American Ideals 25 



gogism which, more than any other, jeopardizes the 

 existence of free institutions. On the other hand, 

 the action of the then Governor of Ohio, Mr. Mc- 

 Kinley, entitled him to the gratitude of all good 

 citizens. 



Every true American, every man who thinks, and 

 who if the occasion comes is ready to act, may do 

 well to ponder upon the evil wrought by the law- 

 lessness of the disorderly classes when once they 

 are able to elect their own chiefs to power. If the 

 Government generally got into the hands of men 

 such as Altgeld, the Republic would go to pieces in 

 a year; and it would be right that it should go 

 to pieces, for the election of such men shows that 

 the people electing them are unfit to be intrusted 

 with self-government. 



There are, however, plenty of wrong-doers be- 

 sides those who commit the overt act. Too much 

 can not be said against the men of wealth who sacri- 

 fice everything to getting wealth. There is not in 

 the world a more ignoble character than the mere 

 money-getting American, insensible to every duty, 

 regardless of every principle, bent only on amass- 

 ing a fortune, and putting his fortune only to the 

 basest uses whether these uses be to speculate in 

 stocks and wreck railroads himself, or to allow his 

 son to lead a life of foolish and expensive idleness 

 and gross debauchery, or to purchase some scoun- 

 drel of high social position, foreign or native, for 

 his daughter. Such a man is only the more dan- 

 gerous if he occasionally does some deed like found- 

 2 VOL. I. 



