Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-09-08
SENATORIAL INCONSISTENCY.

SENATORIAL INCONSISTENCY.
Senators Stewart and Jones repre-
sent the little state OF Neveda in the
United States senate. They represent a
state that has less than $4,000 people.
They represent a state that has lost over
30 per cent. of her population in thirteen
years. She has 10000 less people to-day
than she had in 1880. These two II
tors have the same voice in the United
States senate that New York and Penn
sylvania have with 1875 times as many
people; the same power as Illinois with
a population s. times greater; the same
voice as Indiana, Michigan, Missouri,
Massachusetts and Texas with from so
to IS times the population each. There
are very good reasons why the small
states should have this power in the
upper house of congress, but in the xer
else of this power these states should be
extremely cautious. 1t is a tremendous
advantage, and if abused it in possible
by a combination in the United States
senate to block beneficial legislation for
the masses, or to fatally cripple the
wealthier and more populous commune
ties. 1t is possible to legislate maxi
mum Of goodto the minimum of people
which is contrary to the we'll being of
the country at large, which demands
the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der. Senators Stewart and Jones are
just now rampant free silver men wholly
and solely because it will benefit the
$4,000 people of Nevada of which only
1900 are voters. The record of these
men illustrates their inconsistency. In
the United Statos senate in 1874 Senator
Stewart said:
l want the standard gold, and no paper
money that is not redeemable III gold
y = and when the laboring man re.
ceives q dollar It will have the purchasing
power of a dollar, ana he will not be called
upon to 90 what is impossible for him or
the producing classes to do. figure upon
the exchanges, figure upon the tluctua-
tons, figure upon tina gambling in New
York, but he will know what his money is
worth. Gold is the universal standard OF
the world.
In the same year Senator Jones arose.
in his seat ard with great earnestness
and regard for all the p%eople-not
merely the silver producers for whom he
s~peaks-said:
Does this congress mean now to leave
entirely out of view and discard forever a
standard OF valuey Did any country ever
accumulate wealth, achieve greatness. or
attain a high civil zatiOn without such a
standard? What other thing on; earth pos
sesses the requisite qnalitiesy Gold is tine
articulation Of commerce. 1t is the most
potent agent IF civilization. It is gold that
has lifted the nations from basbarisB. SO
. measure is it OF human effort that
when it is exclusively used as q money it
the very hahit of honesty 1t
neither deals in or tolerzaes false pretenses.
IL cannot lie. 1t keeps its promises to the
rich and poor alike.
These were the patriotic worGBo Of the
distinguished gentleman. from Neveaa
in EA and both of these gentlemen
voted for tine bill of 1873 which they
ars now ~denouncing as the result Of a
conspiracy" The meaoin the Cocoa
nut is the fact that in 1eE3'the silver irs.
dustry was not nearly so important as 5s
is now. Senator Jones and Stewart
speak we'll for their constituents, but
do they speak we'll fsr the people OF
the United States-the laborer and the
agricultursGst? Is there any good
reason why the government should be
Obliged to pprcbase all the products Of
the silver mines at the highest market
price, II so why shouldn't the govern
ment also parchase all the what the
North Dakota farmer can raise?