The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-08-04
GOVERNMENT OF, by AND FOR THT
PEOPLE,


PEOPLE.
The popular and often quoted expires
sion, Government of the people, by the
people and for the people," should be
m re fully considered and understood.
1t does not mean government by few,
by ring, by trusts, by league, by a
club, by boss; but by the people, by
those who work as we'll as by those who
do not toll nor spin. Governments
derive their just rights fiom the consent
OF the governed" says the Declaration.
Just government Is what the people
need and what they desire, and assured
ly special privileges, or franchises, are
not in line with "even-handed Justice"
In other lands people are ranged into
classes, upper classes and lower classes,
the upper being the privileged classes
These are all arbitrary, being originally
the result of conquest, and thereafter
established and enforced by law, as the
law-making power remained in the
hands Of the conquerors, which was the
case in England after William the Con.
queror. The house Of Lords is relic;
and although concessions have been Sc
cured by the people in Britain, the dis
tinctions Of rank continue. The great
revolution in France over century ago
overthrew all these relics and distinct
ions, royalty, nobility, established
church and all. 1t was violent, but
complete. The wars that ensued, how
ever, developed another conqueror in
the great Napoleon who established his
royalty and system, which ultimately
fell. France has had her confusions and
ups and downs since, bat the republic
seems to be well established now, but
no country is really free which is bur.
dened with an enormous public debt.
Usury is ever a hard tyrant, an exact
ing master. Indeed is not "the borrow
er a slave to the lender?" Yea, verify!
The rapid concentration Of wealth in
this country of late years is alarming,
1t behooves every good citizen to real
ize the danger therefrom and use his in
huence accordingly. A millionaire
means ordinarily, an accumulation that
means deprivation or beggary to many.
AS an English poet has ssid: "Ne'er
was palace raised but the matched cot
tage sprung beneath its shade" That
state Of things which creates or tolerates
combines, trusts, etc, needs reforming.
In this land we want no special privi-
legged class which will have advantages
secured as franchises to enable them to
prey upon the public. This was de-
signed to be land Of equal rights and
equal opportunities, from which We
have wandered to our detriment and
sorrow. The aim should be to return to
the lines of even.handed justice in our
legislation
In the ancient republics Of Greece and
also at Rome, the recognize ed principle
was: "The safety of the people is the
supreme law" and hence they claimed
that tyrants were the enemies of man.
kind, and that resistance to tyranny
was obedience to God" While we may
recognize the truth and force OF these
principles we should never forget, that
in land of free expression and free
press, we can discuss and appeal tC
right reason. Mr.. Jefferson said, "errol
of opinion may be tolerated when reason
is left free to combat It," With publ,
opinion aroused and sound free bal
lot is all powerful to reform.