than Il sound aud
stable currency. Its exposure TO degradation
should at once arouse to activity the most en-
lightened craftsmanship, and the danger of de-
probation i'll the purchasing power of the
wages paid to toll should furnish the strongest
incentive to prompt and conservative precaG-
ton.
ain dealing with our present embarrassing
situation us related to this subject we viii lie
wise if we temper our confidence and faith i'll
our national strength and resources with the
frank concession that even these will not per-
init us to defy with imPunity the memorable
in our efforts to adjust differences OF opinion,
we should be free from Intolerance and passion
AM. our judgments should be unmoved by al
Turing phrases and unveXed by selfish interests.
| ann confident that such an approach to the
subject will result i'll prudent and effective rem
edal Legislation. In the meantime, 50 far as
the executive branch of the government can
intervene, none of the powers with which it is
invested will be withheld when their exercise
is deemed necessary to maintain our national
credit avert financial disaster.
Closely related to the exaggerated conf
dence in our country's greatness which tends
to disregard of the rules of national safety,
another danger confrontS us not less serious.
l refer to the prevalence of II popular DISPOSE
ton to expect from the operation Of the govern
mcnt especial and direct individual adNan-
tages The verdict of our voters which con-
demned the injustice OF maintaining protection
for projections sake enJolls upon the peoples
servants the duty of exposing and destroying
the brood of kindred evils which are the I'M
wholesome progeny of patcrnaiism.
This is the bane of Republican institutions
and the constant peril of our Cover nment by
the people. 1t degrades for the purpose of
willy craft the plan of rule our fathers eStab-
lished and bequcathed to us as an object of
our love and EeneratiOn. 1t pervertS the
patriotic sentiment OF our cOuntrymen and
tempts them to Il pitiful calculation of the
sOrdid gain to be derived from their govern
ment's maintenance. Ii undermineS the self
reliance of our people and substitutes i'll its
place dependence upon governmental favor
itsm. 1t STILES the spirit of true AmcricaniSm
and stupeheS every ennoDliGg trait OF Ameri-
cun citizenship.
The lessons of paternalism ought to be I'M
learned and the better lesson tau iyht. that while
the DEODe should patfiOJ tCllly and cnepriullN
support their government its functions do not
includet the supporter the people. The accept.
ance of this principle leads to refusal of
bountieS and subsidies which burden the labor
and thrift of portion of citizens to aid ILL
advised or languShing enterprises i'll which
they have no concern. 1t leads also to Il chai-
lengc OF wild and eckleSs pension expenditure
which overleaps the bounds of grateful rccog-
ialtion of patriotic service, and prostitutes to
vicious uses the peoples prompt and generous
impulse TO aid those disabled i'll their country's
defense. Every thoughtful American must
realize The Importance of checking, ut its be-
ginning, any tendency i'll public or private sta
tion TO regard Ifugality and economy us virtues
which we may safely outgrOw. The liberation
OF this idea results III the waste of the peoples
money by their chosen servants and encoGr-
ages prOdigaiitN and extravaganza i'll the home
life of our countrymen.
Under our SCI eme of government the waste
of public money is Il crime against the citizen;
and the contempt ut our people for economy
ana fruguiity i'll their personal affairs deplor-
ably saps the strength and sturdincSS of our
national character. 1t is Il plain dictate of
honesty and good government that public eN-
penditlIres should be limited by public neceS-
Sity, and that this should be measured by the
rules of strict economy; and it is equally clear
that trusality among the people is the best
guarantee of II cOntented and strong support
of free institutions.
'Onc mode of the misrepresentation of pub
lie funds is avoided when appointments to
office, instead OF being the rewards of partisan
activity, are awarded to those whose efficiency
promises IL fair return of work for the compen-
sation paid to tlTem. TO secure the fitness and
competency of appointees to Office and to re-
move from political action the demoraliZing
madness for spois, the civil-servicc reform has
found Il place i'll our public policy and laws.
The benefits already gained through this instrlI-
mentality and the further usefulness il prom
ises entitle it to the hearty support and encour-
agement of all who desire to see our public SER
vice well performed, or Hho hope for the elev:i-
ton OF Political sentiment and the publication
of political methods.
