St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-03
Of the people to pay-with which to pay

the soldiers"
Where did they get this idea? 1t. Is
not American. for that is, or was. that
every man should take care both OF
himself and OF the government In case of
need. The countries where SUCH all
Idea OF government obtains among the
people do not send many of their people
as emigrants here, and the idea has not
been brought here by these men from
foreign homes. II you talk with any OF
these men, any who are Intelligent
enough to understand the motive idea
of the movement, they would look sur
prised should you ask them where they
got the idea that the government should
take care of them. /
Any such one would answer that he
got 1t with his citizenship of this rspub-
lie. Were he posted he wolld remind
you that eX.Presldent Harrison, when
making his tour In 1892 and at other
times. has declared his belief that it Isl
the proper function of a government to-
provide occupation for its people who
need 1t. But why should any govern
ment take care of one portion of its peo-
pie who said they needed aid and not of
another? Why should the government
pay two cents pound to the man who
makes sugar and not give work and
wages to the other man who needs
them? Why should the government
"fost"r" some manufactures and not
all? Why should it enable some en-
ployers to collect from the consumers
of their goods more than an open market
would let them, and not take care of
other men not circumstanced SO as to
engage in manufacturing?
The intelligent industrial tramp
would tell you that for thirty years the
federal government has been sheltering
the manufacturers of this country from
a competition which would reduce their
profits, in order that they might pay
their workmen larger wages. Why
then should it not do directly what it
does indirectly? II it enables men to
employ men. why not directly employ
them? Why employ all intermediary
whose very self-interest would prompt
him to take all the benefit, and give out
to his menas little of it as possible? Why
put the worker to the risk OF his en-
pl0yer's philanthropy, unchecked as it
is by any requirement. for an accounting
as to the amount of his extra profits he
gives his men in wages?
The motive idea of this Industrial
eruption is to be found in the pivotal
policy of the Republican party. That
party is responsible for the industrial
armies" which are moving from all
ho L. s.
the logical product Of their conception
of government. There is no shade of
difference between Coxey and Kelly.
and the rest of the generals" and the
crowd OF lobbyists who swooped down
on Washington and framed the Nc
kinley bill. or that other horde which
went there this session to frighten
Democrats from redeeming the pledge
OF '92. There may be difference In
the clothes they wear, the mode OF
travel and the amount of money in their
pockets. but in the idea which novel
both bodies there is no difference what
ever. Both believed it 70 be the duty of
the government to take care of them.
There is IN all this that which should
have the serious thought of every citi-
zen who cares for his country more than
for his party. If a Republican. he may
well ask himself if he eau longer sup
port a party, based Oh an idea that
speads its decentralization so far and SO
wide. Is it not time that such men of
all parties should be speaking out and
getting together. Is it not time for
fusing into one party of all men who
see the dangerous tendency of the pa
ternalistic idea and who will oppose 1t at
every point? 2