The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-16
The Government stands supreme.

Ihe Government STANDS supreme.
A few days ago We questioned
the correctness OF statement
which appeared in the Augusta
Chronicle in respect TO the national gov
eminent The statement was the follow
ing.
This government is more IN the control
Of the piufOcracy than any other govern
ment on earth. Il exists for the benefit
Of the classes and the poor have no rights
which the rich are obliged 10 respect"
Last week Mr. Herbert. the Secretary
OF the Navy, delivered an address 10 the
college boys OF the Agricultural and Ne
chanical college Of Alabama, at Auburn.
in that state. Mr.. Herbert is. as is well
known. a citizen of Alabama and an ex-
confederate soldier The purpose of his
address was TO show the incalculable ad-
vantages bestowed upon this generation
Of the south by the civil war. it having
settled for all time the troublesome ques-
tions Of states rights and slavery. To il
lustrate the firmness with which the ma.
tionaI government is established within
its fixed, but broad. limits he called atten-
ton TO the ready acquiescence Of the peo-
pie in the action that was taken to check
the labor violence in Chicago last July and.
in the decision of the supreme court in
the income tax case In speaking OF these
two matters he said:
When last year. a mob in the name
Of labor, laid violent hands on property
used in interstate commerce. the judicial
department of the government raised its
hand and the mob fed away. When, re-
Gently, after much angry discussion in con-
gress and the public prints about the
income tax, the supreme court decided by
the vote of only one judge that the law
was void. the country acquesced. There
was never a thought or a threat Of resis-
lance. Never were more convincing
proofs of the power, the majesty, of hui
man government. Men were free to ques-
ton the wisdom OF congress or of the Pres
dent. or the justice, or correctness
of the decisions of the supreme court.
That government, however, stands SUI
preme. You are fortunate, my young men,
that your fathers have not left to you,
as their fathers did 10 them, any unset
tied fundamental question pregnant with
civil war"
And why was there never "a thought
or threat of resistance?" Was it not be
cause the great majority of the people
recognized the justice of the action Of the
government? There were many, of course,
who condemned the government and de-
clared that It existed only for the rich
and powerful. and that the rights of the
poor and weak were ignored but what
they said did not affect in the least the
Judgment of the great body of the people
1t was understood that those who We're
dissatisfied and INDUCED in harsh
criticisms did so because their purposes
had been defeated, or because they were
influenced by passion or prejudice or self
interest The government was sustained
because the common sense of the people
recognized that what it did was right and
was for the good not of class, but of
the whole people.
Would there have been such ready ac-
quiescence in the action OF the govern
ment in either of the cases presented by
Secretary Herbert to illustrate his mean
ing il the Augusta Chronicles opinion Of
the government were the correct one?
The government is great and supreme be-
cause it has the support of the people,
and II has the support of the people
because they believe that 1t protects the
rights of all classes, that it makes no
Determinations and shows no favors and
that its aims and purposes are just and
fair And it will stand supreme, and be
great and powerful just so long as it has
the respect and confidence of the people.