St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-10-14
"AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE,
For the st. Landry Democrat.

For the st. Landry Democrat
Under the above caption the Times Democrat
Of the I'd inst. tells us that Representative
Cooper, OF Texas, makes very plausible pro-
position to Congress" to submit tie question OF
silver coinage to the vote of the people The
I'D. says this would be advantageous. for it
wonld enable us to know at once what the peo-
pie want" The I'D. refers TO The fact that in
England, France and Switzerland it would be
possible to do this; and while that paper ad.
llits the necessity of the proposition and the
advantages to accrue from carrying it into eff
feet: and while it seems to admire the English,
French and Swiss customs, yet i'll this as in
everything else where the advantage of the
people is to be served, the I'D. like all tho big
dai!ies bars the road with a "but" The I'D
does not literally say "but;" it puts it in more
words and says our system does not allow
ihis"! What system7 The Wall street system!
The official spoil system, by which the august
{sio United States Senate has been debauched
and seduccd from duty to the people, to pauder
70 the wishes OF foreign aud domeltic money
changers
When the 4. D. says our system does not al.
low" questions of the gravest interest to be
submitted to the people, it surely does not
mean that the Constitution forbids it. The T.
ID. can only mean that no express provision is
That being the case, the System" heretofore
invoked in thousands of cases under the gen
cral welfare clause might be advantageous
hot absolutely certaiE) it would be tried if our
masters did not know beyond peradventuro
that the free coinage of silver in the ratio Of 16
never been ,equalcd in any expression Of the
peoples will.
ri the Constitution does forbid obtaining the
sense OF the people on such grave questions il
is only Gl0te7' argument for the revision OF the
grand old instrument, which is imperatiyeJy
demanded by our continually expanding civil
ization.
Our fathers had a political problem presented
to them such as had never been presented tn
the world before. The erection OF govern
mental structure far in advance of anything
ever dreamed of by men, but one that was de-
manted by the world, as the result of a quick
ened civilization that was itself the result OF
ttle two mightieSt events since the birth oP
Christ: the invention of the printing press and |
the discovery of America. |
The emergency in the worlds history was |
grand and critical; the work to be done was
grand beyond precedent; it required grand |
men FOR Its accomplishment, and grand WAS the
result in our Constitution. But, as the men of |
no epoch have ever been able to lesislate To |
suit all Of the worlds-or given country's- |
Constitution Is found to fall short of the re-
quircments of the next era of our history which
we are just entering.
1t is true that we might continue to reanedy |
many omissions under the general welfare
clause; but when we remember tho wards az
proposed for the benefit of the peopie every
proposition that human senatorial wisdom car
suggest brlstIes with constitutional obiections,'
WY tnen Il becomes plain that q fundamental |
l.tw is needed that shall more explicitly pro.
wac Tor our advanced requirements
Ine Ed. says that Fir. GoOper's proposition |
g . opposed to precedent and even to The nrir
clpies or TINS government and will at course
De rejected, but 1t will serve IL good purpose if
2 Calls attentlon TO the deficiencies OF our sys.
shades Ut Jefferson aud the fathers OF DemocI;..
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