Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-30

States senators and United States JUICES
by the people First. there are those VINO
accept the phrase OF governinent VI , ~
by the people as a formula merely. lno
other class Is That whose ST. ILL, thoee
personal aspirations. or orders from tnose
above them bind to oppose popu,aI vi,
reimbursement I'm the selection or feueiai
senator's and judges.
THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION
Then there is the great transportation
question. From its economic sue, IL 10
of vast Importance. by secret repates;
they can build up and destroy AT WIN
cities and individual fortunes Inc SUE
gested remedy of government owneish.lp
OF railroads is untricd here. and Is IrauBnt
with prophesied evils. The remedy sousht
to be applied in many States OF c"ntrol
by means OF railroad commissions mas 700
often resulted inc the railroads eiec'ilg
the commissioners, and simply AIDING the
commissions TO their assets.
Ii should not be lost sight Of that in TINS
struggle for the possession or the govern
ing power there is no faint OF an agra
rian spirit. There is no appreclaDle ele-
ment Of the American people VINO are
opposed to property rights. ii Is not OPP
position TO property. but 10 IT'S conplila-
ton in vast masses for political purposes,
that Il may control legislation ana the
machinery of government in the interest
Of the combination, and against the pro-
perty rights of others There is no hatreu
OF corporations as such. They are essen
tlal IN the service OF clNlilZtl llAt-idy
dspensable Nor even against rallroau
corporations. 50 far as they keep within
the legitimate duties OF their creation. but
1t is when they seek to use their enormous
power of wealth and organization Tor the
undue emolument OF their owners and by
entering the political arena seek to con-
troll legislation and public policy That the
collision becomes inevitable. To-day one
half of i per cent. OF the people OF thls
country own over one half of its entire
wealth. and per cent. OF its people own
70 per cent. of its property. This condition
tends rapidly 10 aggravate itsef. Io-uay
in Europe 40 per cent. OF the house-hold-
ers are tenants. In this grand young re-
public already 20 per cent. of the house.
holders. nearly double the European ratio.
do not own but rent their homes. THIS
condition Of things has not accidentally
happened. it has been brought about by
the great corporations and combinations
of capital
A CONTEST OF EPITHETS.
Those who serve the money power by
speech and pen are wont 10 dub those who
entertain sentiments adverse TO govern
ment by money as Anarchists, SOCIALISTS,
and Communists. But be not daunted in
this contest by cpithets The very combi-
nation OF epithets will show that they are
words. nothing more. The original con-
ception of government was policeman
with a big stick TO prevent or punish
murder and violence. theft, and other
crimes. so that property and person might
be secure But we have become far more
socialistic than that crude beginning;
When taxes were laid on the property ana
persons of all, whether having children
or not. and not i'm proportion 70 the
number of children. in order to educate
other peoples children. most unmis-
taxable stride towards socialism was
taken: yet our public schools are now
our pride, and justly too. Socianstic,
too. is the levy of public taxes TO be
used for hospitals for the sick the poor;
the insane, the blind. and the deaf ana
dumb. So is the post-ofiice itself, for
what connection is there between govern
ment in its original function OF preserving
peace and order and the distribution OF
ownership of lights. water and street
cars-admirable as it is and admirably
as It has operated for the public good
is essentially sOcialistic. | would not De
misunderstood as opposing any OF unese
measures. because they are soclallstlc,
nor as advocating further steps in tnat
direction. That is not my purpose, but
to call to your minds that whether n
measure is TO be adopted or not should
depend upon whether II VIII serve the
public welfare-and il is not TO be re-
iected If the only objection mat can De
urged Is that some one THINKS IL IL So
cialistic. seeing that so large part OF w
better portion of government Is alFeauy
of like nature We need TO be often re-
minded: indeed we should never forget,
that government exists for the people
and not the people for tho government
HIS PERORATION.
Judge Clark closed his speech with "a
brilliant peroration. lie SAID: II nll l,a,,
have spoken to you of matters connected
with Your profession. but in doing so
should only have carried Goals to New
castle; might have talked to you or my my
own profession of the beauty gathered
here Tonight. or of this glorious COM
monwealth. / have met you on COM
mon platform. You bear In your your ha :,
the life or death OF free Cove hiil ,lis,ood
with much force. and was received with
freauent outbursts of applause. ON re-
suming his seat he was very nearby
other members of the faculty.
The benediction was pronounced Dy
Rev. DR.. Tudor. and the session OF 1876 W
was thing of the past.