The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-07-06
NOTICE.
WHAT 1T REVEALS.

At best a republican form of govern
ment is as yet only an experiment,
Of course there are republican and re-
publican governments, but it is COM
monty conceded that ours is the most
complete and more closely represents
the idea of government by the people
than any other republic of either an
cient or modern days. A government
is good or bad, a success or failure,
in exact ratio with Its effectiveness,
with the protection it affords to all in
terests, the degree of order it main
tains and the chances of happiness it
secures for its citizenship as well as for
its ability to defend and maintain it,
self against foreign foes. This govern
ment for one hundred years has been
messurably successful on all counts.
1t has demonstrated that with its peo-
pie united it is able to contend with
any one single political power of earth,
or, indeed, all of them. What it
would be able to do now in this way,
remains to be seen, We fear that we
now haTa division IN our ranks,
which, not healed speedily, will
weaken us - the extent of one half of
our force. The contest between labor
and capita Las begun. Where it is to
end or how 40 man can see. 1t is
folly, in Sc of foreign war, to ex-
pect thef tVO hGstile influences to act
together ,gainss common foe, one OF
the other would ally itself with the
foreigner inevitably. That would
mean the downfall of our boasted re-
public-the absolute subjugation Of
the country. That monarchical
Europe would dance in glee over such
an event none who have. been observ-
ing the signs of the times can deny.
In this vast labor movement the
crucial test is being applied to our re-
public. The first thing we note is that
the domestic military organizations of
the states, being too close to the
citizen in sympathy and in interests, Is
not TO be relied upon. Disorder, de-
struetion and anarchy would sweep
over the ;and from one ocean to the
other long before the federal authority
would be able to organize the federal
military establishment on any basis at
all equal to the restoration of order.
The patient would expire long ere the
physician was in possession of the
remedy. In times of tumult, revolu-
tion and disorder, the only effective
remedy lie the mailed hand of the
government. In case of a revolution
now on the basis we haYe named, the
mesgre 25, 900 men OF which our army
is composed would be swept before the
storm before the government could pos
sibly put itself in shape to grappie with
either combatant. The indications are
plain. This defect in our policy must
be at once repaired, the army increased
and kept at the point Of entire eff
cheney in peace as well as war. A few
years since this suggestion would have
been received with horror. But we had
peace among our own people then.
Now we have war and the whole char
scter of our population is changed. Our
governmental policy will have to be
changed to suit the present status of
the vital powers of the people.
We have no more time to hunt for
the causes OF the present condition OF
the people, or to attempt to saddle this
or that political party with the blame
of inaugurating the conditions from
which these evils have sprung. We
confront today condition indeed and
we must act promptly or soon there
will be nothingi. left worth ,idefending.
The idea Of stronger government is
not a pleasant one for an ardent DEM
ocrat to entertain, but law of any
kind is superior to anarchy, strong
government better than no govern
ment at all. We may well distrust our
institutions when such matter as the
OF eight or ten thousand
Of Pullman operatives to work
for the usual wage throws the
whole business of the govern
ment as well as the commerce and
business of all kinds of great nation
out of joint ano fills the
land with strife, blood-shed and un-
rest. There seems no remedy for these
disorders saveiin placing the. railroads
and telegraph lines in the hands of the
so that 1t may be called
treason when any one seriously inter
feres with their operation. If this
we're done we would have strong goY-
at once, and then a long last
farewell to republican forms, at least
until the people have thoroughly |
earned to govern themselves, which |
they, as vet, have not done. There is
lesson here. We must soon study it.