people talk about free silver or gold only.
These are the conditions existing on the only two national questions
now under consideration. To a layman's mind neither of them should
have ever been made a national question at all. And men called "great
statesmen" who have pushed aside all real economic questions worthy of
consideration among civilized men, and forced these figments forward,
are neither statesmen nor safe politicians. Look at them! Their
discussion of tariffs is whether we must have higher or lower taxes
_per se_. Their contentions on the money question are simply the
vicious acts of Congress that are the same as if we should pass laws
every two years changing the length of our yard-sticks. These are the
great issues breeding our wonderful race of "great statesmen"--the
mountain labored and the little mouse came forth.
There are vital questions that should, especially in our experimental
voting government, be ever present to all our people for investigation
and permanent settlement, to wit:--
How to turn back this stream of paternalism in government--the monster
criminal, the murderer of the dead nations and civilizations, the
river of woe flowing forever round the world.
How to make the best of governments by ever-lowering taxes?
How to perfect a "civil service" by burdening officials, lessening
fees and salaries, abolishing patronage, and sealing salaries below
the pay of similar private employ?
How to better education and thereby check this stream of "learned
ignorance"?
How to reach the consummation of the best government because the least
governed?
How to reform our judiciary until justice between men shall be nearly
instantaneous and the next cheapest thing to air and water?
How to save the weak (the majority) from the strong and selfish?
How to be the freest and therefore the best people that have ever
lived?
How to prevent crime and suffering by removing causes?
How to destroy this struggle for government employ, this passion to be
a public parasite and live off of others' toil?
How to make and regulate nearly all government institutions upon the
principle of our postal system--self-supporting by the voluntary tax
from those who use its powers or its offices?
How to eradicate all this flunkeyism that makes idols of
office-holders--mere fetiches producing a species of the lowest order
of hero-worship--a nation of snobs who can meanly admire mean things?
How to call
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