Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-10-30
Government q Matter Of Business.


Emerson. Neb.. government is merely
q question OF business"
That brief sentence affords an exact
statement Of Republican purpose and
policy with respect to the adminlstra.
ton Of public affairs. II explains In a
few plain words the Republican IN.
derstanding OF the objects for which
the government is maintained and of
the methods 10y which those objects
are to be accomplished.
/ The government is simply a great
business organization. and the party in
control is virtually a trustee vested
/ by the people with certain limited
! powers To be exercised solely to the
end that the obligations Of the trustee
/ ship may he faithfully discharged. The
government is a perpetual be-gar. 1t
Is not engaged in productive industry;
It creates no wealth directly for itself
and has no source Of revenue except
the taxing bower by which. with the
consent OF the people. ii appropriates
from their earnings enough TO meet its
running expenses
| The successful management OF this
great organization requires that its ad-
| ministration shall be honest. efficient
and economical IN the highest degree,
and in compliance with that require
ment the Republican party has regard
ed the government as a vast business
enterprise. the stability Of which de-
pends upon strict adherence to sound
business principles.
The first step in the development Of
! Republican administrative policy was
to establish the national credit upon a
basis so solid that it could Withstand
any assault. To that end the nations
creditors both at home and abroad re-
ceiyed assurances-and those assur-
ances have been repeated and empha-
sized whenever occasion has required
that their claims should be paid in
full and In honest money, as denomi-
mated In the bond The recreation Of
the national credit after the civil war
was the crowning triumph OF Repub
llcan craftsmanship in time Of peace.
1t provided a secure foundation for
financial and Industrial enterprise at
home; II enabled the government to re-
fund the public debt at constantly de-
clining rates Of interest and planted
the basis for monetary system which
has made the American dollar respect
ed throughout the world.
To provide sources Of revenue for
public purposes the Republican party
established the protective tariff. basing
1t upon the principle that American
enterprise and American labor in or
der to prosper must be protected from
unrestricted competition with free
trade countries beyond the sea. 1t was
simply a matter Of business. The Re-
publican party proposed a tariff both
for revenue and protection, the peo-
pie approved it, and under its benefi-
cent influence they have witnessed in
the United States an era of industrial
expansion unparalleled in the history
of mankind. 1t has carried wages In
this country to a higher level than
they have ever reached anywhere else
In the world. 1t has established among
wage earners q standard Of living un.
known among those Of other nations
and has so fostered the habit Of thrift
that the savings bank deposits In the
United States are three times as much
as those Of the United Kingdom, ST.
OOO. 100000 more than those OF Ger
many and more than those of Austria,
italy. France. Russia and Japan COM
bined.
Still further to apply business prin-
ciples to the administration of public
affairs. the Republican party enacted
the civil service law, whereby fitness
and efficiency became test conditions
for official position, and the great ar
my Of persons employed in the various
branches of the organization were re-
moved from political influence. Again
it was simply a matter of business.
The interests of the government re-
ouired that its employees should be
chosen on merit and that their tenure
should depend upon efficiency. In es'
: tablishing that principle the Republic
an party did just what the managers
of a great financial institution would
do in choosing their subordinates.
Business principles have been the
monitor and guide Of every Republican
administration and honesty, efficiency
and economy the watchwords. Inc
Republican party holds that the gov
ernment cannot properly be used as an
agency for testing new financial theo
ries or exploiting untried economic
doctrines.
Bryanism would compel the govern
ment to engage in worldwide spec
ulation In silver bullion. BryanisH
would create a government monopoi!
In the transportation service OF the
whole country. Bryanism wouie
;, oblige the government to guarantee
bank deposits and thereby penalize the
, honest bank for the acts of the dishon
est one.
AS against the dangerous and un