The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-04-25
question is of more vital m
y p%Ortance TO every man II won-
\ an tbon that of the upruptuitV

an than that of the perpetuity
of our republican institutions ana
form of government. Recognizing this
fact. the following questions were re-
Gently submitted to IL number Of prom
inent public men. assumed TO be best
qualified TO answer them:
First-Wil our present republican
form of government last II hundred
years longer?
Sccond-lf not. why not
Third-What is its greatest peril:
Fourth-lS there any danger that
aliens may so buy up the land and for
eign syndicates so buy up the business
enterprises as to obtain control of our
country and eventually change its
form of government?
The answers received. which com
prise a most interesting symposium,
will be found below.
Cardinal Gibbons-To the first queS-
ton | reply that l not only ~fervently
pray and trust but also firmly believe
that it will. In view of my answer to
your first question your second one re-
QuireS no nswer Its greatest peril
lies in a departure from those Christian
principles upon which our very laws
and institutions are based. To the
fourth query | reply that in my judg-
ment we need have no fear of foreign
capitalists and foreign syndicates.
Those who invest in our public lands
and nlIr hltSinnSs nptar,,ricnS uil1 pnt,,
ally be brought into closer acquaintance
with our present republican form of
government. and there is little doubt
that our institutions and our laws
will gain upon them upon closer ac-
Quaintance. and finally win their COM
plete respect and loyal support.
Senator Dolph-To the first question
/ answer yes: the Constitution may be
amended, changes in form may occur:
but our republican government will
endure for all time. My answer to the
first question renders it unnecessary
To give one TO the second. | will not
undertake to answer categorically the
third question. The maintenance of a
government by the people is possible
only when the masses are independent.
Intelligent and virtuouS. The danger
to Il republican form of government
arises from the ignorant. the vicious
and venal classes. controlled by de
signing and corrupt men. | do not
think there is a particle of danger that
aliens will so buy up the land and for
eign syndicates so buy up the business
enterprises as to obtain control of our
country and eventually change It's form
of government.
II. V. pOWdcrly- our present repuh-
lican form of government cannot last
100 years longer and continue to drift
under the power of monopoly and
wealth as it is doing row.; in fact. the
money power at the present day forms
an aristocracy or Il plutocracy which
entirely nullifies every section, clause.
and article in our bill of rights when
ever they are called in question III be-
half of the people. The greatest peril
menacing our government is the power
ty and indifference Of Il people. The
poor are so oppressed that they are
forced TO sell themselves for what they
can get, and are thus at the mercy of
the bosses, the plant tools of monoDo-
ly, who forge to the front in our uOliti-
cal parties. | do not care whether if
be an alien or n native syndicate that
buys up the land or the business enter
priseS of the country. for the instinct
of greed is the same in an American
as an Englishman, and we have. there
fore, as much to fear land stealing in
n form as another.
Ex-senator Edmunds-I most certain
ly think that our present republican
form of government will last 100 wears
longer. The greatest perils to our re-
public are insufficient education, excess
of the foreign element. and political
corruption. think there is no danger
of any considerable portion of the lands
of the United States falling into for
eign control, nor that any considerable
portion Of its business enterprises will
ever be owned or controlled by for
eignerS.
Ex-senator Evarts-I cannot possibly
feel any great degree of concern as TO
the stability of the noble institutions
which this great. prosperous. and DOW
crful country is now in the entoyment
Of.
Wade Hampton-Time alone can give
the answer to the first and second oues-
tons. With regard To what is the
greatest peril of u government.
think +. is the accumulation of money
III the hands OF Il few persons and the
INSCRIPTIONS use of wealth. | appre-
hend no danger to republican institu-
tons from foreign capital or immigra-
ton in the way pointed out by your
fourth question. but ! think that great
harm is done +" the country by allow