The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-02-20


that ever gave lustre to the crowns
of kings. If our government were
conducted on this basis then all
would be well, and we would be in
deed a strong united prosperous and
happy people. That our government
is not conducted on this basis is
due largely to the protective tariff.
1t takes from one and gives to an
other. 1t enriches the few and
impoverishes the many. 1t takes
from the mouth of labor the
bread which it has earned
and bestows it upon those
whose tables are already
groaning beneath the weight
of unearned, and therefore unde-
served, luxuries. If one branch of
business leans upon the govern
ment for support, all Other
branches will attempt to do the
same. Thus individual character
and self-reliance are destroyed and
the manhood of our people is
undermined, honeycombed and
robbed of strength. Clean.
healthy, pure water cannot be
taken from a muddy, poisonous
spring. Neither can a republican
government be maintained upon
any other basis than that of the
individual intelligence, manhood
and virtue of the people. Thus
the protective tariff is directly at
war with self-gOvernment. 1t de-
nies the right and ability of the
people to control and govern them
selves. 1t has set up a paternal
government among us. If the
principle upon which it is founded
is persisted in, it will ultimately,
and at no distant day, destroy the
republic itself. 1t has substituted
iii the minds of the people the love
of wealth for the love of freedom
1t teaches that the most desirable
thing on earth is the acquisition OF
money, it matters not how or at
whose expense it is gotten. II
cultivateS a thirst for display, fOI
fashion and pomp; it breeds ava
rice, envy and jealousy; it ends in
wrong and oppression; it kills the
soul. Imagine that man could
carry his money with him to
eternity! See a man die whose
only object has been the accumu-
latiOn of money; behold him gath
ering his wealth and going, a poor,
miserable, miserly, shriveled soul,
into the presence of the King OF
Kings, the Maker of worlds, the
Owner of all things, and trying tC
purchase the favor of God with
money, and that, too, with money
which had been unjustlv taken
from his fellow men, who are the
children of the Father and art
stamped with the likeness of His
image. Nothing pleases a father
more than to show kindness to his
children. A favor to child will
gain the favor of the father
Nothing excites the resentment OF
father quicker than an act of in.
justice to his child. A wrong to d
child is sure to be followed by the
enmity of its father. Where,
then, will the Oppressors of the
people standf What will become
of them when they face the Father
of mankindi He has declared that
vengeance is His, and that it were
better for a man to have a mill
stone tied about his neck and bt
east into the center of the sea,
rather than that he should offend
against the least of his little ones.
| The protective tariff means slavery
in this world and perdition il
eternity. For these reasons,
challenge, brand, denounce and
impeach it.
The next article upon this sub
ject will point out the manner il
which it has been possible to foist
this system upon the country, and
thereby impoverish and well-nigh
Al