The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-03-22
THE SACREDNESS OF PLUMBER.

One OF the cunning tricks OF the
money-power has been to ndoctrinate the
people with the conviction that a public
debt, even though based on an outrage
Gus swinde. must retain its hold upon the
people OF a country. no matter how often
successful revolution may overthrow the
government and set up another IN its
stead Men may perish, but success
full swindle must live forever.
We are glad to see that Whitelaw Reid,
editor OF the New York Tribune, attacked
this false doctrine vigorously in speech
at the Lincoln Memorial banquet OF Mar
uuette Club. Chicago He said:
Your representatives in Paris maln-
tanned, in the face OF the most vehement
opposition, not merely OF Spain, but OF
well-nigh all Europe, principle vital to
oppressed people struggling tor freedom
"a principle without which our own tree
dom could not have been established, and
without which any successful revolt
against any unjust rule could be made
practically impossible. The principle is
that debts do not necessarily follow the
territory. if incurred by the mother coun
try distinctly in efforts to enslave it. as
distinguished from the legitimate work OF
a responsible government in preserving
order and protecting life and property.
Where the debts were SO incurred your
representatives persistently and success
fully maintained that no attempt by the
mother country to mortgage to bond
holders the revenues OF custom houses or
in any way pledge the future income OF
the territory could be recognized as a
valid or binding security.
''On the contrary, the United States
maintained that the moment the hand OF
the oppressor relaxed its grasp, his claim
on the future revenues OF the oppressed
territory was gone. 1t is a doctrine that
raised an outcry IN every contlnetai
bourse, and struck terror to every gam
bling European investor in national
loans, loated at usurious profits. to raise
funds or unjust wars. But it is right
or of the United States that it stood like
peace, at the cost OF loading either on the
liberated country or on the people that
had freed it. the debts incurred in the wars
for it's ensaverncnt II this is not inter
national law now, it will be: and the
United States will have made it."
We canot forget the howl that was
raised in Minnesota, some years since.
and which resulted in saddling upon this
state debt of millions of dollars, grow
ing out Of the old five million railroad
swindle, that was deliberately perpe-
trated fraud because under the terms OF
the original act it was intended to make
the state pay $4,000 mile for graded
earth works which would cost about $500
a mile, and would not have given the
state single mile of railroad for the
$4,000, 900 Of state bonds Every old set
tier knew it was a swindle, but the howl
went up through all the purchased news
papers that the debt must be paid, no mat
ter how it was created.
A lot OF sharp fellows feathered their
nests for life, and a million and half in
habitants OF Minnesota are every year
paying taxes to meet the interest on the
debt SO created
Human life and human rights should be
sacred; but money is mere incident OF
man. And state or nation has the same
right to contest fraudulent claim that an
individual has. |. D.