Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-08-05
COMMUNICATED.
THE POWER OF CORPORATIONS.

pIeCeptS duC luJuucIlOuS, suCl ds flSl-
lance, eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty" ""equal rights to all and special
privileges to none" &c, which have
been, and are still, so often rung on the
lips of office seeking patriots, and stereo-
typed, italicised, and reiterated by a
large portion of the press, especially
the big daiies, that are nearly all pen
stoned by the corporations and monop-
olies, and are So chary and tender of
saying a word, or suffering word to
be said against them; there is not, now,
on the face of the earth, country in
which the people are more oppressed
and ground down into the earth by
monopolies and corporations than the
people of this once free and glorious
country. How this condition of affairs
has been brought about, have, hereto
fore had an opportunity of bringing to
the notice of the people, whom it SO
vitally concerns, in your truly liberal,
fearless and independent paper. Indeed,
almost all the great and sovereign pow
ers that should reside in and be exer-
cised by the people for their common
benefit, have been granted away and
parcelled out among multitudinous mo-
nopolies and corporations that, now,
like the old cow legged man monster,
iu Sin Bad the sailor, bestride their
shoulders, cling around their necks, and
are literally kicking the life out of them,
and riding them to death. There is no
end, or limitation, to the graspiug ava.
rice and cupidity of corporations and
monopolies Tney appropriate TO them
selves, and would swallow up every
thing created by God, or man, for com
mon or general uses. They desire that
nothing Shall come from the hands OF
God or Nature, or from the hands OF
man, unless it passes into their control
and dominion, and to he distributed, or
dribbled out by them, and subject TO
their usurpations, exactions and taxa
items. They utterly overlook and ig-
more the idea of reasonable quantities,
inherent in the social compact itself, and
part and parcel of it, and cast to the
winds the "woe" denounced unto them
that Join house to house, that lay field
to field, till there be no place, that they
may be placed alone i'll the midst OF the
earth" Such is the grasping spirit OF
individual man! How much more ter
rife and desolating must it become,
when infused into devouring monopo-
lies and corporations, with all their con-
solidated, and irresistible powers OF evil
to the common rights and interests OF
isolated men? Where man only '.join-
ed house to house, and layed field TO
field" lust see the billions of acres, the
territories ample for States and Princi-
pa,ities, that have been cut out from
the common inheritance given by God
TO men, taken away from them, and
handed over to those voracious and
grasping monopolies the railroads
Your highways too-the king high
way" in England, the peoples here
.hese, too, have been handed over to
he same monopoles to tax you pretty
much at their will and pleasure, and to
pprcpriats the whole gains and profits
f transportation and travel, formerly
.ommon to the whole people, to few
private corporations.
And, then, the Banking monopoly,
he head center of all other monopoiles,
nd the special confederate of this us:
rping, swindling monster, the railroad
vstem. that swallows down into its vor-
cious nav all your highways and the
hole land carrying trade formerly coin
ION to the whole country, what has 1t
one? 1t has asurped, and filched from
le people the sovereign money power !;
reated by them as the instrument of
neir exchanges and trade converted 1t
ITO saleable merchandise and made 1t
great engine to arrest all the industries
tho country, sink the values OF all its
.bor and property, and make them sub
cts to, and put them into the hands of
he marauders, who through their pres
ace, and influence, in your legislative
alls, have given themselves, and acquir-
d, the iucorporated-l will not say
ght--but usu:pation, and power to rob
nd plumber the people, and to reduce
hem to their present condition OF desti-
ution and want, in land that ought to
verhow with an abundance for all. The
anne thing might be said of the tele-
,raph monopoly, the insurance system,
he patent system, and others, which are
reat common and national porers OF
he whole people. which have been ia
en- away from them and bestowed as q
lift upon incorporated and privileged
lasses and which, exerted for their
ommon benefit and advantage, and un-
er the great cooperative corporation
f government common to them all,
'ould pay all the expenses of govern
ient, exempt the people from all taxa
on, leave large balance to their cred
and leave each man OF them to TIL
le soil, engage in manufacturing and
,mmerce and other useful callings,and,
fair equiuelenl exchanges, live by the
,eat of their own brow, instead OF ras-
ca'ly combinations and interpretations to
live by "their wits" and to plunder and
cheat each other. You may ask, how IS
all this to be brought about. My an
swer is, "send no man to make laws tor
the whole people, who is interested IN
making laws for his personal benefit, or
directly, or indirectly. interested in, or
for, corporations and privileged classes,
Please publish under this letter the
iuclosed extract from the "1nternational
Raria,v" With the heading the-"POWer