The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-08-18

| uenuS on all Cne wafer We put In
which keeps investors quiet and
every body whose influence is worth
anything says what a great and
glorious country We have! See
what free railroads and free gov
eminent has done for us -
"But what about the free and
equal provisions in the constitution
of the United StatesY
"What do we care about the con
stitution? That was made before
steam, electricity and corporations
came in, and it don't apply now if
it ever did.
eve let the masses continue to
think, though, that they control
everything. On the fourth of July
and at election time, our lawyers
and the other fellows we pick out
to represent US in the Legislatures
take the stump and give the work
in men little taffy about freedom
and equality, the will of the people,
&c, and by the aid of brass bands,
fireworks and beer, we get the poor
devils so patriotic they're Rillin' to
do most anything; then haVin' our
own men in both parties to steer
things, we keep 'em about equally
divided, and capital comes out on
top every time"
"But suppose an Anti Monopoly
party should come up and combine
the rank and file of all parties,
wouldn't that trouble you?"
"Well, yes, 1 think that would;
but the people, especially the work
in classes, are such ID fools,
they're always quarrslin' among
themselves, and we join the fight Oh
one side or the other and keep 'em
broke up all the time"
"Why wouldn't it be cheaper for
the public to build their own rail
roads and other public improve
ments."
"Ah, there you are again, but we
get over that by holding up to view
the horrors of official corruption
and Capitalization of power in the
hands of government, and as long
as we can stave off civil service re
form there's no danger OF the peo-
pie owning and running railroads.
altough they may work the post
office and the telegraphs "
How'd you get on to all this~
asked the officer.
-Four years in the same cell with
the president of an eastern railroad,
aud he occupied his idle hours
learning me the business. How did
he get in? Why, he forgot himself
one day and tried TO play on an in
dividual some of the games he'd
been workin' on the public, and it
not only busted him but he got fif-
teen years besides. He's got ten
years to serve yet, and he'll watch
my career with tutors interest.
l wouldn't a been here now if Pd
only followed his advice, but while
| was getting ready to go into the
corporation business laid in. with
a road agent up here. couldn't resist
the temptation to forcibly interfere
with the pecuniary affairs of an in
dividual, and here 1 am. The cor
poration racket is the only thing
worth wolkin' nowadays; as long
as you only plunder the public &C
cordin' to law you're safe. This is
al age of law, and if you're posted
you can make more money lawfully
than you can any other way. After
you accumulate a competency you
can elect your own legislature, make
laws to suit, and roll it up at the
rate of millions year. 1t don't
matter much whether it's gas or wa
ter, steam OF electricity, or money
anything the public want, all
you've got to do is TO claim an im-
provement of some kind, get char
ter, form company, lay in with
other corporations to monopolize
something, and you can strike it
rich; only it's all got to be done ac-
cording to ladV, and if the law as it
stands don't cover what you want
to do, you must change it before
you go ahead"