The Labor enquirer., 1882-12-23
Money Is King.

Money is King.
From the Indianapolis Review
There is no more curious delusion than
that cherished by the great mass Of voters
| that each voter is a sovereign and gov
ernS in all political affairs, whether state,
national or municipal, by his choice and
election of legislators. Though the fact
ought to be familiar to everybody that,
no matter which party wins, or who or
what the men who are elected, the great
corporations and moneyed men either
control their election or else buy up
those who are elected in opposition to
their wishes. and thus, are the real rulers,
for wealth is truly king. There is no de-
nying the fact that money governs and
controls legislation from the highest to
the lowest grades of our political insti-
tudOns. 1t is notorious that the lobby
controls legislation and money controls
the lobby, Money not only controls
| legislation, but executive action for its
own selfish ends, but even the courts Of
justice are equally controlled by the
same potent power. In fact, like the
dog in the fable, we let 60 the substance
and pride ourselves on grasping the
shadow. The moneyed men who con-
troll the monopolies are our real rulers,
however we may delude ourselves with
the semblance Of power.
The boasted advance in civilization,
though many of the hardships and in
conveniences endured by our progeni-
tors have been incidentally ameliorated,
has only changed the character of the
Oppressors Of the masses, from the puis-
SAINT warrior to the scheming and un-
scrupulOus financier That the products
of labor are as unblushingly appropri-
ated by the tyrants of the money power
as they were by the mail-clad tyrants of
the ancient regime is an undeniable fact,
and one that is plain to the most Obtuse
intellect. In fact the murmurings of
discomfort at the present state OF things,
makes the air pregnant with the
growing of the dissatisfied masses at the
inequitabIe division of the products of
labor, and the time is fast approaching
when a change must take place
whether peacabIy or forcibly belongs to
IE+lo ,,,rooJ o,.ootc Of +;Doo Tbo -, -
use of power is the ignus fatuus which
may lure the wealthy monopolist on to
destruction.
The power of money is an enormous
fsct, power that exists and controls,
Whether we like it or not. We cannot
get rid of this power. Yet the time may
come when it will be necessary to revo-
lutionize the government for the preser-
walton Of liberty.
The French revolution was an absO-
lutte necessity, not caused, as we are fire.
quentIy told, by the mere whim or
caprice of the French, and could have
been easily avoided had they so chosen.
Neither the peoples wishes nor the
kings commands caused that uprising of
the people. Its roots were deeply i'm
bedded and widespread in human his
tory. Revolutions are as really govern
ed by cause and effect as any of the
simplest processes of nature, and that
the French revolution arose from ante
cedent causes is just as paIpable as any
other effect produced by cause Sev-
eral nations, many ages, kings and gov
ernments had contributed parts to the
unseen forces, which, volcano like, burst
forth with such frightful energy. 1t
was no accident, or matter of chance
which could have been avoided by
little foresight. In the realms of nature
there is nothing but inexorable law, and
society and governments are as mex
orabIy subject to natures laws as the
planets Of the solar system are subject
to the law of gravitation.
Like causes produce like effects
hence what can we expect in this, our
boasted land of liberty, when we find
similar causes at work that produced