The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-03-01


however foolish. wild Or extravagant the
original scheme may have been. it was o
scheme created by the agent ofthe State,
the Legislature, and endorsed bv an over
wheming vote Of the people OF the State,
and of which the people received the
benefits. No man who lived here in 1862
doubts for one moment that the gift OF
those road beds to new companies gave
Us railroads many years sooner than we
would otherwise have obtained them.
And if we had been without railroads
during those years OF immigration and
prosperity which followed Immediately
after the war. our condition to-day would
be far inferior to what it is.
II being then conceded that the State
should compromise these Old bonds, the
question arises lis the pending PROPOSE
ion fair and reasonable compromise?
This bill is practically q proposition to
settle the debt for 0ne-haif The amount
due.
/ should have preferred settlement
on the basis OF one. fourth or one third
the amount due. Bot in compromise ct
conflicting claims something must be
Welded hv both sides To wipe out these
bonds, now haWked through the markets
at the world 10 our discredit. and every
year Haunted in our licas. here with the
great seal OF the State attached. we must
be content to c0ncede something. Ii the
holders OF the bonds are willing 20 come
down from the whole amount due rs
heretofore claimed 10 one half the amount
due can not we advance seventeen OF
twenty five per cent. above whas we
think these road bonds were worth?
But suppose We refuse this proposition.
what then? Have we ended the mats
teiP
III the assassination
Could tTamme up the. consequence and catcli
$ ith It's sl.rcease success; II bus this bi0w
Might ue Tia :-ali and the eue! ali here"
we might, some Of Us, be tempted to
say mo- to this and every similar props.
0slticn. But it is not SO. The state Isl
immortal, and this claim will continues
to live until it's paid. 1t will pass frons
generation TO generation OF claimants,
steadily rolling up its vast volume ofin>
terest- The bigger tgrows the more
(, powerful it will become. We who know
something about the inception of the debt
will have passed away our objections
| will be silenced in the grave But new.
| lobby lists will then haunt these halls anal.
| our children will sit here pcrplexed ans
ashamed, 1T ''haying the plighted faitl"
Ut their fathers thrust in their faces. and
their lathcr's shame proclaimed through!
! All the land. Who can doubt that soon
CT or later they will pay the debt, dol~
| lar for dollar. principal and Interest? II
| - not in the nature ut things that thew
should do otherwise.
| While we have awaited ourselves of
our equitable detrnces and have leltered
ourselves behind the sovereignty OF the
| State, our creditors. having no other re :
source. have rushed into The newspapers
Of the world and have covered orr iair
name with opprobinm. The state is ua.
able to defend Itself in such contest with
getty foes. ii is like Guliver, stuck
full OF she singing arrows Ut the Lil.i-
pulians. Its wounds are not mortal but
they are painful and irritating. And il
the state attempts to reply, what can it
. SAY? Can great common wealth plead
the baby ac?' Can it shelter its huge
proportions behind some lence post OF !,
technicali;S? Can it say it fooled itself
into bad bargain, or was it cheated by
It's agents? These things. while thes may
constitute reasons why we should make
The 0est bargain III our power will be 10
defence az the bar OF The world
However much. Mr. Chairman. you or
may regretit, the TACT 5 pateut that cap
it'l rules the puollc opinion Of the world
We i've IN commercial COUNTRY aud !.
material a-e. IL has been the Lille >abor
OF some OF as.-a Labor IN many respects
~ vain,--tD protect the rights OF the in
digiduaiagainSt The aggressions OF cap
ItAt. Man, in the aggregate. IS slow,
patient, shoit sighted, inca psble ot or
ganizalion Capital. on the contrary, is
quick, sensitive. farsi GIFTED. energelic.
aiid capable OF world embracing co,nbi-
nations. II you touch the inte est oil ca o.
ltal ~ st. Paul the thrills OF the ;.siL tied
system "lli be telt in Paris and Ber in.
Shakespeare said OF tie actors OF MS da '
that Ill were better To have ! oad mon
ument wnen dead than their III opiniou
while living Aud il is ,il(1icu to con-
eelve all The evil results to "a state which,
dow from the hostility oil Il Do /. er whi h
controls oourse, the iorum and the press
There eau DC no question th Il tue hold.
ers OF those old binds have covered gu,
state with disgrace. Il is now ranked
IN he same Category with Misssiss!ppi
When we have asked Tor public loan.
no response has come from the greal
money ceuters. Oar merchants complain
that they are constantly iusuited; our
business men say that money is ut GU
: 1T thest;.te bythiS unsettled ciam. Whils
: these things should not iurce Us 10 In any,
! thing that Is not right. they should. al
least IDducc Us 10 Yield something in !
!. compromise which we all ieel 10 bs
necessary. Certa My we Cannot fal
back into brutal stolidity and declare
THAI We will pay nothing and do nothing
but let the storm of public indignation
how around our ears in vain.
There Is something necessary 10 a sue
cessiui state besides beef aud wheat
y There is q soul in the body polite. Il i