The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-04-26
THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE.
The People VS.. Monopolies.
Bonneville Pleader.1

Bonneville Pleaderl
The question of the future will be, TIL
People against HonopoJics This has grea
many collateral branches but all may b,
considered offshoots from the same stem.
Ever since the Republican party came
into power, during and since the war, the
tendency of Congressional legislation cou
pied with the usurpations of the Execu-
tive, has been to make the rich richer, and
the poor poorer
No country is in a healthy state when
there is great and striking contrast be-
tween wealth and poverty Before the war,
the millionaires of our land could be counted
on the fingers of one hand. New they ars
counted by hundreds and perhaps by thous.
ands. The war produced a great debt on
the part Of the Federal government Bonds
were issued and upon these as a basis Ma.
tional Banks were founded. Speculations
in gold began. A high protective tariff
followed, the moneyed men of the North
accumulated large fortunes, and bribery
and corruption ran riot through the land.
Now the large mOnopolies, the banks, the
numerous combinations of railroad corpor-
ations, the mammoth manufactures, whose
owners want high protective tariff, not
because they are poor and need protection,
but because they are rich and want to be
richer, orershadow the lald and threaten
the very existence Of the government.
The great railroad kings and millionaires,
Gould, Vanderbilt and Huntington, to say
nothing of other chiefs scarcely less power
ful, and the Erlanger Syndicate, even now
possess more power than European mon
arch They can enrich or break merchants
build up or break down towns and cities at
the pleasure OF their caprice and royal will.
Even now they seem to be encircling Us
with their anaconda folds, and q word from
their chiefs Is all that is necessary to enable
them to crush us to death. When the ques-
tiOn is asked what is to protect the people
from oppression by these m0n0polles? The
ready answer is competition. But combina-
tion removes competition, and as these kings
and corporations have neither moral sense
nor conscience and are guided solely by
set-lnterest, high freights aud Uni ust dis
examinations follow as surely as effect fol-
lows cause. The truth is, and the conclu-
sion Is irresistible, that the national govern
meat must control, supervise and regulate
these gigantic combinations and mlllion-
alre monOpolies.
This is one Of the great questions. I'm
der the Constitution, Congress consists of
two houses, the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives, but in these latter days of
Republican rule, a third House has been
inauguTated, known as the Lobby. The
third house cannot vote, but controls the
votes of the other two by Dribng members.
If member, whose vote is necessary viii!
not come over for a small sum, million
perhaps viii carry off the prize. This lob
by system has become great source of cor
ruption il our national legislation. Il did
not exist under Democratic rule.
1t is getting time for the people to pause,
reflect upon and study these great questions
which are fast coming up for discussion
and decision in order that they may vote
understandingy upon them. AS already
remarked, the two great parties of the coun-
try have recently locked horns in the House
upon high protective tariff most odious
and oppressive monopoly. One thing you
should remember, this is the peoples gov
ernment, they established it and it belongs
to them. Remember another thing, the
Democratic party are with the people against
monopolies.