Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-06-02
MONOPOLTES.

The greatest danger that at this Time
threatens the general prosperity of our
country are its munopolies, its big
corporations, rail road campanies, tel
egraph companies, oil companies, coal
companies, iron companies and eX-
press companies. The boasted basi-
ness boom Of which the papers have
so much to say operates almost ex-
clusively to the interests Of these, and
the condition of the farmer, the
machauic, the tradesman and the Ia
borer has improved but very little over
three and five years ago. The spirit
and tendency of nearly all legislation.
both state ana national, has for years
been in favor of>cembined capital and
against labor-in favor of the few and
against the good of the masses.
1t may be considered fortunate that
the people are beginning to see the true
condition of things, in order 10 pre-
pare themselves for the fearful bat
tie that is fast pressing itsalf upon
them "a battle that involves Ques-
tion no less than the fate of the re-
public itself. Movements arc inaugu-
rated to organize the better elements
of the country-the bone and sinew of
of the land-for the coming conflict.
Several monster meetings have re.
Gently been held in New York city, in
the interests of the agricultural,
mechanical and laboring classes. We
give below serieS of strong resolu-
tions passed at one Of these meetings
held at Cooper Institute, May l4th
1881, and propose to keep our readers
posted on the development and Ssprog-
ress of the new and important move
ment:
Resolutions adopted Mt q Meeting OF
the National lnti-M0nOp0ly League,
|. held at Cooper Institute, New
York, May 14th, 1881.
Resolved. That the confirmation of Hon.
Stanley Matthews, the Pacific Railroad candi-
date, rs Justice OF the Supreme Court OF the
United States, is 4 signal and alarming proof
ofthe purpose and the power OF corporate mon :
opolleS, of their purpose to pack the Supreme
Court with Judges who will reverse its dc
ciSion in the Granger eases, affirming the right
of the people through their legislatures to con-
troll corporationS-of their polCcr to secure the
confirmation Of their candidate in defiance of
the popular viii manifested through the press,
and against an almost unanimous report of the
statesman ana lawyers of both parties, con-
stituting the Senate Committee on the Judiciary
ReSo,Ued, That we view with apprehension
the power OfmouOpoieS in the legislative judi
cial and executive departments Of our Govern
ment; that the recent prominent part taken by
the railroads in electing candidates for the Sen
ate of the United States, and the nomination to
positions of poSyer and influence of Mr.. Matth-
ews, the railroad advocate in the United States
Senate; Mr.. Elliott +. Shepherd, the son-in-law
of Mr.. Vanderbilt; and Hon. Wm II. Robertson,
the lifelong attorney of the same interest, and
who but recently was instrumental in killing
the bill to prevent telegraph monOpoly-an
point TO a settled policy on the part of the mon
opoly interest, to push their creatures into pow
er where they can thwart all attempts of the
people to hold them to u proper responsibility
TO the public
ReSolUed, That the tendency is very marked
20 monopolize the enormous advantages Of
steam and electricity and use them as means
to tax the public unduly fOr their uSe that The
concentration of vast wealth in few hands
while the manyare kept poor, is opposed to
public policy, to public morals, and endangerS
the permancy of our form of government.
ReSogred, That we especially view with a.
larm. the attempts Of monopOfsts to control
our courts and the press, which, with our
schools, are the chief bulwarks of our free in
stitutions: that we therefore deprecate such ap-
pointments as those above mentioned, and
earnestly affirm that it is the duty of all good
citizens, to hold all persons and all parties to a
strict accountability for thus betraying the
public interest,