The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-11-17
CORPORATIONS.
From The Chicago Exprcss. |

IRON tnc Chica9c Exprcss,l
There Is no country in tic world
where corporations are no numerous and
10 diversified NJ in the United States,
and, as they have entered m control.
ling force In American politics, the peo-
pie have hegun studying their influence
ON the social condition Of the nation,
and the methods by which they are
shaping all things to suit their own re-
qnircmcnts: and this study has been
intensified by the recent discovery TINT
they are immortal. There Is absolutely
no limit to their existence, and, except
their political influence be destroyed,
and their power to ccntrnlize wealth re-
stricted, there is no telling what form
our Government will assume. They nre
working radical changes in orr political
and industrial systems, and in the very
thoughts and habits Of onr people
Their rapid growth, their great wealth,
their tremendous power, their unity Of
action, and their success IN controlling
legislation have alarmed the intelligent,
and brought into the field Of active pol.
tiles nh antagonistic force which IL every
day extending its lines. as II preparing
for M approaching struggle.
The corporations have arisen to their
present condition by m anscrupulous
use 81 their wealth and power. They
stand unflinchingly by the party which
favors their designs, subscribing literal
~ to their corruption fund, and max.
ing its candidates their own. Execu-
tives and Legislatures are their Great.
ures. Many Of our great lawyers are
their agents. They "control" newspa-
pers to mold public opinion. They hire
lobbyists to corrupt Legislatures. There
is to day scarcely Legislative body in
tho Union that is not in some degree
under their influence, nor Judge whose
Judgment has not been biased by their
attorneys. Even our Congressman take
fees in their service while voting on
measures affecting their interests. The
nation felt degraded by the discovery OF
the connection Of its Lawmakers with
the Credit Mobilier, and how hnmbling
to the intelligence to learn TINT they still
maintain n like connection with corpor.
atoms fully Is corrupt and equally ex.
acting. Stockholders III national banks
vote in Congress to increase the value
Of their stocks--to put up the plice Of
their lands and increase the purchasing
power Of their money-and the people
approve their action. Railroad stock
holders and holders OF stock Of other
corporations cast their Votes to increase
the value Of their property or multiply
their privileges. 1t is no uncommon &C.
currencc to see members Of Congress,
who are partners in manufacturing cstab-
lishments, arrange tariff bills 80 rs to
"protect" their own products. In fact
Government has been made a means by
which the people are taxed for the bene.
fit II corporations. 1t has been made q
mere aidcndum to monopolics.
When the Government was organized,
1.-THE fathers" were scdnlons in their
endeavors to avoid laws of primogenit-
ure and entail, or other means employed
in the old country to hold the property
in the hands Of the few. They took
great care that the property should be
divided equally among the heirs at the
death OF the owner. But corporations
are accomplishing what "the fathers"
sought to avoid. Corporations never
die and their property is never divided,
but continually grows, increasing their
power to corrupt and extort. If one Of
the persons who holds stock in the cor.
ppration dies. his stock is transferred to
somebody else, and the corporation lives
on. They are piling up the wealth Of
the country into q few great piles
much faster than could be done by
laws Of primogeniture or entail and It
would be better that it were left in the
hands Of individuals, for they have sym.
pathy and charity: corporations have
neither. "They have no bodies to be
kicked nor souls to be damned" They
are without single human attribute.
They exist but to extort. They are the
embodiment Of monopoly, above the
law which brought them into being, and
subordinate only to the will Of their
beneiciaries. Invention is laboring
solely for their benefit. The creations
Of thought and skill are monopolized by
them. Progress il their slave. Invcn.
tion, that would be blessing to the
whole people. monopolixed by them, has
almost become curse. How can their
power be broken? How can they be
drawn out Of politics