The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-02-20
IISCOLNIS.f!.
Fronl the Chicago Inter-OceanJ

much Of disrosition TO sheer at the
/ philosopher in politics, but while it
may be true that uiany q sound phil
osopher is weak executive or poor
organizer or an injudicious legislator,
vet it also is true that defeat, ruin, and
collapse are the ultimate outcomes Of
all"practical politics that is not founded
upon and enacted Con:ormably to the
dictates OF sound philosophy reduced to
practice.
The conditions, said Mr. Beveridge,
fare ripe for extremes" We have
been pushing matters, and, perhaps,
have pushed them little too far for
the exigencie3 of the present. Steam
and electricity have become our untlr-
ing servants, and we have used them
for the production Of more than We
need. e" New farms have been bought
bv mortgages placed on both Old and
new" SAYS Mr.. Beverage, and too often
have the new ones been bought before
the old ones were thoroughly improved.
RAILWAYS have been built IN anticipation
Municipal salaries have, in some in
stances, been far in excess Of the value
Of the work paid for. Speculation has
become a habit. The desire to become
rich quickly has supplauted the old
strife for competency through 1ru-
galitv. These things are unphilOsophIc,
and therefore are, III the long run, lm-
practicable For that which is not wise
is not true, and that which Is not true
is not enduring. We are undergoing a
reaction Now is the time for correc-
tIves.
Due allowance must be male, and
was made, by the eloquent gentleman
whose speech is under notice for the eN-
aggeratiOu of the demagogue; but never
theIess it is true that class hatreds, class
prides,an class distinctions are stronger
to-day than in any previous time OF our
history. Mr.. Beverage says:
! few of the vastly rich are acting
fools to fortune. They are posing as an
aristocracy. They have wlIiulIy made
themselves a class apart from the people.
j
the hearts of the masses. Tnev have
put into incendIary mouths the words
of dread. They make vulgar exhibitions
Of wealth in the very hour OF want. The
ostentatious vulgarlan OF money is the
partner of the demagogue. Both are
enemies of the republic. Both set III
motion the extremes OF reaction.
It is unfortunate that we have not
yet in America a powerful class that is
above society,"" but it also is cheering
to note an apparent rise of such class.
1t is the safeguard of all old and rich
communities. 1t is the force whose
counsel is esteemed by the wise. 1t is
a class in SOlomon's happy medium,
having neither poverty nor riches, but
touching-not patronizing, mind you
the poor, and touching also the rich, by
whom its culture and its knowledge Of
the world as it is and as j. was are ad-
mircd. 1t is by tbs class that much is
to be done in America. The worst of
rich Is that it Is aped by those who are
far from vastly rich, that vulgar display
becomes the rule Of people who play at
being society as children play at keep
ing house. The old,ime pride Of hon
est condition needs to be revived, and
the new-time vanity of pretending to
be what one is not needs to be throt-
tied.
cl no 81
have patterned too much after the late
Jim Fisk and the late Jay Gould. He
was
Like the cerulcan arch we see,
Majestic in its own simplicity.
They were, and too many of us are, like
st. Paul's sounding brass or tinkling
| cymbal." Mr. Beveridge looks for re-
adjustment from the plain people, -
and he defines this aggregation well:
And by "the plain people" l mean
! what Lincoln meant-not those whom
] our lattcr-tlav demagOgues call ''the
/ plain people," not the tramps, not the
/ lmprovldent, not even the insolvent,
merely, not the professionally miser-
able; but those whom wealth has not
! g2ngrened nor poverty embittered
| those who, every tWcnty-four hours,
contribute to the world an honest day
Of toll; those who take counsel of THEN
hopes instead of their hates those from
whose hearts seltishness has not vet
banished patriotism. He who labors
with BRAIN or hand, deals Justly, loves
mercy, walks humbly before God, +" and
IS lOyal to the flag, is one of the "plaii
people be he hodcarrier or million
alre. But he who apes an aristocracy
because of his wealth, or he who trifle>
with the honor Of the Nation and the
permanently of free institutions because
OF his poverty, is not one of the plain
people whom Lincoln loved, and who
constitute, today rs then, the hope o.
this republic.
1t Is from this class that the "forct
above society" emanates. 1t is from
this class that such force now is cvolv
ing-and not a day too soon-in the re,
public of the United States of America.
Burglars carried off an organ from
house in Cherokee, Iowa, Thursday
1t was probably hand organ ora popu
list organ.
The Munsou bill, giving weekly pa
pers the right to publish insuranc,
settlements, passed the state senate OF
Wednesday. Vt present only dailie
are eligible.
The LcXow committee is now prob
ing the Rubber trust, out it's Flint.
IL