The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-04-25
A VITAL ISSUE

4ne Fetation between capttat huu
labor is destined, in the near future, to
become the great leading subject OF
partisan political strife and legislative
action. The matter includes the whole
subject of political economy in its
broadcast sense. This relation between
capital and labor cannot be intelligent
" considered without taking in tariff
duties, taxation, restriction of corporate
power. legislative regulation of freights
and fares on railroad and other trans.
portation companies, and other kindred
subjects.
Capital Is too often heartless, ,soulless,
mercenary and selfish. 1t seeks under
nearly ali circumstances and on ell
occasions to control labor and reduce it
TO coalition Of servitude. 1t subjects
labor to heavy and often outrageous
contributions for its own aggrandiss-
ment. This is not an overdrawn pic
ture. The fact that money Is very
rapidly passing out of the hands of the
many into the hands Of the few proves
our proposition. Capital seeks aggre-
CATION. Aggregated capital becomes
an irresistable power for evil or for
good. But aggregate capital rarely
seeks the good and welfare of mankind.
We are told that money is the root oi
all evil, and the experience of mankind
proves the saying true. Capital already
mOlds largely the legislation of congress
and many Of the state Legislatures
Hero, again, it so surrounds itself with
favorable legislation that labor is placed
under forced conditions TO build uE
capital to its own detrimsnt. Il goei
into presidential elections and by it,
almost hidden influence secures th,
election of him whe has most sympath,
fer it, and viii Join hands with it il
its warfare on labor.
It enters the sacred precincts of th,
legislative halls of the several state
and there with its seductive influence
purchases the election of its owner t,
the United States Senate. For il
own selfish and mercenary purposes j
buys a seat on the Supreme Bench o
the United States. It goes down amonG
the people and at the polls stiles tn,
voice Of the people and secures th'
election of governors, legislators and
ether public servants whom the people
untrammeled and uainfuenced, wouls
have rejected as unworthy OF public
confidence. 1t enters among voters a
primary elections and thwarts the vii
of the voters by turning msjorities intS
minorities. The history of the world
fails to record a time or place where
such immense fortunes have been
amasssd in so short time as has been
done In the United States in the last
twenty years. The naked but alArm-
ing truth is that ths time is upon us
when every true lover OF constitutional
liberty and fres government should
sound the signal of danger. What
corporations with immense capital can
and will do, is shown 10 the case Of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company, OF
California, and the Standard Oil Com
pany, of Pennsylvanis, where they have
been for years defying the power of the
state to collect such proportionate taxes
as ara imposed upon the farmer, the
laborer, the mechanic, the merchant and
other citizens of the state. The Central
Pacific Railroad Company of California
has so persisteptly refused to pay the
taxes imposed by the state that the
governor has been compelled to convene
the legislatdse in extraordinary session
for the purpose Of enactin2 such la VS.
as will compel this corporation to bear
its proportion of the burdens of the
government. Without hesitation or
sense of shame they send their paid and
trusty agents among the members of the
legislature their to buy off their support
of laws which are destined to compel
them to pay their taxes. This purchase
of members of the legislature is made
with the same cool calculating purpose.
that is shown In the purchase of horse.
The railroad company has no shame or
compunctions of conscience about the
matter. They look upon Legislators,
judges and other public officials as
legitimate subjects oil barter and sale.
No wonder the people are becomin q
alarmed all over the country. They
have aroused to sense of their danger
none too soon. Let us not forget that
eternal vigilance is the price OF liber-
tv.