Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-08-06

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of his institutions criticism may be
leveled, comment directed, that it is
the corporate, intangible thing which
is known but by its name and not by
its presence upon which must fall the
just indignation, which could it have
touched him personally-and of which
he we'll knew, he would have been de-
tered from the commission of the
wrong or justly punished for its per-
petuatiOn. So as concerns this fav-
ored individual, he is Indifferent to the
fate of his country as is the oppressed
citizen reckless of it. Both indiyid-
uals, each representing the classes
which have grown up in the last quar-
ter of generation, are of no immedi-
ate benefit to the government, either
as friend or defender. The one be-
cause he has been denied the inde-
pendent rights, the equal privileges
and competition for honest favor at
the hands of that government itself
and the other because never having
known the responsibility of duty, fav-
ored by being blessed with the fruits
of the oppression of Others, he has
never known the worth of the lessons
which make necessary free institu-
ton. Each is content to let the insti-
tutiOns of the country wither, droop
and die, rather than any sacrifice
should be exacted of him to preserve
and maintain them. In neither of
these can the nation hope to find a
friend or defender. individuality OF
the citizen as the unit of government,
has either been crushed out by oppres-
sion or melted out by favor. The one
has received no benefits or privileges
which inspire his affection, the other
has known no trials or hardships for
which he feels gratitude or reverence.
This condition, rapidly increasing
upon us, is the most dangerous menace
confronting the future of our institu-
tions and threatening the real democ-
racy. Cicero says that common
wealths, like all organized creations,
have their time to perish, and to fade
as vegetation will die by neglect so,
too, will governments fall when the in
dividual is forgotten" 1t can avail
little, whatever be the economic reme-
dies proposed for the redress of wrongs
or the alienation of distress, if the in
didual is to know that no sooner are
they authorized by the government
than they are to be seized and monop-
olized by the aggregate combination,
which under the consent of that same
government is permitted to deal out
the privileges and benefits as to it
shall seem wise or beneficial, and thus,
in the dispensation of the new favor,
work the same discriminating hard
ships against the individual which
were wrought in the distribution of
former ones. Sirs, a true Democrat
ought to cry out to the republic that
there is more government than is ne
cessary and more law than is right
eous.
But, sirs, this scene which causes us
to pause and shudder at its approach
is that which is daily presented by the
amalgamated and artificial citizen, as
he is termed-a united combination OF
attractive name and destructive prac-
tices. Behold now that strange insti-
tutions, evolved from the corruption
of law, have instilled into the heart of
the new generation that the acquiring
of wealth by whatever means obtained,
is the sole end of greatness in govern.
ment and sublimest acme in citizen
ship. Mankind, in order to defend it.
self against the oppression wrought by
combination has in retaliation CON-
bined, and at the end put competition
for the greatest wealth, secured by the
most marvellous and questionable
methods, as the highest pursuit Of the
citizen until we have such an indis-
cribable mass of wealth in this aggre-
cation as to make the brain whirl in
its contemplation, and the heart stag
ger and reel at the sight of the de-
struction of the good which it has
wrought. They have taught present
posterity the vaunted boast that they
are descended from an ancestry who
never gave any labor to God as reward
for their life, or love to fellow man as
a return for his sacrifices; that the
poor are to be held as objects to be
Stunned, and the helpless and unfor-
tunate to be treated as criminals
while the privileges of kings are
given to millionaires, the fate of a
Lazarus is visited upon those from
whom these privileges are extort-
ed. Can such continue, my coun-
trymen, and inspire love and devotion
to the country which commentaries
the story of Lexington, Concord and
Bunker Hill. Can such conditions
promise any future glory to the story
of Gettysburg, or the immortality Of
Appomattox. If such shall continue
as the course Of government, will any
man deny but what the fearful proph-
ecy of McCauley, the forebodings of
Jefferson, and the horror of Webster,
will all be upon us; when the child
rem of a nation, looking dolefully to-