The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-09-27

no doubt that nine-tenths of the men who
have fattened upon the industries Of this ma
ton through tariff taxation and through the
form Of national banks, religlously and con-
scientiously believe that they have right to
do so. They have fattened at the public crib
so long, they have been the recipients OF favors
through legislation so long, that they stand
up and honestly profess that they believe 1t
is for the public good to continue this state OF
affairs.
What hope is there for the poor man II he
depends upon legislation at the hands Of men
of that class, or of legislative body ma"
iority Of whose members are composed Of
such men? What hope is there for the COM
mon people Of this country, the great masses,
the great homes of this nation, If men who are
pecuniarly interested in the result Of legisla-
tion are to sit in judgment upon the prosperity
Of those homes? There is no hope; there can
be none. 1t is only when the people OF this
nation rise up in their might, as they will,
and change the laws and change the COM
plexion OF the senate of the United States and
the house of representatives that the interests
of the humber and the laboring masses OF the
ubglOu Will w pAOpOAAJ PAOVOSVON'
Mr. President, let me briefly call attention to
a question which has been mooted in the SEN
ate. We have been told that the Sherman act
and IL were the senior senator from Ohio
1 think should endeavor to get penal stat
ute passed against having any one call 1t "the
Sherman act"-has produced the panic which
has occurred. / do not suppose there is boy
in this nation fifteen years Of age, who has
studied this question, who honestly and sim
cerely believes that. We have been told by
senators here that it was the duty of the SEN
ate to come here and repeal the Sherman act,
and do nothing else.
1t was my teaching that this nation was
composed Of three great coordinate depart
ments, the executive, the judicial, and the
legislative, and that each Of these depart
ments was separate and distinct from the
other. That is the way have read the con-
stitution, and that is the doctrine have been
taught, and yet we are told here that 1t is the
duty of the United States senate to bow in
humble submission to the will Of the presi-
dent of the United States, who wants the
Sherman act repealed.
Who is the president Of the United States?
The representative of the people-nO more, no
less. If the people had designed that the
presidents will should be carried out, then
they would have devolved upon the presiden-
tial office the power to legislate for them.
1t is ours to legislate; it is ours to say what
shall be enacted into law; it is for the presi-
dent, exercising the duties of his Office, to
veto or approve, as he sees ft We ought to do
our duty, and, as far as l am concerned, shall
do that entirely regardless of whom 1t pleases
or displeases.
am here, Mr.. President, not representing
the president Of the United States. not repre-
senting any corporation, or any particular in
terest / am here representing in part one OF
the grandest young commonwealth Of this
nation, q commonwealth Of intelligent, active,
patriotic, Christian people. l am here, in the
/ second place, to represent in an enlarged
sense the entire interests Of my nation, which
are dear to my heart and no amount OF
clamor, no amount of scorn heaped upon me
or the party to which l belong, shall prevent
me from discharging my duty according to
the light have.
| What is the condition of the democratic
party and OF the republican party? Look at
the condition into which my friends on this
side of the chamber have got. They have been
declaring that they were in favor Of gold and
silver as the money Of the constitution; and
they are right in that declaration. They have
been getting the votes of the people, especially
Of late yearsupon that assertion. The demo
cratic party declared to the people at Chicago
that they were going to sustain both gold and
silver at proper parity in this nation as
money of final payment The people knew
that there was no hope for the republican
party. That party had declared so often that
they were going to do things which they did
not do that the people lost confidence in them