The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-13
Bayard's Offence a Grave One.


sign. said: Probably only a synopsis
of my address in Edinburgh. which is
the alleged basis of the action of the
house majority, has been published at
home and the full text. am disposed
to believe, has not been read by those
who appear to have voted with the ma
jority in Washington"
Unfortunately thei full text and the
synopsis agree almost word for word.
Several days ago The Tribune. on this
page, in an article quoted from the
Washington Post, printed the synopsis
of Bayard's Edinburgh speech which
was the basis of Congressman Barrett S
impeachment proceedings. But now
the Philadelphia Record, with much
ado, reprints the whole of that now
famous address. 1t occupies six col
umns, and below we quote the part to
which criticism has, as we think, been
very properly directed:
In my own country have witnessed
the Unsuitable growth Of that form of state
socialism styled Protection" which i be-
lieve has done more to foster class legisla-
tion and create inequality of fortune. to
corrupt public life. to Danish men Of in
dependent mind and character from the
public councils, to lower the tone of ma
tional representation, blunt public con-
science, create false standards In the
popular mind, to familiarize 1t with re-
lance upon state aid and guardianship in
private affairs, divorce ethics from poll
tics, and place politics upon the low level
Of IA mercenary scramble. than any other
single cause. Step by step. and largely
owing to the confusion of civil strife. it
has succeeded in obtaining control of the
sovereign power of taxation, never hesi-
tatng at any alliance, or to resort to any
combination that promised to assist its
purpose of perverting public taxation from
its only true justification and function.
of creating revenue for the support of
the government Of the whole people, into
an engine for the selfish and private profit
of allied beneflciaries and combinations,
called TRUSTS" Under its dictation indi-
vidual enterprise and independence have
been oppressed, and the energy OF discov-
cry and invention debilitated and discour-
aged. 1t has unhesitatingly allied itself
with every policy which tends to CONNER
cial Isolation, dangerously depletes the
treasury. and saps the popular conscience
by schemes of corrupting favor and lar
gesse to special classes. whose support Is
thereby attracted. Thus 1t has done SO
much to throw legislation into the political
market, where jobbers and chafferers take
the place Of statesmen.
1t will be seen that the American am
bassador to England herein accuses a
large majority of his countrymen of
having sapped consciences, and inti-
mates that their laws are made as re-
suit, not of statesmanship. but of bar
gain and sale. Suppose these assertions
were literally true in every particular
Ought Bayard, as the representative of
the whole United States, to become, in
the dominion of it's most determined
commercial and political rival, the will
ing and eager trumpeteer of it's faults :?
Is the $17,500 annual salary received by
him as ambassador from the govern
ment thus debauched, paid with view
to having him act, in Great Britain, as
the ready chronicler of Americas de-
fects? 1t seems to us that in the worst
possible view of the American side of
this controversy-the view which con-
cedes that majority Of American citi-
zens are particeps criminis in gigantic
scheme of political degradation and i'm
morality-Bayard's course Is indefensi-
BILE; while If we refuse to accept his
humiliating estimate Of the character
and the conscience Of his countrymen,
his speech becomes not simply inde-
fensible but also Infamous.
If the president of the United States
had a patriots appreciation of interna-
tional proprieties, he would promptly
recall Bayard and send in his place to
the court of St. James an ambassador
who, to requote the words Of Daniel
Webster would feel that, in the pres
ence of foreign courts, amidst the mon
archies of Europe, he is to stand up for
his country, and his whole country; that
no lot nor title of her honor is to come
to harm in his hands; that he Is not to
suffer others to reproach either his gov
eTUIleIll VI ohu AoA 1855 ~
he himself to oreproach either; that he Ia
to have no objects in his eye but Ameri-
can objects, and no heart in his bosom
but an American heart; and that he Is
to forget self, to forget party, to forget
every sinister and narrow feeling, In
his proud and lofty attachment to the
republic whose commission he bears"
The Pittston Gazette suggests that
to avoid a possible reconsideration by
Senator Cameron, a pronounced anti
Cameron legislature should be elected
The point is we'll taken. The Cameron
mind has habit of changing.
The Latest Big Trust.
The consolidation OF railway interests
a,.l soc ivc< hoou offpctqd In New