The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-04-02

utIuplluu luuu lDtO tne tIeuSury, anu III
added over $3.50, 600, 600 Of legal tender
notes necessarily redeemable in gold,
while ID diverted an equal amount of
public revenue to the purchase Of pig
silver at donblo its real value to be
stacked in the treasury vaults. The last
Democratic congress, although the DEM
ocratic party had pronounced itself as
strongly as words would allow in favor
of the unconstitutionality Of special
legislation for the benefit of the few and
to impose burdens upon the many, new
ertheless passed tariff bill which con-
tinued the sugar trust and other trusts
in power. The present congress was
opened by the prayer of the chaplain to
the effect that the Lord would make as
"quick to resent insults. He has con-
tinued his praying by asking tho AL
mighty for additional protection to
American manufacturers, so thet they
might put an end to the privations of
the American workipgmen. ~ And it
now appears that he ought to close the
session with the general confession:
1--WE have done those things we ought
not to have done; we have left undone
those things which we ought to have
done. Spare us, good Lord, miserable
sinners.
But the worst feature of the whole
situation is that our people rightfully
conceive the idea that their rulers are
dabbling in unclean things, and the cor
ruption of the people themselves is
bound to follow this belief, for they
will reason that, if purity in Office does
not pay, then purity at the ballot box
does not pay either, and every citizen
may as we'll sell his vote for what it will
bring.
Out Of these conditions have come q
class Of public servants who do not COM
man9 respect because they are not re-
speclable, who do not command conf
dence because they are neither honest
nor intelligent. 1t was only the other
day that the Hon. Julius Caesar Bur
rows, who represents the state of Mich
igan in the United States senate, actu-
ally introduced bill to restore to the
dutiable list the articles that were taxa
bls under the Mckinley law, but which
had been placed on the free list by the
tariff act of 1894. He did this in igno-
rance Of the fact that the constitution
expressly provides that all bills for rails
ing revenue shall originate in the house
of representatives. A few days later
Senator Tillman Of South Carolina, in
an outbreak of pulmonary eloquence and
noisy defamation, SO vilified President
Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle that
even the sensational newspapers did not
repeat his language. 1t was while view
ing this senate that traveller from 9TH
er climes has recently said that "if the
American people can stand that they
can stand anything"
With these humiliating spectacles be-
fore us, it is not strange that there is
general diminution of attachment and
reverence among the people for po.
litical system which betrays so many
grounds Of infirmity and disappoints so
many Of our flattering hopes.
RIGHT WILL TRIUMPH AT LAST.
Although the outlook is dark, I be-
lieve in the ability Of the American
people when they are face to face with
these evils and recognize in them a
great danger to our free government to
remedy them. We must, however, ap-
preciate the fact that every law passed
for the benefit of few men or of cor
poration, that all species of special leg
islation are dangerous and destructive
to honesty and purity in public legis-
lators. We must step out of our inac-
tion and do our duty fearlessly if we
would avert the danger. Courage. abne-
CATION. virtue and patriotism made our
country, and these qualities will alone
preserve it. In fact, before a remedy is
effected, we must become conscious that
we have been recreant to our public
duty in these days of money making,
and solemnly vow to atone for such
recreancy.
The spirit which will redeem the
people in the breast of few courageous
men must be that which Otway, in his
"Venice Preserved" gives to Pierre:
Pierre--Yet, Jafiier, for all this am viii
lain.
Jaffier-A villainP
Pierre-Yes, "a most notorious villain.
To see the sufferings Of my fellow creatures
And own myself q man to see our senators
Cheat the deluded people with a show
OF liberty, which yet they ne'er must taste Of.
They say, by them our hands are free from
fetters,
Yet whom they please they place in basest
bonds;
Bring whom they please to infamy and sorrow;
Drive us, like wrecks, down the sough tide Of
power,
Whilst no hold is left to save us from destruc-
ton.
All that bear this are villains and one
Not to rouse up at the great call of nature
And check the growth Of these domestic spoil.
ers,
That make us slaves and tell us it's our char
ter.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.