“IMPERIAL” DIGNITY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 13, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 41.

“IMPERIAL” DIGNITY.

In the early days of this great republic its officials were noted for rigid simplicity and frugality in every public function, whether performed in America or in foreign courts. But with the recent victories of our navy a great change has come over the nation and government. Democracy has given way to imperialism; the Declaration of Independence has been riddled by the guns of our fleets, till whole sentences are blown away; and democratic simplicity must perforce be swallowed up in regal splendor.

This latter is specially manifest in the lavish sums which are placed at the disposal of the Peace Commission. The commissioners not in public service will receive $150 a day and expenses. One secretary, $75 a day. An assistant secretary, $50 a day, and the men who do the actual work, such as stenographers, interpreters, etc., from five to ten dollars a day. The ladies who accompany the delegation will travel at government expense. A despatch from Washington says of the Peace Commissions:—

They are to lack nothing to adequately maintain their official position, and even the messengers are to be given liberal allowances for their personal expenses. Funds to the amount of $250,000, it is understood, have been deposited to the credit of Judge Day in one of the Paris banks, and he has unlimited authority to draw more if that is not sufficient.

But formerly that which would have maintained their official position would have been such expenses as would have been incurred if these men were visiting France on private business. A New York paper remarks: “America can be represented always and everywhere most fitly by distinguished citizens who spend the money of the people economically, and thus set an example of republican simplicity. It ought not to be the American idea that dignity can be maintained by extravagance and luxurious ostentation. That is the monarchical idea, and it is essentially dishonest and vulgar.” But a monarchy in fact if not in name is what America is fast becoming. These are ominous signs of the times which he who will observe may read with distinctness. We are living Rome’s life over again.