The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-07-26
InE FUTURE OF ASSOCIATED CAP
ITAl.

BEAls
We are told that the greatest danger
that threatens the republic to-day springs
from the aggressive and corrrptive tenden-
cies of associated capital, and that it-behoov.
es the people to rise in their might and put
down, and keep down the authors of these
evils. The war cry of the hour ia that cor.
porations must be driven out of politics.
1t is affirmed that ouiy- ''the- people" haze
any right to control the testihies of the
country, and the logical inference is that
though one. man may grow rich yet be per
mi:ted TO interest himself in politics. two or
more rich men cannot associate their capt
tai Tor business purposes without forfeiting
their rights as citizens. The crudity, illoe.
icality, unreason and confusion of the ideas
promulgated bv the opponents Of associated
capital are so amazing that it ID really dit.
6cult to know how to deal with them Just
as it is difficult to conduct an argument
with lunatic. In the first place they at
tempted to raise purely immasinary dis
tinction between the people" and the cap
talists. The distinction is TO sounder than
that between girls and women. Every cit.
izen is member Of the people, as every
girl is not woman. But every either
may become a capitalists. just as every girl
may become woman, and in effect the ex,
pansion of simple citizens into capitalists
ls as steady and uniform as that of girls into
womankood How unreasonable aud gu.
pesfcal is the doctrine sought to set up is
shown in the fact that the theories attlibu.
ted to 1.-The p. opie" regarding the status of
capitalists are always shaken of by such of
the people as become capitalists. But it is
asserted that the liberties OF ''the people
are endangered by the aggression OF the
capital and that their mortsls are corrupted
by the same agencies. Let us consider
these indictments little Capital assocl-
ates for the prosecution of enterprises which
individuals could not conduct. Bat in all
enterI rises it must be conditioned that for
anticipated advantages tt the inventors an
equivalent IL given in some easily recogniz-
ed shap,. There must. that is to say. be
a quid pro quo. That is the malnsprins
of all commerce between men, and ass,cI-
ated capital only differs from uuassociated
capital in that it projects larger business
nndrrtak pg. involving the extensions OF
ben, fit to greater number, and the cor
responding reception of greater profit by
the proprietcrs 1t is clear that there can
be in such system no danger to the lib
critics OF the perple unless by some means
the associated capitalists are permitted to
extort money from the people without Civ
ing an equi, alent. 1t is cllimed that this
is done, and it is urged that the power flow
ing from the associated Of capital enables
1t tn be done through the corruption Of the
public agent And because these agents
have proved venal it Is proposed to deprive
capital of its power. 1t can be donc.-
Power springs as inevitably from the asso-
citation Of combusiibe PARTICLES, and it is
AS idle to talk OF depriving cap tai of pow
er as to talk Of eliminating the heat giving
properties from burning wood or eoal.-
These Things are evitahle that il the ma
ton prospers capital will increase the con
slant need of large enterprises will lead to
its associ ton that its association will lead
to the consolidation Of power; and that
this power; and that this power will be ex-
ercised just as long as capital rs power
Observe that it is possible to destroy capital.
That can be done in many ways. But il
it be permitted that capital. perse, is de-
sirabe thing for country to possess, ana
it the republican theory Of government is
to be adht red to as it was originally laid
Jown by the ion1ers that there would not
be any disposition to destaoy capital Nor
can it be kept out of politics. just as
much power as it represents it will exer-
else, for its own protection if for nothing
else And it is worth thinking of that in
regard to its barge of its corrupting infiu
ence. ninc-tenths Of the facts are t-aceab.e
to the rascaliiy of poor men who seek flee
for the express purpose OF matchmaking
or associated ca.itA, and who dc it BY
hr'atening to procure legislation which
will hamper or hurt the great enterprise in
which associated capital ia engaged. Tn
less we take an entirely new departure, and
go in tor Communism, there Is no way by
VIII oh We can prevent capital representing
power, and welding power Nor is there
any way by which we can prevent the as.
ISOLATION of capital but the adoption of
measures which would put stop to the ac.
emulation Of pital altogether. and in
tn way ruin the country If the obtain
Ing oi responsible offices by roeues who o.
~ seek Office to sell their services conId be
Put stop To, all real danger To the lber
ties of the people would be removed, and
hat without occasion for recourse TO ride
iIn,,a nhntnos e ID lnnntnd L. nrrnc,,os