Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-07-22
THE CORMORANT AND THE COM
MUNE.

been placed in contrast, the one
against the other, in the platform of
a political party. What do they
mean? What great and impending
evils do they foreshadow, that the
Democracy should seriously promise
protection against them? What is
the Cormorant? And what is the
Commune?
Before giving direct answers to
these questions it will be best to take
a short retrospect.
In establishing American institu-
tions, it vas sought to make this land
the home of the poor of all lands, and
of all the means resorted to in order
to secure that result, nothing was
more efficacious than the enactment
of laws allowing choice of occupation
and imparting security to the acquis-
itions of industry. These beneficient
provisions attracted immigrants, Gre
ated desire for accumulation of prop
erty and improved the pecuniary con-
dition of the new corners. AT the same
time safeguards were provided against
abuse of these unusual advantages by
the adjustment of customs, that ena-
bled the aristocracies of other lands
to perpetuate in particular families
the earnings and savings of genera
tons, chief among which were primo
centuries, entailments and perpetui-
ties of personalities and realities.
Wise and judicious as were the
laws alluded to they have been in
process of time rendered almost
nugatory by the development of a
system of unlimited incorporation I'M
der Republican rule, that has Gre
ated innumerable millionaires and
bids fair, if unchecked, to transmit to
their successors accumulation Of cap
ital susceptible of being used so as
to injure all industries. This is Cor
morant, the money power against
which there has been such an outcry,
and where ever it arrays itself against
industry, whether in banks, or syndi-
Gates, or in factories, or shops, along
the highways, in marts of commerce
among the "bulls and BEARS" or at
''corners," its unfaillng and apparent
ly inevitable antagonist is the Com
mune, and to those in the struggle
of labor against capital and capital
against labor, is to be attributed every
unwise financial scheme and every
fallacious and abortlve effort against
property, through force OF by virtue
of improper legislation, that has been
attempted under the guidance of dem
agogues plying their arts and incit-
ing the thoughtless suffering to the
adoption of remedies more injurious
and destructive than the evils sus-
tanned.
In some instances the corporations
complained of owe their origin to
injudicious, and in Others to un-
authorized use of legislative power.
Those created by the general govern
ment, except perhaps such as are
located in the territories and District,
are unconstitutional and should be
peremptorily squelched, and those
deriving existence from State legisla-
ton should be closely watched and
wound up whenever exceeding their
legitimate powers.
1t will be far more difficult to deal
with the Commune. 1t seems to W
its existence to certain principles i'm
planted in man by the Deity as a
check against excessive assumptions
by other men. 1t is not confined to
locality Or time, but like other in
stincts beneficial in their appointed
spheres, it is productive Of incalcula-
bile damage when improperly applied.
Every desirable product is proper
ty and without labor with capital to
sustain it, there can be no society
and therefore capital and labor, what
ever may be said to the contrary, are
natural allies. 1t is only when one
man is the capitalist and another the
laborer that there is even suspicion
Of antagonism between them. It is
capital that enables the laborer to
purchase and own tools. 1t is the
accumulation of profits of industry
that assists him to rear and educate
his children and make provision for
them and himself in his old age or
premature infirmity. Institutions
that secure such results commend
themselves to every honest and hon
orable man, and no one should suf-
fer himself to be beguiled into an at
tack on them by the Commune.
It 10 easy TO suppose that a neigh
Dor has too much Of either real estate
or money, but on trial it will be found
difficalt to place . just limit to pos.
sessions. There 10 also such q thing
as free land, free mir, free light and
free water, but il Z man wants them
heshoald comply with the conditions