The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-02-26
AN OLD SOLDIER SPEAKS.

The Example Of Cincinnatus.-Th Pioneer
the People With II,
Editor REPRESENTATIVE:
In reading your article In last weeks
Representative concerning the $133, 1854
that was lost in defunct banks recently
in Minneapolis alone, was reminded of
a motto that l read once at the head of
the editorial column of the Thirteen
Story Liar" of St. Paul, and the agent
of the eastern gold-bugs, corporations,
and combines generally to continue to
absorb all the wealth that we farmers
of the west could dig out of the ground.
l think you will remember it; 1t was:
Nothing succeeds like success" 1t was
several years ago, and the condition of
the country shows how faithfully that
motto has been carried out. That motto
means, as applied to republic: MANS
self1shness shall have free scope; there
shall be no restrictions whatever. We
will make other peoples necessities our
opportunity. 1t matters not whether the
people or the nation goes under.''
History says that such motto and
the conditions that follow have been the
cause of the destruction of all the repub
lies that have ever been established by
man. And, friends, If you will read the
history of the republics that have pre-
coded us and study their rise and fall,
and the causes, and then read the condi-
tions that surround us today you will
have conceded that the life Of this re-
public will be the shortest of any.
l know that there are those who will
read this article and say: Hear that
croaker he does not know that man has
INN p,,t
has he, my friends? History says no; and
wise man once said that "He that will
not read the history of the past will be
child in the future
Let us compare the first citizens of the
republic of Rome with the first citizens
of this republic in the last thirty years.
The Roman senate had brought such
condition of things by their extrava-
gance, RIGHTEOUSNESS, and vice, and the
people had been taxed to such an extent
that they had no confidence in the gov
eminent; and on account of the army
of conquest having been carried on sc
unjustly, the whole world had made
common cause against Rome, and her
fate seemed sealed, for the allied armies
were laundering at the gates; and the
Roman senate saw that if they did not
get some one to lead the Roman armies,
that the people had confidence in, they
would be out of job, and loose thei1
heads besides. And, as a last resort
they sent committee down to see i.
Cincinnatus, the farmer, the general, tn
statesman, would not come up and take
command of the armies of Rome and
drive off the invaders. They found him
blowing in the field, with his oxen. His
reply was Il will respond to the call o.
49,
and the people had confidence in him
and he saved Rome for the time being
and the prOfligate Roman senate were
so delighted that they could continue
their villainous dominion that they Of
fered Cincinnatus to create a new Office
for him, that he might be forever above
want. And he replied, mo, if 1, Cincin-
natus, should take this offer it would be
an example for other men in othel
times to follow; and it would be the
means of working injury to our repub-
lic." And they then said: well, we will
give you a section of land" And his re-
ply was, "No; if I, Cincinnatus, should
take more land than is allowed by the
constitution, it would be an example for
other men to follow, and it would be the
means of the land going into the hands
of the few, and eventually all this would
destroy our republic"
And so he went back and lived and
died on his farm.
I presume if 1 ask you who has been
the first citizen of this republic during
the last thirty years you will say, Gen
eral IT, S. Grant, Friends, would he
not have taken a third term? Did he
not allow the bill to pass raising his
salary from $25, 900 to $4,000? and did he
not veto the pension bill for the common
soldiers? Did he not let his name be
used to form stock companies, and did
not one of those companies finally finan-
cially ruin him?
In looking for a parallel case you must
go back when this country was strug-
Cling for it's liberty, and take the COM
mon soldier that arrested Major Andre,
and would not let him go for all the
British gold that he might offer.
Who then is our Cincinnatus?
Very respectfully yours,
-C TJCnlxtpc