The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-28
CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY.

In his Market hall speech Mr. Towne
said that the gold standard people were
right in saying that the government
could not create values, but that it was
also true that it could and should Gre
ate opportunity. In their failure to
alton Of value and opportunity the gold
standard advocates missed their mark
in all their arguments. Mr.. Towne, in
this conception of government, pro-
claimed that if he is not with the Re-
publican party he is still of Republican
faith. In fact he strikes the keynote
of that party and it's post-graduates in
state socialism. It's major premise is:
1t is the duty of government to create
opportunities for its citizens. Insert
for the minor premise the opportunity
desired, and the syllogism is completes.
Therefore it is the duty of the govern
ment to create the particular opportun-
ity selected. Antithetic is the major
premise Of Democracy. 1t is the duty
of government to secure equality Of
follows.
Mr.. Towne is logical. If it is the duty
of the government to create the condi-
tons by which one industry can be
made profitable, or more profitable
than normal conditions admit of, then
it is plainly its duty to deal in the same
way with any industry that needs or
desires that assistance. If 1t, for illus
tration, creates the opportunity for
weaverS Of wool or makers of nails to
increase at once the prices of their pro-
ducts and their profits hundred per
cent, why should it not also provide a
similar opening for the producers of sill
yer? Silver is fully as useful and very
much more venerable than either, and
lusty youth should respect the claims
Of age even when age brings senility,
as 1t has in this instance. Being logi-
cal, Mr.. Towne is perfectly accurate in
saying that his party is illogical that
it has changed, not he. In order to es-
cape his logic Republicans must say
that the interests of all industries are
superior to those of one, and that
money, the implement of all, is threat
ened by giving this protection to silver,
therefore this industry must be except
ed from the general scheme But in
doing this they give away their whole
case and all the arguments supporting
1T. Singularly enough, where Republi-
cans recede, some Democrats advance.
their vision temporarily obscured so
that they cannot see the purpose of
protection behind the project for ''mak-
ing more money" Towne does
A Democrat, while denying the duty
of government ascribed to it by Mr..
Towne, and while insisting that its pro-
vince is to secure equality of opportun-
ity, might also consistently assert that
it should never obstruct or deny oppor-
tunity. 1t should not place hindrances
or obstacles between any producer and
any market, whatever the product or
the market He might insist that this
principle is as true of and applicable
to silver as 1t is to wheat, iron. cloth.
lumber or shoes. 1t should not deny to
its citizens the freedom of opportunity
to exchange the product of their labor.
nor, on the other hand, prohibit it's ac-
cess to any market. Following this
chain of reasoning and sequence, gcv-
eminent should not give to any product
an advantage over other products.
making it superior for some special
purposes, for paying debts with, for in
stance. An application of these funda-
mental principles Of Democracy makes
very easy and simple solution of the
whole money question, including sill
yer. But the solution is not that pro-
posed by Mr.. Towne.