Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-06-17

after the governing power has become
vested elsewhere. What boots it il on
parchment we shall continue to read
that all power is vested in and derived
from the people; all government OF
right originates from the people, is
founded upon their will only and Is in.
stituted solely for the good of the
whole, if it is not living, potential,
actual truth? If, as matter of fact,
great corporations through their agents
whether lobbyists or members of the
legislature itself, can control a ma ori-
ty of that body, so that the choice of
the corporations, and not the genuine
choice of the people, is sent to the fed
erat half of ambassadors to sit as a
senator in congress, then the parch.
ment declaration is Haunting lie. II
gigantic combinations of wealth can
elect or control majorities in state leg
islatures or in congress so as to shapt
legislation; If they can be potent in the
nomination and election of state and
federal officers, then the real govern
ing power exists in money and not in
men, and your boosted republic is but
once beauteous form from which the
spirit has already departed.
This is the question of the hour,
which should be pondered and under
stood with full grasp of its meaning
and all it consequences which must
flow from the displacement of the CEN
ter of gravity in government. If thh
displacement has already measurably
taken place, or if there sgrave danger
of it, the struggle to restore it will!
bring on the crisis which will deter
mine the real nature of our govern
ment For mark we'll this fact. That
If multi-millIonaires or vast combina-
tions of capital have succeeded or shall
succeed to the real control of legisla
ton, they havo won its possession, be-
cause it can be immensely profitable tc
them; II profitable, they cannot afford
to run the risk, from time to time, OF
losing so profitable q domination by
popular agitation. They will seek, ii
they have not already done so, to
strengthen themselves by securing the
ma ority of the federal senate, and an
influence in the executive councils
and even more important than that,
the majority of appointments to the
federal bench, whose life tenure and
uncomfortable power of constituting
constitutions and statutes will be of in
valuable aid. In Rome, where the au-
ours by reading signs in the sky or in
speeding the entrails of fowls, could adj
journ assemblies OF the people by de-
creeing the day to be unluclsy, the au-
gurs were invariably selected by those
in power, the personnel of the augurs
being indispensable for their purposes.
Nor, as time goes by, will the matter
stop even with the selection of judicial
augurs
Constitutional changes, whether Sc
cured by express enactment or read in
to the constitution by servile judges,
will lessen the opportunity for agitation
and the gradual increase and mainte-
nance of large standing army will
prevent all thought of resistance. II
the money power, as has been charged,
is already largely in control of the gov
eminent, state and national, then the
steps just described will be natural and
necessary to protect and preserve that
profitable power in their hands, leav-
ing the empty forms of a republic to
stand in silent but impotent protest
On the other hand, il the control of
legislation is so important to the money
power, it will be an irreparable calam-
ity to the toiling masses to lose it. The
founders of the republic fondly believ-
ed they had secured 1t not only for them
selves, but for their posterity for all
time. If the advocates of popular gov
eminent win, they in turn, still less
than the money power, cannot rest
easy in the victory with the organic
law remaining as it is Experience
has shown its weakness and its insult
cheney"
But they do complain; they say that
the postofices of the small towns are
sending out every month postal orders
for thousands of dollars worth of
goods, ordered from the supply houses
of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which,
they say, ought to have been bought
at home The remedy is for the mer-
chants TO reduce prices to point that
they will keep all this trade at home.
Why not? Rents are cheaper, help is
cheaper, living is cheaper, in the coun-
try than in the city.
Mexico and Japan, two of the most
prosperous countries on earth to-day,
are taking advantage of the low price
of silver and making rapid strides i'll
the grand march toward civilized de.
velopment, popular education, general
improvement and commercial impor-