The age-herald., 1898-01-22
A NOTABLE SPEECH.
Picture Painted by the Late Major Butter
 worth on Current Conditions.

Among the last of the speeches made by the late Maj. Ben. Butterworth was the following, delivered at the- Luther Place Memorial church. in Washington, in speak ing of the greatness of America. It was indeed notable address, in which he paint ed the picture most truly of existing con- ditions of affairs:
 "Our country possesses enough broad acres to raise food to feed the world, and sufficient resources to give employment to one-half the human family. I know that for all these gifts we are devoutly thankful. But why are our granaries running over, our sheep running about the mountains un- sheared, and yet there are men among us without clothing and food? There is some- thing the matter. With all of our wonder ful resources, to have the country filled with idlers plainly indicates that there is something wrong"
 Continuing, MT. Butterworth declared that the people are the ones to blame in the matter, for they are the government and are responsible for the election of the president and legislators, and hence respon- sible also for their acts.
 1t is true, said he, that there is pros- perity in the country even with the con- ditions Of pauperisT0 that are pictured, but the trouble is that prosperity is running too much in one direction. On the one hand We have starvation and want, and on the other the reckless and lavish ex- penditure of immense sums of money This is due to some error in our system of economies. For any law, unwisely writ ten, allowing such errors, we should re- buke the lawmakers forcibly and audibly The history of the world is that when in a country accumulated capital finds express sion in controlling legislation and shaping administrations, the dissolution of that country is near. Such a condition exists in this country today, and it is coward who does not say so, and an ignoramus who does not know it. It behooves this people to see to it that no other motive than patriotism finds expression in the legislation in wonder capitol.
 Each man is part aud parcel of the government. With ballot I control its destines. One single ballot once cast thoughtlessly determined the question of war between this young republic and a sister republic to the south. The destinies of nation may thus depend upon a bal lot we thoughtlessly cast. The liberty of no people has been destroyed except by the people themselves. Our system of suf- frage is unfortunately based upon a pe- culiar condition, for every male citizen of a certain age, no matter what his moral character, his reputation, anything else may be, has a ballot. He, the purchasable commodity in politics, holds the balance of power, and I'd like to know how many men high in official life owe their places to the purchase of this commodity. I again make the statement for which I was criti- cised some time ago, and that is that there is not d legislative body under this flag that has not its organized banditti within it's midst, who buy and sell legislation, and there is not a municipality unuer this flag but that has band in it who, for sum of money will guarantee to block hasten legislation. When any corporation, body, or monetary power can dictate legislation it is nearing a condition that means the destruction of the republic. Let us see to it that with the inequality of apportion- ment men have rights as well as property, | that properties have duties to perform as we'll men,