Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1891 — FARMER GILMAN ANSWERS ANOTHER FARMER. [ARTICLE]

FARMER GILMAN ANSWERS ANOTHER FARMER.

- <4 “Editor Republican.—“ Farmer” Desires me to answer—through" the Republican—the following questions: First—ls not the Government of the United States an aggregation of the free citizens of States?” Second—Upon theprinciple that the whole is equal to its parts, has not the “Government” the same right to acquire and use both property, and credit, that the individual citizen enjoys?” - “Answer: The people and the government are not one and the same thing. Our Government is one of consent, and is founded on a contract, (the Constitution) and the contract was a stipulation for the performance of certain things which concern the general or common welfare, and for no other purpose. And an expensive Court was formed, and is maintained to judge of legislation, as to whether it is within the conditions of the original contract as amended.

If,—as “Farmer” believes the people and the government are one; then if the government die or change the citizen is dead or changed, but as the government is only the will ot a majority expressed in form of law- as modified by the conservative power vested in the United States Senate, and also subject to the stipulations in the Contract, it may by consent be changed, or even abrogated, whi e the people remain the same. The Government is—by its nature —a corporation having a Seal, and limited powers. If it could do any or all kinds of business that a person, or association of persons can do, then it would not be limited, but that it<is, limited “Farmer” has but to read article 10 of amend men ts of u t ion’ ’ which reads as follows; “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. It seems By the reading of the 10th “Article” that those who framed, and “the free citizens” who voted to adopt it, did not, consider themselves and the “Government” as one and the same thing. Nor did they mean it should be in the contiact that the Federal Government- could do every thing which the states could, or even what/he people could in their individual capacity. If Article 10 ot the Amendments to the Constitution taken together with the other constitutional provisions, means any thing, it means that there are things over which the citizen, the State, and the general Government, each in a separate capacity, have exclusive jurisdiction. The “Government” instead of being the citizen is a creature of the citizens and subject to modifications as prescribed by law. A Corporation has only such powers as are granted by its “Charter,” in. this case the Charter is the Constitution.

I have not quoted Article 10 bocause I admire it. It may have been intended by the people who voted’to adopted it, as a strong hoop for the Union barrel but in the light of our past history, it looks now as though its framers intended Has a crack, that would- ; when the baßrol was p.’operly seasoned -empt y I do not know why these questions have been propeufided tome, but presume they have grown out of my position taken in the Article on “U. Sam as a banker.” I there asked three questions which I claimed must be answered in the affirmative before the “Government” could become a loaner of money (meaning a loaner of mo’ney as demanded by the so called Peoples Party.) —• One of these questions was:

“Has the Government a right to create a Natioiial Debt by issuing bills of credit, that it may have mouey to loan to any-tjumber of persons?” The questionrß.jnind was not, “has the right to create a debt by issuing bills of credit,for the Constitution, plainly provides, this very thing may be done, but the purpose' for which the debt was to" be ereated, that it might have money "Tojoau to any number of persons (meaning a number less than all.)

If the Government should loan money—as some dem an I—lt1 —It w.+uki have to have > county from the borrower; many of our citizens could not give security, nod consequently the"Goverumeiit, which is to provide for the good would in this case be putting on all for the Irenelit of a few. The power of Government to create a debt, when demanded by tne necessities of government, or measures effecting the general welfare can not be questioned. As to whether the “Government” can go into any kind of business venture that the citiseu can, with-

out taking into consideration whether such action would tend to the general or only thatof a few persons, I think hardly worthy of discussion; sufficient to say "its not in the contract.” The power of Government to issue bills of credit and make them a“Legal Tender” was questioned” and the settlement of the question on the sine of the government required the Supreme Court be drugged (a pun) they drug ( dragged) iu two new J edges, and the decision was “that in cases of emergency Congress may; and I believe when they tried the question of emergency it was finally left to Congress to say where the emergency came in. . -- fi - -y-

I am nut not a stickler for castiron rules of government; nor that ours is like that of the ancient Medes and Persians, but that it is elastic, and can be made to tit the necessities of the people, always keeping in mind the fact that the government was formed for the general good. 1 have in some of my writings shown that the Government is not calculated to be a successful instrument for the operations of ordinary business; my reasons-in the mainhave been that the Government has no hands of its own. “All are hirelings”and have each an indi- ' vidual interest stronger than the oue they have for the government.

But it is idle to argue t that the Government can’t do all business required from a government. It has speculated in land—purchased Alaska, Louisiana, Florida and large amounts from Mexico and the Indians. Is in the fur business—gets a large sum in bulk, and a royalty from the Seal Fur Company—is a manufacturer — makes Arms and munitions of War —ls a builder, carries the mail 1 has a seed Department, tries to run theweather, and is beginning to finger the railroad “pie.”' It ogee loaned the money in the treasury to the States, but took no note, and has received neither principal or interest, nor ever will. It was intended the people should be benefited by that loan, but they received but little if any benefit, acetin some cases ; w< san actual injury. It also loaned its credit to secure the payment of iut« rest on railroad bonds and bad it, and yet has it to pay. Had the question of constitutionality been raised on any of these measurers, the evidence required would be to the question whether the general welfare was promoted.

Will “Farmer” answer a question:' If the “Government”—as now constituted—Can do any act, or business, that an individual or an association of individuals can. do, what figure does Article 10 of the amendments in the Constitution stand for? And for what purpose was the duty laid on the Supreme Court to decide as to the constitutionality of an Act of Congress? The Government can lawfully do some things that the citizen can do, and has :rn exclusive right to dojjtheflhings the citizen is forbidden to do. The Individual the State, and the Nation have each a place and a duty—that do not conflict—in the economy of our Government. As a Rule the State has the -Bttength < f all the.pepple combined, but in a conflict between the citizen and his government as to a lawful right, the citizen with justice on his side, should—before the Court of trial —be stronger than the State. Respectfully

WM W. GILMAN.