The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-04-22
TIE REPLY.

TIE REPLY.
To As Editor ef he TribU7se:
In your editorial entitled 'tAnti-
Monopoly" published in the Tribune
of the 23d, you say regarding the
Anti-Monopoly meeting at Cooper
Institute that ''steps in the last de-
gree impractieable or unjust were adj
vocated with q reckless or violent
spirit, a wanton disregard of private
rights and an obstinate blindness as
TO the consequences to the people as
a whole, which better befit the Reds
and Communists Of a bygone day in
Paris than the free citizens of the
self.governing and prosperous United
States.
/ respectfully submit that the
writer of the above has wholly mis-
conceived the spirit of that meeting
and of the men who were the most
active in promoting it, and whether
this was done ignorantly or willfully
1.-THE fact is none theless to be deplored.
| The organization of the AntiMonop-
loly League has been forced upon the
people by abuses in corporate man.
Iagement which repeated legislative
i investigatioushave pronounced 'fnlly
| proven. aud which the Hepburn
ICommittee termed $50 glaring in
their proportions Is to SAVIOR of fiction
rather tkan OF real history.n Anoth-
ler legislative committee has stated of
the railroad management OF one of
the reputed owners OF the Tribune
(lIr. Jay Gould) that 'sit exposes the
reckless and prodigal use of money
wrang from the people TO obtain the
election Of the peoples representa-
tives, and to bribe them when in Of
ice. y
i Now If there is any truth In these
official reports it Is time that the
American people are stirring to pre-
serve the principles upon which our
: system Of government IS founded.
II, OF the other hand, there IS no
: truth in them, then, as stated By
Judge Black, the railroad managers
are much abused individuals, aud the
men who are trying 10 hold them TO
some responsibility u tse public are
! IN the highest degree euipable.
I respectfully submit, however that
/ there can be but one reasonable an
swer to this question, and to meet the
/ well founded complaints Of the public
! with a comparison of the men who
9 make thee complaints 10 the "reds
and communists Of bygone day in
+ Paris is to force upon the people of
| the United States 4 disregard for law
and order, which every good citizen
1 must deprecate. In recent article
! from the Graphic, touching upon the
Z objects and purposes OF the Anti
: Monopoly League, We find the follow
! ing
osIf We ever hase ! conflict between
i capital and labor IN this country IL
5 viii be because of the injustice done
q the masses by corporate monopolies.
c It therefore behooves allelasses OF cit
n fzens and particularly those who have
8 property, to sustain tho efforts now
J, being made by reasonable and intel
Q Iigent citizens TO limit the power ol
$ men who, to use the words Of COM
Y mittee OF the United States Senate.
Y ssrecognize no principal Of action but
: personal aDd corporate aggrandize-
; ment."
q The principles advocated BY the
y League are as follows
8 'tOur principles Anti-mOnpoly.
il "We advocate and viii support and
e defend the rights of many as against
! privileges for the few.
> "Corporations, the creation of the
n State, shall be controlled by the State
IS 9I4abor and capital, allies not enc
} mies-justice for BOTH"
/ To put construction upon them a
'e you do in your editorial of the 23rt
s. alt IS in the highest degree unjust
y believe it also 60 be unwise and onlN
IT 10 be explained on the principle tha
e "whon1 the geds would destroy they
g FIRST make mad" IL Messrs. Gould
le Vanderbilt and theiF confreres go o'
watering stock, eorrupting our eIec
is iions and legislatures Snd dfscrimin
s .atiug in the management OF publ
D. highways until the people becom
p desperate, they must expect desper
II ate remedies. If they only knew il
IL the men who are now seeking by le
I'd gal and constitutional means to lini
r their power pTeventthese abuse:
ry are their best friends, and yet the
in repudiate the idea that they shouI
Il submit TO any control, and througl
.ir their journals decry and mIsrepresen
rs all efforts to that end.
~ The Tribune in the above mer
v toned article suggests that"indecen
ry and grasping seldshness underlie
ht the agitation of the Anti-Monopol,
r. Lelgue;' regarding the statemer
VS. that the League proposes to advocat
a. laws to prevent paying dividends 0
m Watered stock, the Tribune terms it
n apiece of demagogism Git only fo
Il persons who are too ignorant to kno'
e. that five per cent dividend on
id stock of twenty millions is precisel
at equal to dividend Of ten per Ger
be on a stock of ton millions, and thu
o, ne laws restrict tie merchant, tn
ii lawyer or the farmer from getting &c
by 80 or even so per cent profit upon tn
u capital invested by him in his bus
.al ness.u
d. This passage IS very suggestive
ce No one will dispute that 5 per Ger
! on $40 ,00O, ,O00 is equal to 10 per Ger
Iy on 10000 goo; put Il the railroad
ut are content with this, why increas
te the stock? 40 one will find fault wit
o. the Iailroad for making 10 per cen
st on It's actual cost, but the public d