The Labor enquirer., 1883-09-15

We sell short, and the lambsare sheared

we sell short, and the lambsare sheared
both ways. -
"Rallroadtng is ney-making busi-
ness anyway. By givin' the big shippers
special rates and slingin' around passes
pretty lively, givin free excursions, sub
scriblng liberally to the statesmen's ben
eft funds, and occasionally build a
church-perhaps owning newspaper
here and there to Backyard anti mo-
nopolists and lead publiUy opinion; by
pursuing liberal policy like sfria We can
always make ourselves solid with the
ruling classes. Of course this costs
money, but as we tax both producers
and consumers we re-assess all these
little expenses on the public, and more,
too, for the farmers and other small
shippers never bargain for rates steam
transportation costs very littles sand what
with new inventions and the growth Of
the country, its gettin' less eSery day.
That enables us to pay dividends ON all
the water paid in, which kee4s the in
vestors quiet and eYerybodg whose in
huence is worth anything says what a
great and glorious country we have. See
what free railroads and free govern
ment has done for u.s."
"But what about the free and equal
provision in the constitution Of the
United States ?"
"What do we care about the cCnstilu-
ton that was made before steam, elec-
triCity and corporations came in, and it
don't apply now, if it ever did"
I'VE let the masses continue to think,
though, that they control everything.
On the Fourth of July and at election
time, our lawyers and other fellows we
pick up to represent us in the legislatures
take the stump and give the working
men a little tatTy about freedom and
equality, the will Of the people, etc, and
| hv the aid of brass bands, fireworks and
| beer, We yet the poor devils 50 patriotic
lhpv're willin' to do most anything
then havin Our own men in both parties
to steer things, we keep 'em about
equu!Iy divided, and capital comes out
OIL top every time
"Why wouldn't it be cheaper for the
public to build their own railroads and
other public improvements" ?"
"Ah, there you are again, but we get
over that by holding ny to view the
horrors of official corruption and CEN
traization Of power in the hands Of the
government, and as long as we can stave
off civil service reform there's no danger
of tie people owning and running rail
roads although they may work the
postolli,c and the trlegraphS."
"Iiow'd you yet onto all this??' asked
the officer.
"Four years in the same cell with the
president Of an eastern railroad, and he
occupied his idle hours learning me the
business. How did he get in? SHhy, he
forgot himself one day and tried to play
on an individual some Of the games he'd
been workin' on tne public, and it not
only busted him but he got fifteen years
brsides He's got ten years to serve yet,
and he'll watch my career with tutors
interest.
Il wouldn't 4 been here now if I'd
only followed lis advice, but when was
getting ready t. 90 into the corporation
business | laid in with a road agent up
here, couldn't resist the temptation to
iorcibIy interfere with the peUuniarY at-
fairs of an indivduah and here | am.
The corporation racket is the only thing
worth workin' nowadays; as long as
YOU only plumber the public according to
law you're safe. This is an age of law,
and if you're posted YOU can make more
money lawfully than You can anyother
way After you can accumulate com
potency you can elect or buy your own
legislatures, make laws to suit and roll it
up at the rate Of millions a year. 1t
don't matter much whether it's gas or
water, steam or electricity, or money
anything the public wants, all you've
GOT to do is to claim an improvement Of
some kind, get charter, form COM
pauv. lay in with other corporations to
munopolizc something, and you can
strike it rich only it ) all got to he done
according to law and if the law doesnt t
cover what YOU want to do you must
change it before YOU 60 ahead, "-Roches-
ter Truth.
| Men and friends, it is a tOilsOme tale.
| The gibbct and the dungeon, the bullet
and banishment. are still, the wide world
over, the doom Of those who confront
the powers of deyiltry and stand up for
the rights of humanity in the ways of
Justice Look yonder tonight, and be-
hold the long, dolorous march of noble
Russians, men and women, to Siberia.
Behold BismarCk'S Germany, whose
JuDrannS arn Cranmpd with renubli-