New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-10
GUARDING THE FLTL RE.

GUARDING THE FtIthE
Now that the election is over and the dan
ger Of deprecated currency is warded on soic
people begin TO grow scared in rctrospec'ioh
and to lay plans to make any future Crisis u'l-
likely to occur. The same tendency which
prompts going 10 the Legislature for law
abolishng every evil in our civilization Is pacN
of all wishes to hedge about the American peo-
pie with safeguards against themselves. IL Is
the hope of some that financial ana currency
questions can be settled once for all as the
slavery question was settled. and one OF me
schemes proposed is n constitutional amend
ment prohibiting the passage Of laws debaslhg
or tending to debase the currency.
1t would of course. be impossible to carry
such an amendment in opposition to the wishes
Of a lot of small silver States. each OF when
has the same voice as New-lork IN the mail
vote to accept or reject Any agitation OF u
would only reopen the question now settied 'or
n time. ut least Moreover. no amendment
which left any liberty with the Government at
all could reach the difficulty. Dangerous
schemes of this kind do not advertise them
selves as acts Of depreciation. and their ten
dcncy to deprecate Is always matter OF judg-
ment. Sometimes. as this year, the tendency Is
so plain that most sensible men see 1t. Other
propositions might be equally bad without
being equally clear. Numbcrlcss proper bills
might be brought forward dealing with other
subjects which might be thought likely to de-
preciate our currency The Civil War and its
necessities deprecated our currency 10 at-
tempt to tie up the country in that way Is to
initiate parents who start ont to regulate The
details of their chdren's conduct through life.
They would much more wisely develop in them
character and give them knowledge sufficient
TO meet the future.
The Constitution Of the United States Is an
outline of q governmental system. drafted with
so much wisdom and libcraty that It has been
in operation over a hundred years. making our
system, as actually working one Of the oldest
in the civilized world II has acted as n check
upon impulses of some Of the people held for n
little time but il cannot stand in the way of
the wishes of any considerable majority held
for any length of time. The United States
Government is not. and never can be- auto
matte even if the machine does run on fixed
track. The engineers can run 1t off the track
If they want to. Some of the people on board
have tried il at times and failed not because
the rails were too strong or too high hut be-
cause the other people on board would not lot
them. The American Government will do all
sorts Of foolish and suicidal things the min
ute the American people really want to do
them. Safety lies not in constitutional amend
ments against foollshncss but in educating the
people against folly. An automatic govern
mcnt Is n long step toward dcspotism. II may
he benevolent despotism. but II Is despotism
nevertheless Popular government can only OK
list with continued popular impulses TO propel II.
The effort for good government must be 10
make these impulses good and wise.
Even if safeguards were effective. there can
never be any assurance that the right safe
guard has been provided. \ democracy with
crazes is n law unto itself. and nobody knows
where the craze may break ont. II may he
cheap money to-day. II may he State railroads
tomorrow and an established religion the next
day. If the people are ignorant enough and
light headed enough, and no constitutions
can forcsee or forcsccng prohibit effectively.
a popular demand. What he can do Is 10 insiil
sound ideas Of the function Of government ana
the laws Of finance. and cultivate a stability OF
thought and feeling among those who are 10
settle the country's affairs Then he may he
sure that the wise course will he taken when u
question comes up for decision The election
strengthen faith in this method Of guarding the
future. The Constitution would not have
stopped the Organizes long II they had gained
power. 1t was the people who stopped them.
The people may sill be trusted 10 do right
when the next crisis comes. They are the uil-
mate source behind constitutions and laws.
The spring Is the place 10 keep clean If the
stream Is to be kept pure.