Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-29
FREE rRApE-wHAr ,r.

that city, filling over five closely printed
columns of that large sheet, advocating
with equal zeal and ability the present tariff
and currency, as deserving of Democratic
support. Tits natural that Democrats in
feeling and principle, who have large inter
-ests directly affected by-ear present, depre-
ciated currency and high tariff, should seek
TO protect those Interests BY opposing re-
turn to specie payments By all banks, and a
material reduction in impost duties. But
can MIR. Winder reasonably expect forty mil
lion people to sacrifice their peeuniary inter-
ests toenrich few monopolies? 1t is absurd
to cherish such an idea and "a eolume of
special pleading cannot make 1t morally
right for Congress to c mpel by law the
people of the United States 10 buy any
goods whatever made in this country against
their interest, in preference TO goods made
in any other country. But tariff men and
many manufacturers say that it is for the
interest Of all classes to patron.ze Ameri-
can manufacturers, even If we do pay more
for them than for foreign goodsof the same
qualify. This is very harmful fallscy;
harmful because it throws the everyday
wants of the whole population into the
power of few men to extort money Gas she
salt manufacturers do) from our necessities.
All monopolies are of the same character,
and it is a matter of the highest import
ance that the masses who rule the ballot
box study and understand them. The
same psp4r that contains Mr.. Winder's half
acre of argument in behalf of high pro-
tective tariff and rather dirty rag currency,
has this paragraph on "The Coal Monop-
oly:u
sIf those who are conspiring To- keep up
the price of coal--Hextt to the staff of life, q
necessity for all, and for the poor even more
than the rich--could hear the alternate
complaints and curses they receive from
the people from day to day, we think they
would pause awhile before adding to their
ill-gotten wealth by this means. A dollar
ton and more is the increase over last
yO0l D1lOCog 6ud cbil1 AiSuC1 Nuol
are threatened in September and Octo-
Der. The poor can only buy their coal as
they need II, and sometimes have to buy it
by the bushel, which enhances even high
prices two-fold. While they are saving
what they can to do even this, we read that
since 1871 the Reading Railroad has stepped
into Schuylkill county with $50, 100000 and
bought MP all the coal mines and lands it
could lay its hands on. The production of
anthracite coal is no longer business regu-
lated by competition, but by gigantic mo-
nopoly, and by this sgency avarice ard ex-
tortion are made to lay their heavy hands
upon labor and poverty"
1t is impossible to deny without false
hood the above plain statement. 1t is i'm
possible to deny without falsehood that the
ofiron, steel, salt, wool, cot.
ten, reapers, sewing machines, and a thou
sand other articles, when protected by laws
Of Congress, do combine to exact more
money from the public than they could
command without such class legislation.
In place of fostering gigantic power and
strong disposition of capital, by the sthirty
million dollars" invested in coal mines,
,hree hundred million dollars invested in
ron mines, and three thousand million dol
ars in railways, that ire holders ofthis capt.
al may charge two or three prices for their
;oal, iron, steel, salt and railway freight
md travel, it is time to check this
preading gangrene, if possible, which has
.lready corrupted Congress and the Admin
stration; corrupted State Legislaturer,
'tate and Federal Courts; and worst of all
the ballot-box and press to en-
arge a; d perpetua.e its mercerary rule over
suffering people. Ills unavoidable that,
q curing these deep seated maladies, rem
dies apparently harsh and severe must be
'orne by Democrats as well as by Radicals
Vho have Brought the untry into its pres
mt condition of debt dishonesty and disgrace
Grant, with his salary grab of 100000 for
our years, and his supporters, are trying
lard to make stealing respectable with |
voters. Time will show how far |
bis kind of morality will be endorsed by a
rec people. A tariff is wanted, not to pay |
he national debt or support the govern
nent, but to make few men very rich at
he public expense. The whole financial
ystem Of Congress needs thorough reform.
he annual expenses Of the nation should
g reduced one-haIf and the governmentrun
,r The beneti: Of the great producing classes.
lononolists have grasped everything but
ur farms, farm implements and stock.
hey have however seized mors acres of
md from the public domain in fifteen
ears, than there is improved in the United
.ates. The strong point in Mr.. Wlnder's
rgument is, that if we do not permit Am
an modopolists to rob us in the manufac.
ire and sac Of iron and other articles,
british monopolsts will do the same bad
iings. To this We reply, that the robbers will
e farther removed and not protected by
american laws to tie equal dis
race of our Lawmakers and
ne people who send them to Congress.
Vhen we began giving land, aud labor and
honey TO aid companies to build railroads,
did not occur to US that as soon as these
had got their property secure,
ley would pledge it to buy up all the coal
nd timber lands in the country, with
lew to make all consumers of timber in
ny form or coal pay them enormous profits
q a diSbOne.t speculation. We say it is
ishonest to seize by using indefinite mil
ons of capital, the firewood, coal, timber,
lmber grain, cotton, or provisions, to ex.
'rt unknown millions from consumers as
he result of this practical robbery.
SENATOR MOTIONS BACK PAY.
The Indianapolis journal, the organ of
le Republican party at the capital of In
lana, said in its Issue of Aug. &c:
''The Democratic papers are never so
Apply as when abusing Senator Morton.