People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-17
.ow CITIzENs-m

service under the sanction of sol
emn oath, deeply moved by the ex-
pressiOns of confidence and personal
attachment which has called me to
their service and am sure my graft
tude can make no better return than
the pledge | now give before God
and these witnesses, of unreserved
and complete devotion to the inter-
ests and welfare of those who have
honored me; and | deem it fitting on
this occasion, while indicating the
opinions | hold concerning public
questions Of present Importance, to
also refer to the existence of certain
conditions and tendencies among our
people which seem to menace the in
tegrity and usefulness of the govern
ment.
While every American citizen
must contemplate with the utmost
pride and enthusiasm the growth and
expansion Of our country, the sufi-
cheney Of Institutions to stand against
the rudest shocks of violence, the
wonderfully def enterprise of our
people and the demonstrated superb
Ority of a free government, it be-
hooves us to constantly watch for
every symptom of the insidious in
trinity that threatens our national
vigor. The strong man who in the
confidence of sturdy health courts
the sternest activity of life and re-
joices In tho hardihood of constant
labor may still have lurking near his
vitals an unheeded disease that
dooms him to collapse. 1t cannot
be doubted that our stupendous
achievements as a people and our
country's robust strength have given
rise to heedlessness of those laws
governing our national health which
we can no more evade than human
life can escape the law a nature.
Manifestly, nothing is more vital
to our supremacy as nation and to
the benefcent purpose of our gov
eminent than a sound and stable
currency. It's exposure to degrade
ton should at once arouse to activity
the most enlightened craftsmanship,
and the danger of depreciation in
the purchasing power OF the wages
paid to toll should furnish the strong
est incentive to prompt and conserva-
tive perception. In dealing with our
present embarrassing situation as re-
lated to this subject we will be wise
If we temper our confidence and
Faith in our national strength and re-
sources with frank concession that
even these will not permit us to defy
with impunity the memorable. laws of
finance and trade. At the same time,
in our efforts to adjust differences
of opinion, we should be free from
intolerance or passion, and our judg-
ments should be unmoved by allur-
ing phrases and unswayed by selfish
interests. [ am confident that such
an approach to the subject will result
in prudent and effectual remedial
legislation, and in the meantime, so
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 or avoid financial dis
aster.
Closely related to the exaggerated
confidence in our country's greatness
which tend to the disregard of the
rules of national safety, another dan
ger confronts us not less serious. |
refer to the prevalence of a popular
disposition to expect from the opera
Jon of the government especial and
direct individual advantages. The
verdict of our voters, which con-
demned the injustice of the mainten-
ance of protection for projections
sake, enjoins upon the peoples ser
wants the duty of exposing and de-
stroying the brood of kindred evils
which are the unwholesome progeny
of paternaIsm. This is the bane of
republican institutions, and the con-
slant peril of our government by the
people. 1t degrades to the purposes
of willy craft the plain rule our faith
ers established and bequeathed to us
as an object for our love and venera-
ton. 1t perverts the patriotic senti-
ment of our countrymen and tempts
them to pitiful calculation of sordid
gain to be derived from their govern
ment's maintenance, 1t undermines
the self reliance of our people and
substitutes in It's place dependence
upon governmental favoritism. 1t
STILES the spirit of true Americanism
and stupefes every ennobling trait Of
American citizenship.
The lessons of paternalism ought
to be unlearned and the better lesson
taught that while the people should |
particularly and cheerfully support |
their government, its functions do
not include the support of the people.
The acceptance of this principle leads |
to the refusal of the bounties and |
subsidies which burden the labor and
thrift of a portion of our citizens for
trades i'll advised or languishing en-
terprises in which they have no con-
Germ. 1t leads also to challenge of