The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-08-01

Democratic parties is an absolute
demonstration that each of these are
entirely under the control of a
monied aristOcracy- lords of
capital of both the American States
and the different countries of Europe.
In proof Of this proposition we need
only call your attention to a brief re-
view of our present condition and Of
the legislation that has metamorphosi-
sed millions of American freemen
into slaves. To-day, and each and
every day, in the United States,
100000 of skillful, willing workers
ask in vain for the opportunity to
work for food and clothing. The
homes of the toiling millions are the
abode of squalid poverty and abject
want. Pauperism is largely on the
increase in all of the American
States. In the year 1877, twenty-one
per cent. of the inhabitants of the
Empire State received public aid.
The per centage of pauperism in
Ireland, when she waS in her worst
condition. just before the great
famine, never exceeded seventeen
per cent. History furnishes us with
no former example of so large an in
crease of crime, and such wide spread
political corruption and demoraliza-
ton AS we have had in the United
States in the last twelve years. In all
the States there is a call for the en-
largement of jails, penitentiaries and
alms-houses. Each day millions of
free-born, high-spirited, willing
workers. are the shame-faced recipi-
ents of charity. Our cities are
swarming with men and women who
uIe obliged to live in compulsory
idleness. The highways and by-ways
of the country are infested with
l,50O, 900, tramps desperate from want,
and many of them ripe and ready for
any and all forms of crime. This is
no overdrawn picture. 1t is plain
common sense statement of our indus
trial condition at the present time.
Your attention is now called to the
causes that have brought us into
this condition of abiect enslavement
to the lords of capital. Every act of
American legislation relative to
finance and revenue, during the last
seventeen years, has been in the di-
rection of increasing the accumula-
ting power of capital and imposing
heavy and increasing burdens upon
the laboring and producing classes.
The constant, undertaking tendency
of American legislation, both State
and National. for the last seventeen
years. has been to lay heavy burdens
of taxation upon the laboring and
producing classes (all classes of
workers. and to exempt the capital
ist and money-lending class from
bearing their just share of taxation
for purposes of State and National
revenue.
American legislation. during the
last seventeen years, has created
privileged orders, or orders of no
bility, in plain violation of the Con
stitution.
1st. We have privileged, untaxed
bond holders.
ID. Privileged, untaxed national
bankers.
Sd. Numerous privileged. untaxed
incorporated railroad monopolies
have been created by acts of Con.
gress. in plain violation of the Con
stitution and endowed by gifts OF
295, 900, 900 acres of land-the peo.
pies land. and 500, 900, 900 of gold
interest bearing bonds-the people
money. These incorporated monop
olies. have been endowed with the
monstrous and destructive privilege
of issuing an unlimited amount OF
fictitious stock, and imposing suffi
cient toll upon the products of labor
. to pay dividends on their real and
fictitious stock.
The privileged classes and incor
porated monopOlIeS, created and es
tablished by law in the United States
IN the last seventeen years, yield q
far more potent influence tending ts
the enslayement of the laboring
producing classes than was evel
welded by the feudal lords of the
middle ages. or by the 240. 900 Amer
lean slave holders who attempted t.
destroy our national unity. for tn,
purpose of keeping in existence negr,
, slavery.
The Republican and Democrat,
parties are equally responsible fol
this class legislation, which has ere
ated these privileged. untaxed class
es. We can have no confidence in
either of these parties. Neither cal
we repose any confidence in thu
candidates. whatever may be theil
social standing. who place them
selves upon the platform of either q,
these parties.
II We would. therefore recommend
! as the National party in its platform
. processes sufficient remedy for en-
isting industrial and inancis
evils. the adoption of that platforu
and : nat we act in uLity, politician
, with the National Labor aud Greex
, back party.
Your committee further repor,
/ that they do lot think It advfmhlouo
} ENTER into any expeuso at tho uren1fis