Osage Valley banner., 1881-05-05

into the embraces OF moneyed manoplies Of
this country.
Our transition from q republic to en-
oIigarchy. Tho frst itep toward the
enslavemeht ots people Is the impoverish-
msnt Of the la5oring classes by turning the
profits of their labor into the hands Of others.
This wealth Is used to strengthen the power
OF the usurpers, and thon In turn to enslsve
those from whom il was wrenched. The
occasion Is Afforded by the happening of some
unforeseen cnlamity, such as war, or great
scarcity Of The necessaries Of life. The great
mass of mankind sutr5r during these periods;
the few profit by their suffering, and wrest
from the people advantages which are rarely
eyer peacefully regsined. The biography Of
nations e but melancholy witness 10 this
painful truth. Examples are numerous in
every age OF the world. We read in the 47th
chapter OF Gsnesis that the King OF Egypt al
one time, anticipated period OF scarcity,
had occurred monopoly of the products Of
his empire Through joseph, his primo
minister, be sold these products to the people
antil be had sbsorbed ell their money. The
famine eoiainued, and she people camo
begging fos broad. They were then informed
that the King would further exchsnge bis
] surPlua for ibelF ctttlO and horses. The
people complied, and thus the king obtsjned
control over their rude means OF transpor,lon
The third year the king exchanged bis
surplus corn for the land and homes Of the
people, and reduced the whole population to
sIuyerF, exaeting twenty per cent. per annum
theresiter oi all their products For new
beginner think Pharaoh averages pretty
well with cur modern kings of tho rail.
daughter say the whole population were
thus reduced, but there wss one class exempt
from tse burdens which Tell upon the common
ptople-the priesthooG-answerinG TO tho
bonded arls.ocracy of to-day [Applause. ]
| When the Constitution OF our fathers received
the popular sanction aud become the supreme
law of the young republic, 1t was believed
that tAero would be wisdom and Yirture
enough among tho masses TO protect them
| selves rom unforeseen dangers likely to arise
Through q brisi century of alternate war and
peace, storm and sunshine, tempest aud calm
we have thus far successfully demonstrated
our ability to govern Ourselves ana defend
the citadel Of popular government agsinst
for, ign and domestic foes. But the segeresl
test is yet to come, and already the advance
eusrds Of tNe opposing forces are about their
work. Picket firing can pc heard all along
the line, ard from the dense columns of dusl
visible along the great highways ofpublC
thought, it mus. DO apparent to all that the
great cpEosing force are marching out 10
take their positions on the line battle. The
struggle Is between the. rRnnhiir fha ara
hand and the seductive influence and heart,ess
tyranny OF uncontrolled eorporAted power on
the other. Are we able to drink OF this cup
also and be baptized with this baptismf This
Is tho great question Iequinpg settlement at
our hands. Thus far through all history from
the cradle Of our sseeio iSe present hour, Il
is q melancholy fact that no nation has ever
preserved it's liberties sgainst the seductiyed
iufiusnce OF vast accumulatens ci wealth and
morey in the bands tf the few. Tho reason
is obvious. These vast fortunes are pillsged
from the many by unjust laws, and the
resul: is want, and la the end slavery 20 tho
great mass OF the people.