Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-28
ORGANIZED MONOPOLY VS.. ORGAN
lied INDUSTRY.

The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Graphic calls attention to the
fact that every indication points unmis-
taksbly to q fierce contest in the coming
Congress over railroad supervision -wheth-
er in fact the country is to be run by the
great corporate monopolies, or the nation is
to run them in its own interest. 1t is the
old question in a new dress, whether the
world is made for the exclusive benefit of
a fortunate few, or for the equal advantage
of ali. Railway eXtortions in the West
have developed a growing industrial COM
bnation, called the Patrons OF Husb2ndry,
ole OF whose leading ideas is TO make all
railroads public highways. Organized
monopolies have great power from the con-
centration Of wealth, and evidently regard
themse as masters Of the country; but
they evince little wis ION in doing so much
to provoke the hostility Of millions of in
telligent free men. The masses are organ
izing their industry and political power to
meet any emergency. The Patrons Of
Husbandry have their head in Washington
City and in the person Of a faT-saeing
Americanized Scotchman. As an agency
for transporting all agricultural staples 10
market, railway corporations have the pow
er TO fix the sum the farmer shall receive
for his grain, fat cattle, hogs and sheep, and
other products of the soil, exported. 1t is
natural and unavoidable, that all producer
in the interior should desire the cheapest
possible conveyance Of the products oftheir
labor, whether from the soil, mines or
manufactures to distant consumers. Their
well being demands this, and must ever
urge them 10 work and fight if need be, for
its attainment. Intelligent voting will give
them the full benefit of every cheap and in
valuable interchange of the products Of in
duslTy, whether of brain or muscle. Be-
tween our forty million consumers and pro-
ducers, there is no room for any mono
poles whatever. The old Roman maxim,
SaluS pOpui Svpremd ier, will Kill all
moaopolies in transportation. The
organization of labor, and its thorough ed
ucation, are fruitful ideas. To-day the
American people are called to deal with facts
and conditions that never before existed.
The principle and practice Of combination
are as old as society. Seeing and feeling
the force of new concentration Of power,
as welded by c1pital, labor is now adopt
ing the same element Of strength, and earn
es,ly combining la self defence. While
the fortunate few vino inherit the coal
mines of England, advance penny to the
labor that tolls and sWelters half mile IN
der the sea 10 dig ton of coal, they
charge a shilling to the consumers OF coal
ppo1e for this contribution to mining in
dustry. Is it strange that labOring people
in mines in England, and in c0rn-felds in
America, should dislike that system of
close monopoly, which gives labor about
one penny in twelve Of what its honest in
dustry calls into existence There are
thousands Of farmers in East Tennessee
who pay two prices for all the salt they use
that 9 hsli-dozen salt monopolists
at Saltville in Virginia may
become very rich by extortion.
The success of agriculture demands that
all foreign salts Of soda, such as common
salt and cubic nitro, German potash salts,
and al salts of lime and magnesia, he i'm
ported at the lowest attainable price, aud
transported over the country By railroads
in the most economical way. Nothing but
shortsigbted and narrow-minded mouopo-
lies prevent this fertilizilg distribution of
concentrated m&Aures over the whole land
that needs more plant food. To a large
extent, American agriculture is denied the
power to replenish the soil, for crops
o. corn, wheat, cotton and tobacco
exported, with imported fertilizers.
An agricultural nation displays a lamenta-
BILE want of agricultural craftsmanship in
Congress, and in the administration of the
Government. Intelligent farmers every
where see this, and are wisely combining
their strength 10 secure the proper remedy.
Industrial craftsmanship is now In its fee
Bile infancy, but the world is large enough
for it to expand and grow to vigorous man
hood. The mind and muscle that create
capital will not always be its humble slaves.
The parents Of wealth will learn 10 have ur-
incumbered estates of their OVID, and keep
their children thereon without let or him
drauce of any autagonistic power. I me
will show that the producer of capital is
higher power than the thing produced.
Hence. the majority must rule as their best
iud rment dictates, and seek their own in
terest. or course, majorities, IS well as
minorities, may commit gorgeous blum
ders, and perpetrate any amount Of wrong.
For this, the only remedy is mental and
moral culture. Majorities, like hereditary
kings with large discretionary powers, are
sorely tempted to become tyrannical, selfish
and unjust. Our government is drifting
into federal despotsm by the centrlpslal
force Of capital.