Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-08-13

not to give timely warning to the
Order, and suggest adequate RENEE
dies. It may indeed well be consid-
cred time to awaken the solici-
tude of every good citizen, when we
are obliged to even acknowledge
that such things are contemplated
But when we are made to know
that organized capital stalks abroad
in the country seeking in every
way to overreach legitimate trade,
and to despoil labor, reckless of
means SO that the end can be ac-
complished, we may well prepare
by such methods AS may be within
our power, to avert if possible, the
storm of disaster and ruin from
bursting upon us. 1t has been
forcibly said by a distinguished
writer:
"If, in the interests of individuals
or of classes, you make the law an
instrument of robbery, every one
will wish to make laws, and to make
them to his own advantage. There
will be riotous crowd at the doors
of the legislative halls; there will
be bitter conflict within; minds
will be in anarchy, morals will be
shipwrecked; there will be violence
in party organs, heated elections,
accuasions, recriminations, jealous
les, inextinguishable hates, the pub
lie forces placed at the service of
rapacity Instead of depressing it,
the abiIity to distinguish the true
from false effaced from all minds, as
the notion of justice and injustice
will be obliterated from all con-
sciences, the government RESPONSE
BILE for every thing and bending
under the burden of its responsible
tiles, political commissions, revolu-
tons without end, ruins over which
all the forms of socialism and COM
munism attempt to establish them
selves; these are the evils which
must necessarily flow from the per-
version of the law"
Men and brethren, do you recog-
nize any of "the signs Of the times g
Ii it be possible by corrupt means
to repeal law, how much longer
will we wait to see laws enacted
through the same means in the in
terests OF the organized power
which corrupts, and in reality con-
fer "vested rights" which shall
eventually absorb all other rights :!
The times look ominous in this
direction. More than ought else
may the toiling masses dread as
their most direiul enemy the cor
rupt use of the power possessed by
aggregated capital. 1t means fol
them oppression, servitude-indi-
rect, but none the less calling, want
misery, anarchy and finally frantic
and bloody revolution.
The Patrons of Husbandry'
have it in their power to check the
aggressive power of organized
capital, and the day is at hand in
Wisconsin which calls for the exer-
else of it.
We are told through public jour.
nails that Sin the event of any fur.
ther aggressive movement against
capital IN the West, the East is pre-.
pared to resort to very extreme
measures against the States so in
iuenced, both as a means of self
protection and retaliation"
And again, ''that the result of thu
Wisconsin law, if enforced, will bt
that the corporations viii Juy ul
legislators"
! Patrons! it is now time that WI
each of us give heed more particu
larly to those declared purposes O
the Order which refer to our dut,
as American citizens, and see to i
in the coming struggle that ">eon
but competent, ,faithJM and homes
men toho tciN u,.tinch,ingly staad b,
our industrial interests, are nominal
ed TOR positions Of trust" and there
by ''do all in his power legitilnatel,
to influence for good the action 0
any political party to which he be
longs"
| Your committee feel called upor
at this time to direct your attention
to the especial responsibility in thi
direction with which our Order has
become "laUested."
Notwithstanding the sympathy o
the masses of the people in til,
Northwestern States has been showr
to be in favor OF Legislative actor
to control the management of rail