The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-11-21
HUNTING FOR KINGS.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a
crown" is an old saying which OF
late has received from current events
a marked emphasis. The attempt,
twice repeated to take the life of the
Emperor of Germany and the recent
assaults upon tie young king of Spain
and upon King lIumbert of Italy are
cases in point.
OF course the wouldbe assassins
were madmen. Of which the rtck.
lessness with which they took their
lives in their hands is sufficient
proof. The sequel in the IIoedel
case in Germany. and as will surely
follow in those Of Spain and Italy.
shows that to raise a murdero:s
hand at royalty is certain death; it
matters nothing whether the shot
sped wide of its mark. And they
we're madmen, too. in II higher sense;
that they but rivet ti,e more securely
the chains of the oppressor. and call
down upon all who love free and
just governments the faint of assassi-
nation. The murder of u IIohenzol-
lern, already totterins to his grave,
in Germany, the shooting of Alphon-
so, the boy.king of Spain. or the sud
den taking off of Uumbcrt the
Savoyard, would signify nothing in
the amelioration of the people 8
wrongs. Twill only make the way
clearer for the man of blood and iron.
But however foolish, however mad.
however worthy the vengeance of
God and man these murderous at.
tempts ut the lives Of useless ones.
they force men to look behind them.
Every effect must have it's cause.
These brooding enthusiasts are men
generally of other than brutal in
stincts. Sometimes indeed they are
the hired butchers OF some secret c.l-
bal, but oftener they arc men who are
accustomed to examine facts. to Oh
serve the effect of p.licies, to lead
the every day lessons of human life
around them. With minds no. nice
ly balanced, and without the restrain
ing fear Of hereafter, they are una
bic to reconcile the opposi.es of life.
the splendor Of the palace with the
misery of the howell. the gildcd life Of
the few. when every day is 4 pleasure
holiday like the summer of the earth
" Ellen without end. with the never
ending struggle Of the toiling mil.
lions. And in their frenzy they raise
the assassin's weapon upon the repre-
sentative of systems which entails so
much misery upon their kind.
Nor should these attempts upon roy
al lives he without their significance
upon this side of tho Atlantic. Mo
nop,ly, whatever its name, is only a
species of royalty. Some monopolies
are entrenched behind laws and are
protected by them, others. without
the Inv, form entertainments by con-
binations known rs rings. These
Inonopolies AMI combinations are Oft.
en- united. and are to-day the most
serious element of alarm to all who
value the freedom Of tho citi-
zen. Because their aim
has been and still is to control the
legislation o. the country, AID
through the legislation to control the
wealth, and by the control of the
wealth. which is the hearts blood of
the Material prosperity of the
people, to control the people them
selves. The dividing line between
liberty and despptism is very narrow.
Rome Was enslaved before Cesar
crossed the Rubicon; and other re-
pubiics may fall as Rome did. ..Eter-
nal vigilance is the price Of liberty"
Unless the people crush the rings,
the rings will crush the people.