The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-03-08

The Tribune of the 18th says: 1" A corner IN
the provision market is in progress which dwarfs
any previous ipulation-even the great one
of last year Within week there have been
purchased twenty-five million pounds of short
ribs, twenty-tour thousand barrels of pork, and
ten thousand tierces of lard. The parties inter
ested are mainly the ones who led the successful
deal of year ago, and it is their intention 10 put
the price far above the present prevailing rates.
This so-called corner" is confidently expected
TO rob the people of the United States of large
amounts Of money, by creating an artificial
scarcity through vast ENDORSEMENTS of pork, ba-
con, lard, etc. Scientists have now been en-
ployed for years, at large expenses, remarks the
Macon Telegraph, from the tax revenues of the
United States, to inquire into the best mode of
exterminating worms, grasshoppers, beetles and
other insects which prey upon American crops,
and increase the cost to the people of food sup
plies.
Everybody can see, at glance, continues the
same paper, that all this research, learning and
expense become OF little or no value, if there is
no way of reaching and remedying the opera
lions of those other more mischievous insects, in
full crops by combining their vast accumula
ITEMS of money, buying IT." markets bare, and
locking up their accumulsnocs 80 as to compel
consumers to pay them famine prices. NJ
In a moral point of view this, of course, is
simple robbery-however people may attempt
to dignity it with the name of speculation 1t is
conspiracy against the pockets, stomach, health
and lives of the people-an operation which
should subject these so-called SPECTATORS to Sc
we're statutory penalties. Every State has, or
should have, law against engrossing," which
is the term applied TO the offense in question
that is. boarding, not for purposes of legitimate
trade, but in order to hold back goods from
market and compel an advance 10 prices, though
there is nothing else in the situation calling for
such advances.
There must be some remedy for this cruel
abuse of capital-to remorseless gripping of the
bowels of the poor. There is no tact or cunning
in it-nothing but an impish disregard of the
rights and welfare of society-the qualification
of an intense and brutal sel6shness, which con-
stitutes man hostis hun,ani gcners.
II is time that the authority of the general
government, as well as the States, was invoked
to punish such conduct 1t is dangerous to civil
tranquility. When the people find that they are
to be perpetually victimed to such conspiracies-
and the power and temptation to form them both
are growing every year, il no other remedy be
provided, they will take rude redress in their
hands, as they did in the case of the great bread
riots in New York in 1887, and they will wreck
things. The streets Of New York were foot
deep In four-tumbled into them out of ware
house, where, In a season of scarcity it had been
stored up to force 9 needless and cruel exaggera-
ton Of prices already high.
The rapid accumulation Of vast fortunes into
the hands OF few-the rage for speculation
which pervades every market infested by these
capitalists, and the growing distaste for the slow
gains Of legitimate traffic, are every month in-
creasing the passion for such nefarious operations
on trade
These are destined to aggravate lamentably
the unequal divisions Of property, which are q
fruitful source Of popular discomfort, and that
discomfort win find new edge and force when
the people see capital used directly for the pur-
poses Of the most unjust extortion-used 10 swell
the prices of al the necessares of life TO the fami
lies Of the laboring poor. This will not long be
quietly borne, and 1t Is clearly within the domain
Of law and public justice TO interfere sternly for
the protection Of the people. #