The Louisiana populist., 1897-05-21

government by all and for all without
iavoritism.
There are those who, in our opinion,
60 to the extreme in socialism, as some
people go to the extreme in everything.
The socialism of the Peoples party is
not extreme, but it is rather in the di-
rection of a social democracy. The
most that any Populist claims is the
public ownership Of all public utilities,
and this is more than the platform de-
mands. But whatever may be said the
logic OF events is rapidly driving the
world to the acceptance of enough So
cia!i"ro to own and operate the more
Important of the public utilities.
A st. Louis chemist claims he can
mako gold out of clay. Another chem
ist Claims he can make gold out of sill
yer. Suppose that such a thing could
De Gone, and gold would be sold on the
strtc;s for seventeen cents bushe!.
Would the men who have drawn up
their contracts payable in gold want
TO repudiate them? Would they want
gold demonetized? And il they did,
wouldn't they be repudiators? II it
is dishonest to want to evade the pay
ment OF debt in dear dollars, is it not
just as dishonest to want to refuse to
take payment in the dollar Of the
contract as expressly stipulated by
the creditor himself, and put "in the
bond in black and white?
ouch an occurrence would be bless
ing 10 humanity. 1t would be an OBJ
9ect lesson that would open the eyes
OF the people where generations of mis-
cry, mountains of anguish and rivers
OF tears have failed. Gold would have
as much real intrinsic value when its
commercial value was only seventeen
cents per bushel as 1t has now. A ring
would look just as nice; it would d,
just as well to fill teeth, and more could
use 1t; and-well, yes, it could be
used Just as we'll for money then as
now, but its volume would have to be
limited by law and common sense in
stead OF as now, by chance.
we sometimes compare the govern.
ment OF England unfavorably with ou1
own, but as a matter of fact the Eng
iish government is better in some re-
spects, and not much worse in any than
tnat Which now obtains in the United
States. Great Britain has a civil SER
vice system which should make us
blush when compared with our ito
the victor belong the spoils," and the
Observation-Disclosures plan of rota-
tion in Office. Great Britain has pos
tai savings banks and government tel
egraphs that protect her people from
robbery by criminal corporations. Her
postal system provides for carrying
parcels at reasonable prices and the
express companies are compelled to
meet those prices.
And the queen has not as much
power as the president of the United
States, or the speaker Of the house Of
representatives. Parliament may be
prorogued or adjourned, but the people
may re-elect the same or another. The
house of lords is hereditary, but even
in that respect it has the advantage of
our senate. If man is a born fool
or rascal he is lord nevertheless. but
all lords are not born that way and
they hold for life, where in the United
States senate, If an honest man does
happen to break into 1t the combined
powers OF darkness spare no effort to
get him out. The English house of
lords represents an autocracy OF
blood; the United States senate repre-
sents an autocracy Of corporate wealth.
The English house of lords is perhaps
the worst feature in the British gov
ernment, save its financial system, and
in both of these respects our own gov
ernment, as now administered, is not
much better.
1t is surprising how wonderfully hon.
est and economical some Of our wise
solons become at times. One of the
reasons given for the passage Of the
bill to permit the national bankers to
have the use Of s23, 900, 900 more on the
bonds now deposited with the comp
troller was that it would increase the
revenues OF the government 23O thous-
and dollars. This would come from
the one per cent tax on the circula-
tion. 1t was urged that this would be
saved to the people. There was moth
ing said about the banks loaning this
money ont at per cent which would
bring them s1,S40,O0o per annum, and
1t would be collected off the people.
That is to say the banks would make
clear profit OF 100000. Or in other
words the people would spend $780,
600 in order to save $23O,0O0. Isn't that
brilliant craftsmanship? Yet it is the