''rhe existence of immense aggrcgations of
kindred enterprises and combinations of bust
ness interests, formed for the purpose of limit
ing production and fixing prices, is inconsistent
with the fair field which ought to be open to
every independent activity. Legitimate strife
in business should not be superseded by an en-
forced concession to the demands Of conIbinu-
tons that have the power to destroy, nor should
the people to be served lose the benefit of
cheapnesS which usually results from whole
some competition. These aggregations and
ordinations frequently constitute conSpira-
cieS against the interests Of the people, and i'll
all their phases they are unnatural and oppos-
ed to our American sense of fairness.
TO the extent that they can be reached and
restrained by federal power the general govern
ment should relieve our citizens from their in
reference and eXactions Loyaltyt TO the prn-
cipies upon which our government rests posi-
lively demands that the equality before the
law which it guarantees to every citizen should
be justly and fairly conceded i'll all parts of the
land. The enjoyment of this right follows the
badge of citizenship wherever found, and, I'M
impaired by race or color, it appeals for recog-
milton to American munliness and fairness.
Our relations with The Indians located with
inn
We cannot escape. Humanity and consistency
require us to treat them with fOrbearancc and
in our dealings with them to honestly and con-
Sidcrately regard their rights and interests.
Every effort should be made to lead them,
through the paths of civilization and education
to self-Supporting and independent citizenship.
In the meantime, rs the nations wards, they
should be promptly defended against the cupid
ity of designing men and shielded from every
influence or temptation that rctards their adj
vancement.
1.-The people of the United States have de-
creed that on this day the control of their gov
eminent in its legislative and executive
branches shall be given to Il political party
pledged in the most positive terms to the ac-
complishment of tariff reform. They have
thus determined in favor of Il more Just and
equitable system of federal taxation. The
agents they have chosen to carry out their pur-
poses are bound by their promises, not less
than by the commands of their masters, to de-
vote themselves unremittingly to this service
while there should be no surrender of prin-
ciple, our task must be undertaken wisely and
without vindictiveness. Our mission is not
punishment, but the rectiiicdtop OF wrongs
If, in lifting burdens from the daily life OF our
people, we reduce inordinate and unequal adj
vantages too long enjoyed, this is but Il neces-
sary incident OF our return to right and justice
If we exact from unwilling minds acquiescence
in the theory OF an honest Distribution of the
funds of governmental beneticcnce treasured
up for all, we but insist upon Il principle which
underilcs our free institutions. When we tear
aside the deiuSions and misconceptions which
have blinded our countrymen to their cOndi-
ton under vicious tariff laws, we but show
them how far they have been led away from
the paths of cOntentnent and prosperity.
when we proclaim that the necessity for
revenue 20 support the government furnishes
the only justification for taxing the people, we
announce truth so plain that its denial would
seem to indicate the extent to which Judgment
may be influenced by familiarity VITA the per-
versions of the taxing power and when we
seek to reinStutc the SclT-contidence and bust
ness enterprise of our citizens by diSGrediing
an abject dependence upon goyernuental favor
we strive to stint iate those elements OF Ameri-
can character which support the hope of Amer
lean achievement.
MY anxiety for the redemption of the
pledges which my party has made and solicit
tude for the complete Justification of the trust
the people have rcposed i'll us constran me to
remind those with, whom | am to cooperate |
that we can succeed in doing the work which |
has been especially set before us only by the |
most sincere, harmonious and disintcrested eff |
fort. Even il insuperablc obstacles and oppo- |
sitiOn prevent the contamination of our task |
we shall hardly be excused, and if failure can |
be traced to our fault or neglect we may be |
sure the people Will hold us TO a swift and eN-
acting accountability.
The oath now take to preserve protect |
and defend the constitution of the United !
States not only impressivcly defines the great |
lassume, but suggests obedience |
to constitutional commands as the rule by |
which my official conduct must be guided. I |
shall, to the best of my ability, and within my |
sphere of duty, preserve the constitution by
loyalty protecting every grant of federal power
it contains, by defending all its restraints when
attacked by impatiencc and rcstlessness, and
by enforcing its limitations and reservations in