South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-09-06

~ tcoos W ,VVVsVVO moro III cash anu lost
time to witnesses. suitors, and jurors, TO
defray the expenses OF your federal and
state courts. TO say nothing OF the per-
jurics and frauds they engender. You
can safely wager all the strawberry short
cake and cream biscuits To- which Won
allude in your first number that you ever
expect to enjoy. and add the balance of
your earthly substance TO il, that there
IS not ten per cent. on the judgments
realized in any county in the State.
All OF these lawyers which the banks.
railroads. and other corporations desire
to buy, they retain" These retain
ed gentlemen are sent TO the State and
national legislatures. or If by accident
one is sent who is not retained before
sending, he is sure TO he retained" ve-
~ soon after his election. Whom do
these sHon." gentlemen represent after
they are elected? Why. not the three
fourths Of their constituents. who form
the great industrial classes OF their dis
tricts, but the great corporations UT in
terests by which they are "ret ined r.
In the legislatures. the retained" law
yers put their heads together. gaia con-
troll of the accurscd Judiciary commit
tees that control the legislation OF the
bodies to which they belong. and thus
the mass OF the taxpayers are kept in
ignorance OF their true position and are
feeced perpetually year out and year in.
The people feel and know that some
thirg is all wrong. In short time,
:hey see the seedy young lawyer whom
thy sent to the Legislature at three dol
lars per day riding on passes, yard or
two of gold chain tapping about his
person, the owner of fast horse. can he
heard to dwell largely on what is his IA
vorite brand Of champagne, and hear him
spoken of rs the probable candidate for
the next congressional nomination In
his district. His politics. of course, are
always with those of the majority of his
district, for he is not such fool rs to
deprive the country Of his valuable SER
vices in consequence of any such little
thing as difference in political princi.
Piles. He thinks him dull man who
cannot accommodate himself to crcum.
stances, and change his politics rs of.
ten as State or National administra-
tons change.
In little while, a heartless, petty
note-shaver. who has his hole in the wall
near the Office Of the rising statesmen,
suddenly bursts on the community as a
bank director, next as q railroad direc
tor, next rs the owner Of the finest resi-
dencc in the neighborhood, next rs con
nected with half dozen or more cut.
throat corporations, and talks very EN-.
phatically and decidedly, and is ambi
tious to be called in the newspapers "a
man of substance" The people have
never seen him do anything except sell
on chattel-mortgage, some poor wild
ow's last COW, break up some industri
Gus AMI enterprising mechanic who has
been little unfortunate and owes more
than he can instantly pay, but could and
would pay in little time if let alone
and trot round to attend meetings of the
directors Of half dozen skinning ma
chimes. such as gas companies and the
like, and perhaps, with great demure
ness. attend meetings of the trustees Of
some religious organization. This wor
thy patriot is convinced OF the incapa
city of the people to govern themselves
says we must have stronger govern
ment to protect the property OF gentle
men," that the people are all becoming
communists and we must have stand
ing army Of fifty or hundred Thousand
men to keep them in subsection aud pro
tect property holders from being moles
ted by the mob, and that he thinks hC
will soon have to leave this unpleasant
country and take up his residence il
Paris, &C., &c.
Now, candidly submit to you ant
| a
curate photograph OF the condition o
things in most towns and cities of tho
United States, and especially in the up
per Mississippi basin. You have seer
duplicates of it at least dozen time.
right in Racine, and 30 has every one O
your readers who has had observation
enough to look about him. / have seer
it in Milwaukee and in plenty Of Other
points in the State.
For twenty-five years, with rare excep
tions. the effort has been not TO make
laws to benefit the industrious poor. but
to rob them, and enrich the sharks and
pettifoggers. The unremitting aims and
efforts Of the members Of both the old
parties have been to construct legal pit:
and dead falls into which the producing
classes would tumble, that they might
be riied Of their substance.
What difference was there in The plat
forms Of tho two old parties in the late
presidential election? Can anybody
tell? Both were made TO tickle the mo
MED and speculative interests and fool
the producers. and they accomplished
their purpose.
During Grants administration, the
Legislation Of Congress, in reference u
tue finances Of tho nation. cost it IN ore
than the entire expenses Of the war
and prominent democrats in both houses
aided the republicans in fasting these
terrible aud ruinous measures on the
necks Of the people. The Don4axation
of government bonds. the passage oil
the national bank law. by which the gov.
eminent lost $500, 900 900 at one swoop,
the act Of 1870 providing for funding
tue nrccnback bonds with coin bonds