St. Paul daily globe., 1895-01-17
ALoGICAL PRODUCT.

stand these piouS and indignant denun-
Citations Of the defaulting South Dakota
treasurer by the papers Of the party OF
whose policy ne was so excellent and
ripe a product, unless it be that the
editors do not themselves realize that
Taylor was only all apt and logical
scholar in their school OF politics, or,
knowing it, feel compelled to denounce
men who carry 1t 10 the unfortunate eX-
treme of getting found our. In fact, 1t
is a tribute to the general honesty or
men that there are so few, compara-
lively, of these TaylorS who get found
out.
This is a large indictment to bring
against party policy, especially when
that policy is preiaced with pretense OF
patriotic love Of country and profound
concern for the welfare OF man. But 1T
is one that will lie, and no demurrer to
il will be quashed III the forum OF rea-
SON. Law has formative power on
those subjected to 1t, operating just as
any other environment does to shape
character and create habits OF thought
and action. If superimposed on sub
ject race, in time il works radical
changes in the character of the people.
Subject the sturdiest of peoples to the
pressure Of the laws Of a tyrannous con-
Quernr and you get characteristics of
weakness, servility, deceitfulness and
untruthfuIness. From being the most
self-reliaht and independent Of people
we have educated the untutored indian
by our laws into dependent, helpless,
inveterate mcndicant.
The spirit Of later-day Republicanism
is paternalistic, verging on socialis;lc.
1t conceives of any government as
power to be used in parental way to
advance the interests of the people. AS
this can be done only by advancing the
interests of some Of the people, it re-
suits that here, as everywhere, paternal"
ism comes to be understood as the pro-
motion of the welfare Of some under
pretense OF doing good for all. Applied
to the policy OF protection, it signifies
to all that the power of the government
is lent to make profitable certain lines
of Industries which would be less profit
able without it; that is, that all consum-
ers of the products of these industries
shall be obliged to pay something more
than their normal worth to the makers
of them.
Now what must be the educational
effect of this on those who accept the
doctrine? Is it not, can 1t be other than
that it is legitimate use of govern
ment and governmental place to make
money for some one? The Incumbent
of Office, seeing its power used with ac-
cepted legitimacy to add to the wealth
of some. must be of an unusually stiff
moral fiber if its effect on him is not to
make him come TO think that there is
10 wrong, or even imprOpriety, in using
the same power for his personal adj
vantage? If he is the custodian of
money, why should he not the money
until it is required for his own gain? If
interest accrues, why shouldn't he think
that interest money his, just as Wis
consn's treasurers did for years, until
over half a million dollars had been
pocketed by them.
The Taylors engaged in business
also reason logically that if it is right
| to take money from all and give to a
few there can be nothing wrong in the
! mere use tor time in their private
affairs of the money of all; and so they
[ take flyers in grain or block Of Specu
latlve real estate. If all goes well, the
money is replaced. But, and this is
where the decentralization shows, when
things 20 wrong and the money cannot
be replaced. these fellows fall to plying
themselves for what they call their
"misfortunes." They have not done
wrong at all, but have been simply un-
fortunate.
So the poison spreads. The legislator
comes to think that it is the proper thing
| for him 10 accept, and demand, if, it is
not proffered, money for his support of
or opposition to measures or candidates
because governments are instituted,
among other things. to help some peo-
pie make more money than they are en-
titled to. Aldermen reason that they
are the city government, and that it is
perfectly legitimate for them. as the
government, to dispose of the privileges
in its custody for the best attainable
sum. 1t permeates the police from head
to foot, and all the way up and down
men come to regard themselves as justi-
fled in making what they can out OF the
office they may hold. The governme mt
sets the example, and they are not long
in learning to follow it.
That this is not the universal effect is
due to the existence of moral sense
not yet blunted; but it is inevitable, il
this country continue its present mad
career in paternalism, that in time off,
ciaism in it will become as corrupt as
i'll Turkey Or China. where raternaiism
has ripened into rottenness.