Smyrna times., 1881-08-17

insertions Three.and halfcents Aliberal discount
made to quarterly, semiannual and yearly adverti-
sers. ..
OBITUARY NOTICES will be charged Five Cents per |
line.
THE MONEY POwER-1Ts RELATION TO |
CAPITAL AND LABoR.-The period OF
panic, low values and depressed business,
we know, from the five or six years re-
GENTLY passed through, is most uncomtort-
able: but tits only the other extreme OF the
inflated period brought on as the result OF
the war There is a continual state OF
unrest of capital, or rather, the relation
between capital and labor. The high pri-
ces were measurably the result OF the
"strikes,' of laborers in our large indus
trial establishments. These recurring from
period to period. could only be acceded to
by increasing prices from time to time'
until finally like a surcharged balloon,
there was an explosion and a collapse
The period of strikes has set in again with
good times" similar to its prevalence
ten and fifteen years ago and If resulting
in a panic then, we may expect sooner OF
later a recurrence of the same result.
But the amount of capital will determine
its intensity then as it did in the late crash
The men who had got rich in the war,
welded large influence in money circles
and the favorite investments. of "bloated
bondholders' were in railroad stocks.
New routes sprung up in all directions,
advertised to pay ten and twelve per
cent when their legitimate profit was not
three. as the crash when it did come
proved. Oil companies were organized
ON the same principle to meet with a SINH
lar result.
The renewal of prosperity has revived
these combinations. If it is found dan
gerous to trust one man with power, what
is it when a number of these men COM
bine? A Syndicate of capitalists to
control any feature of commercial busl-
ness, such as grain, pork, oil, or even rail
roads stands in its relation to the general
public ON the same principal that com
bination of laborers do against single
business establishment. 1t is force in
one case money, in the other the power o
numbers. The combination of large capl
talists, men who can command any day
their millions and force a AcOrner" in an!
of our great staples, is new feature
our later national life. In former time
or great business men and financier
worked on the individual plan and wer
thus competing with themselves in tn
interest of the public. Now they ar
combining to force up prices, by thei
great money power bringing profit
thousands of dollars in day, all of whic
is extracted from the hvings of helples
public.
This organization of capital stimulate
an organization of labor for the same II
suit. There is in the very nature (
things very little chance for a man to ris
10 the head of business when businei
combinations are composed of millionair
and the spirit of communism is thus el
gendered in the minds of those who al
restive under any restraining power, II
question of monopolies and syndicat
and their correlative, strikes, is one tn
must have larger share of the future q
tention of the political economist than b
been the case in the past. 1t will dout
less enter into our National politics in Il
near future, and will more than likely ri
to a leading party issue. Monopolie
are repugnant to the minds of Americ'
citizens, whether by syndicator or Cover
,4ol
aroused, can and will put a mighty for
in motion. Our great lines Of railroa
are able In a large measure to effect t
legislation of States, and their iniuen
in the. affairs ofthe Nation are perceptit
wherever there is any need of making
felt. These men who make play
railroads like ordinary men do Wi
knights and castles on a ehessboard, ,fgu
more largely in the public prints than
the Governors of our States, and next
the President of the United States tn
eyery movement is noted and given
the world. The people see a possiI
danger IN this great money power, esl
ciaily. when they syndicate to bleed
public vino have not the power to coml
them, and tits no wonder that some
the most thoughtful men of the matt
have formed a National Anti-Monop,
League, with the saying of Daniel w
ster for their motto, "The freest COVE
ment cannot long endure, where the t
dency oc ~. law is to create rapid
cumulation of property in the hands
few, and to render the masses of the p
pie poor and dependent"
O. The Presidents Condition.