The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-03-31
A MORAL DECADENCE.

We agree with a writer in the st.
Louis Republic that the occurrences of
today mark a step backward, long
one at that, by the citizenship of this
nation. Our theory of the dignity Of
citizenship is a self-sustaining, dign1-
fed and manly independence. The
man who pays in honest, faithful labor
for his keep is, so far as this circum-
stance goes, the full equal of him who
pays in money. The spectacle today
of men combining to ask one class of
their fellow citizens, the municipal,
county, state or national governments
to furnish them work, money or bread.
is not edifying. 1t does not furnish
bright hopes for the future, 1t unmans
our men by destroying their independ-
ence, thus sapping their self-respect.
When men sink to that level their feet
are in the pathway which leads to the
lower level of crime. We are to in
quire this evening as to who is at fault,
the citizen or the government. Great
brawny men, hard listed men compet-
ent to do efficient service on our farms,
in our mills and in our workshops are
banding together to march to Wash
ington to demand of the government
work or bread" In this catch phrase
there is both treason and hypocrisy |
Doubtless if times were better, especi- !
ally as the land is full of all manner of |
breadstuffs, there would be little of |
this incipient treason-although even |
at that there would be found certain |
per cent. of men who would brow-beat |
the municipalities and the government
out of the means of support rather than
to do honest work for 1t. A little ex-
cuse goes long way with people who
are viciously inclined and lazy and |
Fhittless as well.
Our idea is that the government
should furnish the opportunities tor
work by the equalization of the living
chance to all, rich and poor, and when
that is done, set its face sternly against
all such exhibitions as this which
CoxeY is making, a few years since
there was no such thing as profess
sionsl tramp, now the country is full
of them. The threatening circum-
stance is, that they are beginning to
coslesce and are marching on Wash
ington. The spectacle is a ridiculous
one now, but after while we will not
laugh at it, Its threats are ON inous of
revolution which contemplates an
Utopia outside Of law and where order
is not contemplated. We will have to
meet it soon or Coxey's army will ere !
many years have passed, be too strong
for the mere physical arm of the gov
eminent.
1t can be met successfully, in our
judgement only by a broad righte-
GUS policy of government which
viii more nearly equalize the
Lying chance. In other words,
money must be relegated to its , /,
own proper place in the public econ
omY. 1t must no longer be permitted
to dominate this government and all
its branches, as it has been doing ever v
since plutocracy was set up in place of Il
the living chance. Wall Street has Z
used her power too ruthlessly. She has
had too little sympathy for the labor J.
ing millions of the land. Like the pa b.
5ient horse or OK these millions are a.
'tin ignorant or careless of their r; Fl
power. The missionaries of anarchy
ire busy teaching them and eventually Z
hey will become dangerous, vicious y
ana bloody. v
To meet this situation we must take te
'hese economic questions out of part 81
san politics. The money of one class ~
md the misery of another must not be
lsed to secure the success of this, or 81
he defeat of that party, but all must n.
work together to put the country back
where it was when all were busy. at st
York and happy. We must go back to co
7here We we're thirty or forty years &C
lnce when the wealth of the nation Pp2
7as not held by an hundred or so of L.
len, but where all shared alike, and Sa
II were alike, prosperous and con- 80
snted. This problem is not an OBJ ,,T ~,
'ure or difficult one. Amy non-part- ira
an, honest man can solve it. The tht
'oner our government sets about the pic
Isk of its solution, the sooner will we or or
ave peace, confidence and satisfaction s1r
be Coxeys will droop and die and
larchy will soon have flown back to
origin in the slums of the big cities -, :