The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-04-18
SCIENCE W 70 BATE.
From Sketches Taken Ct tho Ketehum
Observatory.
[By Professor LEoxIDAs LYRH, for the
KETCHUN KEYsrONE.]

THE OLD DETERIORATION AND THE NEW
ORDER OF THINGS.
As government Of unprecedented
characteristics the United States took it,
place among the Kingdoms and empires
of the world. In the history OF past
ages, prolific as they have been of novel
forms of government, we find no single
instance of one based upon pure and ell
evatcd views of human nature; all, to q
greater or less extent, we're predicated
upon the absurd hypothesis that the many
are born to serve and the few to govern.
Spurning this and every similar doc
trine which has in all times pillared the
thrones of despots and secured aristocrs.
cies from popular vengeance; trampling
uuder their feet the dogma that the peo-
pie are turbulent and changing aud must,
therefore, he awed into obedient vassal.
age BY the scourge, the manacle, and the
coercive arm of military power. the he
roes Of our revolutionary triumphs, the
fathers of our glorious republic, founded
it upon principles more enlightened and
philosophical. They boldly asserted that
the right, and consequently the capacity,
of self government existed with the peo-
pie, and that an equality of political and
religious privileges was not only consist.
emit with the deductions Of reason but
sanctioned 10y the pure spirit Of chris
tianity.
With these principles diffused through
out every department of their new sys-
tenn they boldly launched their bark OF
state upon the stormy ocean Of national
existence, confident that their new and
daring enterprise would not only receive
the prayers of the just Of every land but
that the God who guided them in their
wisdom OF construction would also guide
them to harbor of peace where no storm
could reach or harm prevail.
Now, because all this was over an hun
dred years ago, many of the self. styled
progressionlsts and would be leaders, or
rather rulers, in our up-to date progress.
insist that it WAS all right in its day, but
that 1t is little musty and rather aged
for this people now. But that is an
error; the principles therein promulgated
by the wise and good ones of that time
aud occasion, are none the less humane
and true to day. They are principles
that fade not as leaf, nor do they grow
old with the ages. They are the only
living and true principles upon which u
republican form Of government can be-
safely builded. They are the foundation
stones of christian civilization; the pill
lars of hope of an awakening humanity
In this new government it was pro-
posed to reverse the long prevailing tyran-
uical and barbarous regime OF nations,
aud have the many to govern and the few
to serve. Under these principles it lived
and flourished for long time and waxed
ich and strong. 1t was called the best
government under the sun.
But there has come change. Tie
true, the principles and tenets of the gov
crnmeut exist aud are there just the same
as on the day the republic was organized
hut the different administrations Of the
yovernment-the intended ministers OF
the will Of the people-are not ut the
people nor for the people. We have
Dsen cursed with several administrations
that are not in sympathy with the people
but on the contrary are IN sympathy with
the undsmocratlc modes and forms OF
those governments based upon the old
aristocratic idea Of ruling, that the many
THE poor are born to serve and the few
(the rich) to goveru-antagonistic of the
foundation principles Of the government
founded BY our revolutionary fathers.
Iustead Of the many governing and the
few serving, as was intended, We see Ut
The end of the first century Of our ma
tionsl existence President and half a
dozen allies from two OF the leading M
tional parties, debating to seventy mill
ron people, comforting or entirely ignor-
ing the laws enacted by them, draining
the nation 3 treasury aud involving it in
deb: by u persistent antaaonism against
silver and in favor of the gold standard,
aud thereby actually impoverishing mill.
IONS of good citizens that otherwise could
s,e In happy circumstances.
This unhappy state Of affairs cannot be
charged TO one political administration
alone, for the people, after getting no
Justice from one changed to the other;
not obtaining tho desired relief from that
they reversed it; that not working the
needed reform, the other was appealed TO-
and 50 on with like results. In all this,
the only real pointer obtained BY the
people is that neither of the old party
administrations are in sympathy with
them nor are they 10 the least identified
nth their interests. On the contrary,
they both believe in the-many to serve
and the. few to govern theory, and would
educate the patriotic masses down to that
,,el;ef If they could. Immense standing
armies and great military organizations