The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-05-10
WHAT GOOD IA We THEY DoNEp

It is a humiliating and painful re-
Election to find that both Congress
and the Legislature of our own State
has been controlled by rings, COM
posed of political trimmers and heart
less rascals, for their own benefit,
and in the interest Of banks, money
changers, bondholders and corpora
tions of every hue and name, whilst
the interests of the laboring masses
have been totally and cruelty ignor-
ed.
The establishment of the Nation
al Banking system, which had its
origin in the necessities OF the Ma
ton, when involved in a bloody
struggle for its very life, was one of
the means which should have been
abolished Immediately after the ter
mination of that struggle. By the
continuance Of this ubiquitous sys-
item, few individuals have been en-
abled to amass colossal fortunes,
filched from the ranks of labor, and
all classes, except this select few,
have had to pay double tribute to
swell the wealth of the few. to the
prejudice of the many. But the in
iquity did not stop here. The
wealthy classes were enriched still
farther, by the exemption of their
wealth from taxation when that
wealth was put in the shape of
United States bonds-and all this
was done by the power which that
same wealth exercised upon our law
makers; whilst the honest toilers
we're ground into the very earth. by
the imposition Of tariffs, revenue
tithes and other eXactions, under |
the pretense of keeping up the
Government and maintaining the |
honor and integrity of the Nation.
The alterations that have been |
made from time to time by Congress
in the laws regulating the monetary
affairs of the country, have all been
in favor of capital, and in direct
hostility to labor, until we are re-
duced to the verge of ruin and bank
ruptcy and still the rapacious Shy
locks, like Oliver Twist, are calling
for more.
I For upwards of ten years, the peo-
pie of the United States have been
to pay in gold to the
bankers and bondholders millions
upon millions annually, until at this
date every one of the 2,100 Nation
al banks have received more than
their whole nominal capital in gold
as interest upon their bonds deposit
ed for the paper received from the
upon which they have
carried on their banking operations.
The process of contraction which
las been going on for the past three
7ears has paralyzed industry and
obbei the honest toilers of the
means of making a livelihood for
themselves and families, until we
ave not less than five millions of
talwart citizens out of employment,
With families aggregating not less
han five times their number, in alb
olute want and starvation.
The facilities offered by this vici-
us National banking system for I
nen to make themselves rich with
ut labor, have induced them to en-
ark in banking rather than in the
pursuits of life, and thus
be surplus capital has been absorb
d, in a direction inimical to the in
erests Of the laboring or producing
lasses; and hence the deep dis
ress that now affiicts this latter ,
lass at the present moment, Con- !
ress has been in session now for a !
eriod of five months, and not a !
ingle measure has been brought !
orward looking to the interests of !
abor. The representatives of the
eople seem to be only mindful of :
ow this or that party shall obtain
ONE temporary political advantage
yer the other. regardless of the dis
-ess that has spread like the pail Of
cath all over the land.