Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-04-12
GOOD GOVERNMENT.
Ths Chief Aim of the Democratic AdmII
tseration-

in Chicago on the evening of Tuesday.
April 2. at grand banquet in memory
of Thomas Jefferson, the father OF dem
oerats- Many democrats OF national
reputation were present and spoke
upon the leading political questions Of
the day. Among them was John E
Russell, of Massachusetts,. who, in re-
Spouse to the toast. THE Admins
tration, Vigorous, Fearless. Democrat
ic,~ said:
~MR- PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN: The fed
eFsl elections during the last admins ira ton
show that as soon as the policy OF the party In
power was developed it lost the confidence OF
the people and was discredited and repudiated
to the end
1.-The pressing necessity for repeal of all the
fiscal legislation OF that period of reaction has
led 10 disQuiet which now makes all delibera-
tion seem SLOW We must judge the v1gor of
the administration not by this natural inps-
ueaee OF the people but by comparison with
other years
1T Is year last month since our party as
sumed the responsibility of government under
circumstances which could not be more dis
coursgtng in time of peace Four yeaes previ-
Gus Mr.. Cleveland had given the chair to his
successor with only one pressing difhculty-eX-
cessfve taxation creating large treasury sur
plus This condition had been clearly put BE-
fore the country in the famous message 70 the
F1ftieth congress, which responded By the pas
sage Of the Mills bill, sslutary measure re-
1ected by the republican senate
Our opponsnts met the condition In their
way and at the end Of four years We return TO
change Of affairs so radical that the recital
seems Incredible a treasury without dollar
OF working balance and loaded with obligations
deep bedded in laws; tarin which has taken
the name of its author because 1t is his tnven-
ton of a new system TO increase burdens while
u reduces revenue by turning the stream OF
taxes from the peoples treasury TO the pockets
of individuals. corporations and trusts.
THE financial legislation, bearing the name
of Mr- Sherman, had worked adversely to the
expectation OF its trainers and had so impaired
our credit abroad that our stock markets we're
breaking down with securities sold for foreign
account and financial panic was well
under way. These were the conditions Mr..
Cleveland and his cabinet were called 10 face.
Never did the people expect so much; there
must be economy to mske up four years OF
| waste; confidence, chilled by reckless financial
measures. was to be warmed to life; trade. 1T
full and feverish from excessive stimulation,
was TO be restored TO calm health, and ours
is q government not OF men, but of laws and
law is the fruit OF wise delay, time was neces-
sary
Through the whole administration of Mr..
Harrison there had been steady decline IN the
values OF agricultural products and in the rail-
way trsfhc Of every part Of the country. The
| iron and steel market the barometer OF public
! prosperity, had fallen until ons-thiTd of the
furnsoes OF the country we're cold But no fair
politician would attribute this solely TO law, or
| lack of It
| ..Unwise and extravagant as the legislation
of the Fifty first congress was, prodigal its
! appropriations for PENSIONS bounties, subst
! dies and public buildings, there were other and
deeper, causes at work, involving the whole civ
ilized world, so closely the nations bound
i together in financial relations that under any
( laws the currents of our trade would have been
disturbed and we could not avoid our share Of
the distress which has spared no part of the
/ trading world.
1T is the common cry of partisanship 10 at
tribute the troubles of the past year to an cleo
lion which implied reduction of the taxes OF
the people II this were true, If in the second
| century u our government popular election
! cannot be held and a change made in obedience
! 70 the will Of great majority Of the electors
without ruin TO the business of the country,
then our institutions failure No thought
full, no patriotic citizen will make such an as
sertion.-
The business OF the country is not carried
on by political parties; 1t is based upon the re-
! sources of the continent upon the farm, the
| forest and the mine, and the daily toll of hum
| BILE men When the farmer OF the south. feel-
| ing the airs Of the warm gulf, and looking out
! upon the whitening cotton field, cries in dis
| tress, aud Is answered by the northwestern
wheat grower who stands upon his mortgagrd
| farm, hopeless debtor amid his golden
| sheaves, there are deep causes OF trouble that
only the shallow politician or tbs partisan OF
the hour would attribute TO the changes sug-
Res ted by an election
| .Ths determination of the people expressed
IN several elections o eQualiZe taxation and
curb the power of privilege has not caused the
fall In the price of iron or OF silver. II the
! whole fabric of protection was swept away in
our population who may possibly derive some
benefit from 1t there would be no difference In
the value OF the crops Of the country.
I'VE are dependent upon the worlds market
and the world In this generation has become g
small planet The submarine cable, the screw,
propelling an immense steel ship and the Suez
canal have brought all lands into daily
| market and the prehist oric races OF the cas- [,
! h6rAditv
origin, jostle US in the worlds markets The
millions who from time immemoriai have
crouched OF the ground floor OF a bamboo hut
in bronze nekednSsss eating handful OF rice,
have their wheat and cotton handled by railway
and steamer, and compete with the products
of soil in the worlds markets. The result
of such competition was shown on the prod uce
EXCHANGE of this splendid city, which is the ere
alton of American farming. This condition.
i which has not been prevented by the power Of
protective tariffs, has not come suddenly. II
has been the work OF years speak OF 1t as 3
part OF that serious embarrassment Difficult
ties which no administrs ton since Lincoln
f, FIRST took ONCE has had TO meet, and which we
| are called upon 70 relieve by economy IN ex-
: penditure, and by such changes of revenue
laws Will fulfill 50 far as possible. these
! democratic maxims-that all the money the
people pay In taxes the government should re-
ceive; that taxes should be so laid as 10 bear
equally upon all parts of the country
! I'm times OF public dis stress and sharp parh
san criticism. IL Is hard TO comply with the i'm
patience OF the people; but assert thar never
in our history has adninist ton moved
more rapidly in the correction Of legislation
Public confidence has been restored in our
financial situation; the federal elections lay
has been fully discussed and repealed with the
general appreciation Of the people Of every part
| of the country who feel that the rnildnsss of
| government In the employment of dangerous
poHs, is no reason for their continuance The
intrigue and jingoism which was the least ex-
cusable trait Of the Harrison sdministrat ton
and which has impaired our influence. IL II has
not lost the confidence OF the South American
! republics, has been ntlY rebuked In the Hawai-
ian matter; a revenue measure IN accordance
| with the orders OF the people has passed ne
house and is before the senate months earlier
than a tariff bill has ever before been present. ed
| TO that body; the appropriation bills have been
] well advanced. unwtse measures Initiating TIE
currency have been prevented ana the treas
| ury has been made secure in its ability 70 4e-
| deem the paper of the government The same
| contingency In Mr.. Harrison's time was met Dy
| the Sherman act which shook our credit and
| intensified the pspic Of last summer.
| Let partisan critics look back into the his
| tory OF our government from the beginning and
| see If q any time there has been more rapid
| response TO the viii Of the people. or more fear
less and vigorous action upon the part OF sd-
| ministration It Is 9 matter of deep regret
doubt not TO every man here, that there has
been opposition IN the senate, which has ex.