Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-12-28

upou u mutt, dllu Ilc IuuIc WtNG uLucI Cllc
boughs of a great oak, and he was taken
up between the heavens and the earth; and
the mule that was under him rode away
lLaughter.] This party needs to be re-
minded, while fighting against Israel, that
the mule under Absalom rode away. And
we must not forget that this party has not
presented its measures anywhere as BASH
full jests, but has paraded them as the
browning wisdom of modern statesman
ship, for which those like Governor Waite
are ready to ride up to their bride bits in
blood.
Some crude and unhealthy theories are
separated from the bills now adversely re-
ported by such thin partitions that it might
seem invidious to give them no general or
particular attention, especially as their
supporters might prefer - like Lord
Brougham-to go without commentator
rather than without any notice at all.
Short-lived partisans, fertile in the in
! vention and swift in the repetition OF de-
| rogatory slang, aim by it's use to defame
and defeat those who happen to be in pos
session of the public confidence. by this
class of GROWERS the splenetic charge is
made that great wealth has been wrongly
distrlbuted-especially to senators = and
has created Astounding plutocrats, or kings
of wealth, although no entailed wealth
under our constitution is allowed, and we
have no ladders here to the upper regions
of riches not free to all. Here the children
of the wealthy, trained neither to economy
nor to labor, often exchange places in sue
ceeding generations with the children of
| the poor, schooled to industry and frugality.
Thus the tidal ebb and flow of accumula-
ton and dissipation goes on forever. Those
who may be at the bottom of the wheel of
fortune today often rise to the top tomor-
row.
The large accumulation of wealth pre-
vailing in the Nineteenth century among
the people Of Europe, and more especially
among the people Of the United States, has
tended to deprive its personal possession of
Its former magical power, and it would
seem to have lost much of its ancient in
trinsic value. Those who have it to lend
obtain less interest from the borrower, and
men willing to work for it receive it in a
larger measure. The multiplication of
labor-saving machinery has made many
kinds of property cheaper, but, contrary to
some apprehensions, this auxiliary factor
to human power has not diminished. but
largely increased, the reward of human
labor.
PrOpOrtionately we may have more NIL
liOnaireS and many more personal owners
of homes of ample comfort and %independ-
ence than any other country of the civilized
world, and far less of paupers. Few men
of great wealth here obtain political prefer
ment, and those who have come to the
front have generally succeeded on personal
merits and in spite OF any handicap of
wealth.
Such wealthy celebrities as were Captain
Clapp of Portland, Billy Gray OF Boston
(Once lieutenant governor of Massachu-
sets }, Stephen Girard of Philadelphia,
Garrett of Baltimore, and Corcoran of
Washington, all reckoned among the
"worthies' of their day, received few or no
political decorations, and the Astors, Van
derbilts and Goulds of our great CONNER
cial metropolis, appear to be equally neg
lected, or possibly equally destitute Of
political ambition.
The financial fortunes OF nearly all of
our presidents were limited, and the for
tunes of those foremost in popular favor,
like Jefferson, Monroe, Jackson, Lincoln
and Grant, were especially limited.
Persons of moderate wealth, living gen.
erously, often have their estates largely
estimated. From the loud braylng of long
cared political donkeys many have sup.
posed that the senate of the United States
was a selected body OF millionaires, when,
perhaps, not more than two or three Of its
eighty odd members have any valid title to
that much-envied epithet of opprobrium.
Though few were 'bOrn with a silver spoon
in the mouth" the most part OF the mem
bers achieved in early vocations some sub
stantial success, and yet it is probable that
a large majority OF the body would be un-
able to maintain their families in Washing
ton during the sessions OF congress but for
their salaries. They have the blessing of
Agur, neither poverty or riches.
1t is also to be feared that we are over
stocked with amateur %cobblers, eager in
every emergency to bring out from the pro-
found recesses of their vest pockets ready
made constitutional amendments adapted,
when slightly fabricated. to their own Pc
culiar circumstances Some smart Ameri-
cans will not be overlooked, as they have
precociously discovered that they are not
village Hampdens "born to blush unseen"
and should no longer be estopped from.
holding and adjoining tiptop official posi-
tons. This obvious injustice is hard to
bear by the unappreciated, when lofty
positions are so often in sight "a consul
in China or Peru perhaps died last
weekly, and, as Lincoln once quantity OBJ
served, "there are more pegs than holes.'
The grievance, it is claimed, must be re-
formed, not by less pegs, nor by more
holes, but by a fundamental constitutional
remedy that will make it easy to obtain
public trusts without civil service boiling
and without obtrusive competition. In the
old Bay state, one cobbler out of a job
would give the executive all power to make
appointments without the advice or con.
currence of any coordinate branch of the
government. In the Old Dominion other
constitutional %crazy-quilt makers would
not have United States senators chosen by
the Legislatures of states. but would have
them nominated by a party convention and
elected as quick as lightning by the people
Madison, a statesman for all time, never
dreamed how fippantly the constitution
made by him and signed by Washington
might be blasphemed or botched and per
verted. Rich in her country's historic
fame as the Old Dominion may be, she car
ill afford, for cheap pinchbeck bijoutry, tx
impeach and discard her ancient and price
less jewels, shat on the outstretched fore.
finger of all time" were placed to "sparklt