The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-01-11


vidual rather than to become his master.
Government is voluntary union for tina
common good. 1t guarantees to the in
dividual life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness. The government then must
make it possible for the citizen to live bv
his own labor. The government must
make it possible for the citizen to enjoy
liberty and pursue happiness. If tho
government fails of these things it fails
in its mission. 1t ceases TO be Of ad-
vantage to the citizen; he is absolved
from his allegiance, and is no longer held
by the civil compact. 'It old men 20 to
the poor house and the young men 90 TO
prison, something ia wrong with the
economic system Of the government
And what is the state to him who tolls.
if labor is denied him, and his children
cry for breadg
Talk to the winds. and reason with degpaIr.
But tell not misery's sons that life is fair?
"What IS the state to the farmer who
wearily drags himself from dawn till
dark to n eet the stern necessities OF the
mortgage on the farm? What is the
state to him, il it sanctions misery and
other legal forms ty which his home ia
destroyed, and his innocent ones become
a prey to the fiends who lurk in the
shadows Of civilization?
"What is the state to the business
man, early grown gray, broken in health
and spirit by the successive failures.
anxiety like boding owl his constant
companion by day, and the disturber Of
his dreams by nightg How is life to be
sustained, how is liberty to be enjoyed,
how is happiness to be pursued under
such adverse conditions as the state per
mits If it does not sanction?
" Is the state powerless against these
conditions? Then the state has failed
and our boasted civil compact isa hollow
mockery. But government is not fail
ure, and the state has not been con-
structed in vain. This is the generation
which hes come to the rescue. Those Ia
distress who cry out from the darkness
shall not be heard in vain. Conscience ia
in the saddle; we have leaped the bloody
chasm and entered q contest for the pro-
lection Of home, humanity and the dig
nifty Of labor. The grandeur Of civiliz8-
tion shall be emphasized by the dawn OF
a new era, in which the people shall
reign. And il found necessary, they will
"expand the powers Of government to
solve the enigmRs of the times" The
people are greater than the law or the
statutes, and when q nation sets its
heart on doing great and good thing it
can find legal way to do it.
"The old may for time stand in the
wav of the new, but the old must yield.
Every age and every epoch is marked
with conflict The lines may waver, but
victory is to the new and the true. In
it's general course the great march OF
human destiny is forward. The wind
ing stream NAV return upon itself, but
the channel still makes progress toward
the sea. Egyptian civilization passed
away, but lived in Jewish history. The
persecuted Christians were scattered to
the four winds, but like the seed waited
on the breeze their principles took root
on evil soil. Rome tri implied and passed
away, but the world inherited the re-
suits Of their brilliant achievements.
"Thus Alexander conquered and gave
added impulse to intellectual life. Thus
Bonapsrte enthroned the idea Of gov
ernment Of the people, and Washington
exalted human liberty. have dream
of the future. l have an enduring faith,
the evolution Of an abiding faith in hu-
man government. And in the beautiful
visions Of coming time behold the
abolition OF poverty. A time Is coming
when the Withered hand Of want ahaN
not be outstretched for charity, when
liberty. equality and justice shall have
abiding places in this re-
public"