The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-09-03
A CAMPAIGN Of ENLIGHTENMENT,
CORRESPONDING FOR THE COLUMBIAN

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE COLUMBIAN.
1t was Abraham Lincoln, the prov
idential and presidential emancipator
of the enslaved Of this country, who
gave this admonition to those who
deem it easy to delude and manipu-
late the voter; "You can fool all the
people some of the time, and some of
the people all the time, but you can't
fool all the people all the time"
The present predicament and atti-
tude of the Republican party (being
ousted from power and grievously dis
appointed in her plans to gain popular
favor through some more favorable
issue than our money matters) clearly
exemplifes the value of Lincoln's
words, and demonstrates their forget
fulness Of his wise admonition.
We were among those who deemed
the Republican, party as exactly right
originally, because it was IN earnest
touch and sympathy with the enslaved
and in opposition to a Southern aris-
tocracy which was lazily luxuriating
upon a servitude that gave the lie to
our flag, and which tolerated the fire.
quent selling at auction of the anal
gamated offspring of the slave holder.
1t came into power with heaven.
born mission, in our opinion, which
eliminated in entire fulhllment
through Abraham Lincoln's emanci-
patton proclamation during the war.
But when in the zenith of its glory,
and vanity and extravaganza it forgot
all wise admonition, forgot the masses,
finding it more personally profitable
to cater to the classes, it soon lost the
plebian's confidence and, what is
more essential, his upholding vote
and hence its downfall.
Now it takes no great depth OF
knowledge or foresight to observe
that this party is not apt to regain her
lost prestige by pursuing her prevail
ing attitude and line of policy as be-
tween the masses and the classes.
Should she win plutocratic victory
perforce of the power of her concen
trated wealth and cornered gold. OF
through threats to make times harder
still by closing her varied industries
she could not long withstand the pie
bian,s contempt and opposing vote.
| The masses are too numerous fol
the classes at the polls, even though
the classes are too potent for the
masses in our halls Of legislation ant
in committee rooms. Here is where
class legislation is formulated, pait
for and clothed in ambiguous terms
which are hoped to be beyond the
comprehension of the common veo
manry, and those who can't 60 TO The
Supreme Court and get their taxes
| exonerated as unconstitutional. We
mean those who can't handy find a
gold-bearipg and untaxed investmen,
for their idle capital. The plebian
can't find such an investment handy
in this country because neither party
has yet seen fit to give him half a
chance to escape taxation. France
gave the plebian chance to help paw
her war debt. America never has.
This kind of Legislation was enacted
for the special investment and profit
of select few. They now frequently
show their appreciation and patriotism
by first squeezing gold out of our de.
pleted treasury and then restoring
enough reserve funds to show that
they are able to rule or ruin under
prevailing monetary conditions. They
are we'll satisfied with prevailing con
ditions since they generated and gave
them birth for mercenary purposes.
We may depend upon 1t they will vote
to the man for their continuance
through monometalism, this being
their only hope and safety.
Without regard to past political
affiliations, these monied patriots will
stand by the single standard of value
no doubt, they being entirely satisfied
with prevailing conditions because
they have our treasury well in hand
already. AS to boilers, we think it
will be observed that the shelved and
defeated politicians will prove the
more Jealous among them. And, as
the silver masses seem to have already
observed the fear and trembling of the