The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-31
Decentralization of the Country.

this land. Inc "lmWenSe.CoLcciu MAMA
has run riot to degree that has reduced
confidence 20 4 low typhoid condition. Toe
examples incident in q new country, whose
rich mineral resources are being developed
with success unexamp!ed ia the history OF
the world whose iand.vaiucs have Deen
enhanced with rapidity that has exalteo
poor families suddenly TO the pecUniary
means of priuces--iu which speculation ana
monopoly have given individuals power ana
wealth that enabled them to control branches
Of trade aud whole communities, ana gave
them the presumption Of Gictators--hsVe
filled the minds Of men with the most ianci'
full notions about the acquisition of wealth,
and made the desire for wealth such ruling
passion that all the mora! principles have
been ex,insuishcd wherever they offered any
hindrauce 10 plans and schemes for making
money.
While 80 many men Of talents and energy
have been sent Oh: like pirates upon the high
seas to seize and hold money by the disre.
gard OF all principles Of right and honesty,
tae spirit OF discomfort has been eDgendered
throughout the land. The honest laborer,
who has been earning his bread in the sweat
Of bis brow, has murmured at his fate to
,noil and toll FOR so little, while thousands
were getting moacy by luck, by speculation,
by monopoly. by inor6ina;e salaries and D!
fashionable rohbcries OF many kinds. With
out eXeggcr4tioD, we may say that these TWO
classes Of dcmoraIizcd people embrace hall
the population of the United States.
TIE great California concern was sample
Of the mania Of monep!y and the ambition
TO oycrshaloyr all banks and DaUkcrs-to
control commerce, politics. and society. Inc
bank and lis officers looked to the day when
their assent would be essential and thclr Will
would be supreme in all departments OF life.
Very true vas it that the great leader in this
vast ambition was a liberal, charitable, and
genial le.iow--that he minstered TO the SUI
ieriDg-thGt he spread pleasures before in.
numerab!e people who fell in the way Of his
toupty-ttat he rescued many deserving
men from ruin; but it is not given to man
to do the wonderful things lie and his COL
leagues proposed TO do.
Society canno, consent to become entirely
dcpend.nt upon one or hsli.doZon indi-
viduglS. They take 1'aim Is they behold the
rapidly gro~:pg power that may favor or
oppre>s ;atm at will. They at once resist it.
DstIps, puts iu It's serious obstruction. 1t
denies facilities that arc Indispensable to
progress aad absolutely necessary TO pre-.
Of mi
will be attacked Immediately they arc seen.
Tb-ou-h them the breaches are made that
ccd in fall sud ruin. Providcntial laws are
opposed TO tGese immense monopolles, and
combining with society, are sure TO bring
theta to destruction.
The example OF tie failure Of the immense
concern in Baltimore was anothcr Of the
striking illustrations Of the trouble and dis
a>ter which so generally fellow the greedy
efforts OF inonop,lists. STIRLING, ATHENS 4
Co. nonorUlized the sugar and iGOlasses-rC-
fning business of That large city. The fact
i monstrous. Think what large amount
OF enterprise and honest industry was
clu>hed as they crushed their sugar by their
mode Of doing business. Through the credit
they obtained and the control they had
ever other peoples money they broke down
competition by cut-throat prices. and pro-
cured ct 1rolug position. But all the
tine hey were digging their own graves.
Driven by losses the custly price at which
they purchased their position, they applied
100000 of the money OF a corporation
whose business they managed TO keep them
selves atlo0t, and if possible to avoid the
gull Of ruin that yawred before them. This
was thicvire: anu they stood high, were
proper men IS The world goes, aud were re.
soecrcd and trusted. Thus they reached the
iiIal eXpeGeut Of such 20ucerns-CRIME.
and now Baltimore find. that sine has lost
more by his immense concern than she Eu>
gained hy it, She sees that While it has
crippled merit and energy that nigh! have
been valuable to her, it has brought heavy
losses upon her in an important branch OF
trade anal las finally failed in the foolish am
billion TO control its especial business in all
the Atlantis cities. Even this city, with her
small means and pretensi0ns, has felt the
strategy OF the immense Baltimore concern,
aud has been forced to abandon enter
prises that might have done her good with
out doing harm to Baltimore; but such is
tue mean and vicious spirit of monopoly tina,
it bales to behold any success which is not
its own.
Look over the country and see the trouble
and prostiation-the discomfort that comes
OF these greedy and proud ambitions of men.
Look ut the railroad corporations and their
wars, and greedy, not to say vicious, ambi-
tons. The railroad kings, essaying to mo-
nopolize transportation, are reducing rates
So that they fall below fair compensation; and
the result is, they fail to pay interest on their
debts-not to mention dividends to stock.
holders-and We see them in arrears to their
minor officers aud to the poor laborers. And
still they 90 on hectoring over the land as
though the property they managed was all
their own and the land belonged to them.
These kings in many cases get inordinate
salaries. They display an ambition for
ruling long lines-an ambition which it is
10 inapt illustration TO say that it is SIS if
they hoped to make the moon itself one Of
their termini. 1t would indeed be blessing
TO society if they could take up their lead
quarters there.
The great ambition Of the kings is TO mo-
nopolize "through freights," and to do so
they reduce rates until one would think that
road best eff which gets the least Of them.