Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-08
SIXTEEN PAGES
SUNDAY. JANUARY s. 1899.
POWER VS.. LIBER rY.

Our forefathers did not forsake their
native homes in England, Scotland, Ire
land. Germany and other countries to
come to America to found another i'm
perial power. On the contrary, they
fled from power, and they came here
to find and establish liberty, civil and
religious, The difficulties. dangers. pri-
vations. pains and sacrifices they had
to undergo were great and terrible;
but. in spite OF savage men and beasts
and almost intolerable hardshlps, they
achieved n glorious heritage for us, not
only in wealth and prosl. Tlty, but in
the secure and priceless liberties of
man. guarded and assured by the proud
and happy independence Of free self
government. perpetuated for us in
grand Republic Of united states, under
q wise and sacred constitution
Our power, vested wholly in the peo-
pie, grew with an amazing increase of
population. and our wealth, wrought
and developed by the industry and en-
ergy of this multitude, expanded in
wonderful degree, as our natural area
broadened to accommodate the inflow of
suffering humanity seeking relief and
liberty among us. Free, prosperous
and happy, we invited all men to share
our blessings.-in full confidence that
our liberties, resting On the sover-
eighty OF the people, became greater
and more safe as our people multiplied
in the land.
But wealth arouses the cupdity of
dishonest men. and power tempts the
ambition and arrogance of aspiring and
unscTUDUfOus men: and thus as our
wealth and power Increased, such men,
separately or in combination. devised
series of schemes TO control this power
to their own ends and TO divert this
wealth into their own pockets. And
they have succeeded. Little by little.
the schemers began to engross our
wealth: our land, our manufactures.
our transportation, our productions.
and, at last, our money and currency.
until now they are practically masters
OF government and people, cunningly
employing the power of each to fleece.
or direct. the other, to the benefit of
the scoundrels: and we use this word
advisedly. as 1t is not more applicable
to any set of depredators and spoilers
that have robbed and swindled man
Kind since the initial transaction with
Eve in the Garden of Eden, than these
base sharpers who prey on us
These creatures surpass all their
predecessors and competitors in COM
bininE fraud, force and violence to
compass their nefarious designs: and if
they are dressed in purple and fine lin
en-. occupy the uppermost seats Mt
feasts and functions, and even endow
universities and subsidize the church
these are but parts of their game. while
they are also Its evidences and re-
suits: proving them facile princeps
among the scoundrels OF all time; for
never before were wealth. power and
liberty, all at once. so stolen from so
great free, happy and prosperous a
people-precipitatin them suddenly tc
pauperism, distress and powerless
thraldom. at the mercy OF their de-
spoilers.
Yet the people themselves are not
blameless. They have contributed no
little to their own robbery and debase-
ment. These conspirators are wholly
devoid of politics as OF moral princi-
pies, and caring for no party but as
II serves them, could not have achiev-
ed their purposes had not the people
foolishiy, or wickedly. permitted them
In their name, and with their power.
to perpetrate their crimes. Caring