The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-09-22

The stability Of our currency has been
greatly increased by the excellent tnan-
cial act passed by the last congress. But
no law can secure our finance against
the effect Of unwise and disastrous man.
agement in the hands Of unrriendiy ad;
rm~inistrators. No party can safefy be en-
trusted with the management of our ma
,tional affairs unless 1t accepts as axlo-
matte the truths recognized in all pro-
gressive countries as essential to q sound
and proper system of nance. In their
essence these must be the same for all
great civilized peoples. In dtfrerent
stages of development, different countries
face. varying economic conditions, but at
every stage and under all circumstances
the most import element in securing their
economic well-being is sound finance, ION
est money. So intimate Is the connection
between Industrial prosperity and a SOUND
currency that the former is jeopardized,
not merely by unsound finance, but by
the very threat of unsound finance The
business man and the farmer are vitality
interested in the question:; but no mans
interest is so great as that of the wage
worker.
A deprecated currency means loss
and disaster to the business mans
but 1T means grim suffering; to h
wage-wOrker. -- ...
The capitalist will lose much OF MS cap
ital and will suffer wearing anxiety ana
the loss of Ia comforts; but the wage
worker who loses. his wages must suffer,
and see his wife and children. suffer for
the actual necessities Of life. the one
absolutely vital need of our whole INDUS
trial system Is sound money.
Az to Trusts.
One of the most serious prblems with
which we are confronted under the con-
ditions Of our modern industrial civiiiza-
ton is that presented by the great ousl-
ness combinations, which are generally
known under the name OF trusts.
The problem is an exceedingly ditticult
one, and the difficulty is Immensely ag-
gravated both by honest but wrong-heao-
ed attacks on our whole industrial sys-
TEN in the effort to remove some
. of the evils connected with 1t,
and by the mischievious> advice of
men who either think crookedly OF
Who advance remedies, knowing them to
be ineffective, but deeming that they may,
by darkening counsel, achieve for them
selves a spurious reputation for wisdom.
No good whatever is subserYed by 1ndls-
criminate de~nunciation of Corporations
generally, and of all forms of industrial
combination in particular; and Wnen thas
public denunciation is accompanied ny
private membership in the great corpora
ton denounced, the effect Is. of course, to
Slvean air OF. insincerity to the whole move
ment. Nevertheless, there are real abuses,
and there is ample reason for striving to
remedy these abuses. A crude or iH'con-
sidered effort to remedy them would
| either be absolutely without effect or else
would simply do damage.
Thu first thing to do is to find out the
facts; and for this purpose publicity as to
capitalization, profits, and all else OF I'M
portance to the public, is the most useful
measure. The mere fact of this publicity
would in itself remedy certain evils, and'
as to the others, it would In some cases
point out the remedies, and would at least
enable us to tell whether or not certain
proposed remedies would be useful. Inc
state acting in its collective capacity
would thus first fnd out the facts ana
then be able to take such measures as
wisdom dictated. Much can be done by
taxation. even more can be done ny
regulation, by close supervision, and the
%unsparing excelsior of all unhealthy, de-
structiye and anti-social elements. The
| separate state governments can 90 a
great deal; and where they decline to CO.
| 0neTAte Cu0 IdLlOkAdk SNS
step In.
Expansion. u
While paying heed to the necessity OF
keepine our house in order at home, the
| American people can not, II they wish to
retain their self-respect, refrain from do
ing their duty as a great nation in the
world. The history of the nation Is In
large part the history of the nations ex-
pansion.. When the first Continental con-
eress met in Liberty hall and the thirteen
original states declared themselves a ma
ton, the westward limit Of tho country
was marked by the Allegheny mountains.
Even during the Revolutionary war the
work of expansion went on. Kentucky,
Tennessee and the great Northwest. then
known as the Illinois country, were con-
auered from our white and Indian foes
during the Revolutionary struggle and
were confirmed to US by the treaty OF
peace in 1888. Yet the lsnd thus con-
frmed was not then given to us. 1t was
held by an alien foe until the army under
Gen. Anthony Wayne freed Ohio from
the red man, while the treaties of Jay
and Pinckney secured from the Spanish
and British Natchez and Detroit.
Jefferson an ExpaEsfOnist.
In 1903. -,nder President Jefferson, the
greatest single stride in expansion that
we ever took was taken by the purchase
Of the Louisiana territory. This so-called
louisiana, which included wha are now
the states Of Arkansas, Missouri, Louisi-
ana, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska.
North and South Dakota. Idaho, Montana
and a large part of Colorado and Utah,
was acquired by treaty and purchase
under President Jefferson exactly and
precisely as the Philippines have been
acquired by treaty and purchase
under President Mckinley. The doctrine
of "the consent of the governed" the
doctrine previously %enunciated by Jener-
son In the Declaration of Independence,
was not held by him or by any other sane
man to apply to the Indian tribes in the
Louisiana territory which. he thus &C
auired, and there was no vote taken even
of the white Inhabitants, not to speak Of
the negroes and Indians, as to whether
they were willing that their territory
should be annexed. The great majority
of the Inhabitants, white and colored
alike, were bitterly opposed to the trans
fer. An armed force Of United States SOL
dters had to be hastily s%entsinto the terri
tory ~ prevent sinsurrection. President
JEFFERSON sending these troops to LOUISE
anaifrom exactly the same reasons and