The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-04-14

Welded ~ Four meM-'chO 11b9he
and DUTY ~ Government % Inter-
fcFe for the Protection ~ the PcO-
pie.
SENATE CHAMBER. wAsnIxorox,l
Feb. 10, 1881.
Tho Hon. y. L. chittcnden, President Nstiona
Anti Monopoly League.
DEAR siR. deeply regret that official duties
Of an imperative character prevent the accept.
ance Of your kind invitation to address the
meeting It Cooper Institute on the 2lst inst.
Until to-day hoped to be able to arrange my
business 20 ~ 10 attend tho meeting, but find
Il will be impossible.
The purpose Of your league, A. understand
II, IL not to wage war upon corporations or in
diyiduals, butt conceding 10 oil their Just rights
TO demand full protection for The rights Of tho
citizen against the abuses and aggressions Of
corporate power, and to inslrt upon the en-
mi right defined by the Supleme Court OF the
United states. In this effort you have my
most hearty sympathy and cooperation. Your
cause n lust, but III such contest you grapple
with giants. do not undertake the power or
tho kklll 81 your antagonists. Wise and con-
1crvAiiye coanstls will alone secure success.
You must he ~ prompt 10 coacede rights a. YOU
RAN or Comn,nnistic spirit must find place in
your proceedings. Tho character Of the men
who compose your organization gives assir-
Ance against danger ON this point. Constitu-
tions, natural rights and the spirit Of our in
situations are on your side. Intrenched behind
thsse, aud lighting for the right, you cannot
Corporate power has done much to develop
our country. For it, good deeds freely ac-
cord Il full credit. Al an instrument to execute
the will and serve tho interests OF tho public IL
ID Of incAlculablc vAlic, but ~ the impcrious
ruler u the people II IL most cruel and rclcnt
less tyrant. Kept within the limits Of proper
restraint Il il An invaluable servant or the
public. Unrestrained by tho forces Of law and
public opinion IL will prove most dangerous
maeter. The individual citizen 10 imrotent to
contend with this gigantic and rapidly growing
power. Governmental authority, state and ma
tionai, alone 10 competent TO restrain its 49,
forcsecn that the time would come when the
people would be- compelled to invoke the cxer-
cisc Of that authority for their protection.
repeat to-day, In substance. words uttered
seven years ago that "thcrc are in this country
four men who, IN the matter Of taxation, pos
neither Congress nor any Of our State LcgislA-
lures would dare to cxcrt--powers which. II OK
etcised IN Great Britain, would shake the throne
to its very foundation. These men may. at any
time, and Tor any reason satisfactory to tnem-
selves, by stroke OF the pen reduce the value
Of property in the United States by hundreds OF
millions. They may, at their own will and pleas
urc, dlsarrange and cmbarrass business. dcprcss
one city or locality and build up another enrich
one individual aud ruin his competitors, and
when complaint il made coolly reply, What are
You going to do about ftp"
The men who WELD this stupendous corporate
power have grown wiser with the passage Of
events. Hitherto they have cen apparently
content to absorb and control the great indus
trial and material interests Of the country BY 4
monopoly OF the channels and iMplcm, ATS Of
transportation, but recently new and alarming
conditions arr presented. They know full well
that II the people can freely communicate with
each other they will see the dangerous tenden-
caes Of this rover aud organize to restrain il.
| tons for the maintenance OF their power and to
def, 1t the efforts Of the people to curb il, they
have now seized upon the channels Of thought
Look 1t Il moment.
One man, who controls more miles Of rail-
roAd than any ether in the world, and who il
Almo.t daily adding new lines TO his colossal
combination, now also controls the telegraphic
systcm OF the United States and Canada, and
h reaching under the aeA to grasp that Of Eu-
rope. Not cortcnt with oil this, aud deter
mined that no instrument Of commercial and
political power shlll elude hs grasp. he is--as
learn-also the owner Of three out of the seven
newspapers which constitute tAe Associated
| lrcsA through the agency Of which the news
Is distributed over the entire country.
/ He may at any time secure the fourth paper,
which will give him absolute control over the
| news which the people shall receive When that
takes place what viii be onr condition. What
chance will the people then have to resist the
cncroAchments Of corporate power How shall
hey even communicate with each other on the
nNtfexsf1 Mint
far discussion Of thc<e qncstions2 The daily
news supplied to the myriad OF newspapers must
first pass under the supervision Of one or two
men who represent the Associated Press, and
who are appointed by its owner. They will have
full authority, and Doubtless will be required, to
suppress, add to, or color the information thus
sent out ~ may best eerve the interest, the am
hilton, or the malice Of the man to whom they
owe their places. Hence the 70. 900, 900 Of peo-
pho who read their morning papers 1t their
breakfast tables will daily receive Just such inl-
prcsslons ~ this one man shall choose to give
them. Public men and Affairs, and busincss in
terests aud movements, will be seen in the col.
| oring which shall best serve his interests The
legislator who shall thenIc bold enough to raise
hls voice In bchalf Of the people, or to strike 4
blow in their defense, will be misreprcsented OF
denied hearing before his own constituents.
| Tue business man who shall venture to ques
tion the divine right Of corporate rule viii b.
crushed. and no Geographic wire or Associated
Press will voice his woe or demand redress
from his penecutor.. The people win iin,
themselves unable to communicate with cacl
other except BY the gracious will and pleasur
VI the nutOcrat Of the wires. Should spccia
correspondents undertake 70 supplv inforna
ton not deemed expctlient to bc sent by tn
Associated Prc~s they will find that tho owne
Of the wires can supply = ready remedy 70
snch presumption.
i No. :
commerce thus owned aud controlled by on
man. or by few men. what 10 to restrain CO.
poratc power, or TO fiA . limit 10 ita exAction
upon the pcople2 what's then to hinder thes
men from depressing or initiating the value o
all Kinds of property TO suit their caprice .
AvArics. and thereby gathering into thcar ow
Golfers the wealth OF the nation? Where il II
limit TO such power ~ thlsg What shall /
said Of the spirst II free people who will sut
mt without . protest 10 b. thus bound han
and footl have Lintcd at some or the da,
gcrS which menace cur future. II II be to col
rect thcsc evils and avert these dangers you
league has been organized, It viii receive Ii
eenedictions OF the people.
The practical qN astson In, "What are you &C
ing TO do about IT." Tony mind the matt,
Is easy. This organized gigantic corporal
power can only be kept under proper restrain
by the organi1cd power Of tho people, e,
pressed through their Mate and National Go,
| ertnleltE, llAt such ornamental power q.
lists aud may properly be exercised, have nc
particle Of doubt. II il plainly written i
our constitution, and has hscn nncqnivocall
declared BY the supreme Court OF the Unite
States.
Thu limits Of this letter will not permit di
cNssioa III the constitutional question nor
detailed statement OF the practical remedy X
existing evil. Imay. however. venture to SUI
gcst that Ia my judgment the first and mo-
important duty OF Congress " to emancipa,
the people from the supervision aud control
corporate monopoly by the establishment OF
system Of postal telegraphy, whereby they shs
DO Afforded safe. sure aud cheap method
communication with each other. There il Z
! doubt 81 the ccouomy and snccess OF such
system. Il has Teen tried in other countri
with most satisfactory results.
am aware that ii would require much car
labor and skill TO frame laws which shall IN
ccssfully regulate and restrain the action
the great transportation companies without nj
necc, sary injury to them, aud without omittiI
the essential elements Of protection to the pu
lie, but have no doubt il can be done. Wine
the people demand il, they will ind the me
70 do II. believe the time has come whe