The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-10-14
TERRELL.
ANOTHER SPEECH on THE
EVILS OF CORPORATE
POWER AND MONOPOLY.
THE SUBJECT OF ORGANIZED La
Dor ABLY AND EFFECTIVE
LY HANDLED.


Dallas October 6.-After discussing the tariff
and other national questions, Judge Terrell said:
The organized democracy Of America during its
long lease OF power before $50, administered this
oru u,eut for the benefit Of the great body Of the
people who compose 1t, and until power passed
from them % the republican party, great Unequal
ities OF fortunes were rare, and the millionaire
was seldom seen. Eyen the methods 81 corporate
power were restrained in due bounds. When our
peOpse in 1853 gained the control Of the state,
they wrote these words IN the oil Of rght-:
'PTepetuities and mOnOpO!ies are contrary 70 the
geDiis OF free government, ana shall never 5e al
lowed And then % BE- sure those words should
mean something, they declared in the same bill Of
rights that all laws passed contrary thereto. OF
should be void. This declaration Is not agains,
capital, between which and labor
there can Be no just warfare, ut
against monOpOlies and p-rpeiuties. Monopoly
has entrenched itself behind corporate franchises,
and il organized in the very corporations Il creates
Knowing this TACT, and that human labor could
only find protection in Organized efforts, the ma.
tiOna democratic party in 1884, wrote these words
in their platform: 'We favor the repeal Of all
laws restricting the free action Of labOr and the
enactment Of law by which labor organizations
NAV be incorporated On this platfOrm Nj
Cleveland was elected and TO the doctrines Of that
platform We gave our consent in Texas by over one
hundred thousand majority.
Here. then, We learn two things First, That the
democracy II this country believed that there we've
Laws restricting the free action Of labor and, sec
ond, That labor organizations should be incOr-
p0raied. And now, / ask, can the Wit of man
conceive any reason why the national
democracy should demand the Incorporation Of Ia
Dor unless II was to help enlighten the people dc
20 the free relations Of capital and labor, and %
enable organized men to stand up against the cor
pOraie pOwe Of organized monopoly.
The genius OF true democracy exercises its high
est mission when protecting man In life, liberty
and property. This spirit found expression, also
In the democratic platform Of $50, which declares
that the democratic party il the friend Of the Ia
boring man, and pledges itself 10 protect him alike
against the cOTmOTant and the commune. Hthere
T. no financial cOrmOrant here threatening the
liberties of this country, how idle was that Ian
guage: And now, In the short space Of two years,
since the national democracy demanded the incor-
pOrstiOn Of labor II has come 10 pass in Texas,
that whatever seeks 20 advise the people To throw
from their necks the yoke Of organized monopoly is
branded az d demagC que. Yes though he should
denOunce, az do to-day, the red-handed anarch.
let, the dreaming communist, and he would de-
strOy property in the interest Of labor, a. assas
sins Of liberty and enemies a. man: s:ill If lie inds
fault with the methods Of raising monopoly, he is
q demagOgue.
sions, on measures, not on men, and who ever does
not stand ready to rebuke from democratic ranks
not only the anaIc hist and the communist but also
the tools Of the cOrmorant, which now constructs
with its anaconda pools, the commerc Of tins
state, is no true democrat. No matter In wat de-
pAriment Of human effort and duty labor is invest
ed, hail ts every EFFORT 70 dignity and elevate it.
self with Joy. Whether IL hold the plDw, stan ds
by the anvil, or figures at the merchants desk il
must organize against organized monopoly or
stand at disadvantage.
Democracy in Texas is commissioned TO achieve
our deliyerance from railway pools, land corpora
tons and the arbitrary collection Of freight tolls to
feed watered stocks and bonds, and the still
broader duty of helping TO unfetter the commerce
of all the states. If the people are fooled now by
those who assume TO represent them, It will be the
last time The convenient confidence men of in
curpOrated highways, VINO are seen now inspiring
delegates aud conventions, now invading an editor
o.. 1alf
now figuring az visitors OF the lobby must become
thi1gs of the past, or free government is doom d.
Only TWO dayH ago, Finhugh Lee, governor Of
old Virginia, speaking TO a national labor organi-
ZatiOn, said: make war against incorporated ras
cality. We will help you ride II down; combat the
great money corporations, that seek 10 control
legislation, federal and state, by bribery
and corruption, in order that they
get votes in the FEDERAL halls of legislature TO per
feet and fssten upon the whole country legislation
for their benefit, not for the benefit of the DeOpe.
We will march shoulder 10 shoulder with you on
that. Organize against capitalists VINO furnis h
money 10 carry elections and then claim their de-
mand, the right 10 select men upon whose shout
der shall be thrown the robes of the judiciary,
and we are with you in that
These were bold words, words of democracy and
of truth, uttered by true man. in eight of the old
house of Burgesses, in which his great ancestor,
and Patrick Henry talked the same way one hun
bred years ago.
The triumphs OF the democracy in the days of / g
power, we all know. The vital question now IL,
what does II propose TO do in the future! What
are the mischiefs and what the remedy; Ike
tnrif and national banks present issues
ON which most democrats-souh and
west are united. The democracy of Texas pro.
tested in its late platform against the fact that for
eign railway corporations had acquired control Of
the railways of Texas In violation OF the prOyis
ions of the constitutions; and il also protested
against the methods by which our railways are
being operated Your constitution provides that
no railroad or other corporation shall consolidate
the stock property or franchises of such corpora
tion with, lease, or purchase, the works or fran
chises of, or in any way control any RAILROAD cor
pOfation, owning or having under its control q
parallel or competing line; nor shall any officer OF
any railroad corporation act as an officer of any
other railroad corporation, owning or having con
troll of parallel or competing line. This pro
vision Of your constitution IL openly violated
Every road 10 the northeast which transports
our products TO New York, is com
peting road with all other such roads and IL is
open secret that all but one are virtually con
trOlled by one man. All are parties to a traiC
pool, which strangles competition, dehes laws
threatens both men and Cities and which is to-day
a criminal conspiracy against the freedom of trade
and the constitution of the state Before this
mighty power, the press, the great instructor of
the people, too often stands mute. Whether that
pool Expresses commerce is not the question. II
Is the assumption and exercise of the power TO de
stroy competition, monopollZe the ways OF com
merce and impose freight burdens at will that
jeOpardizes at once the freedom, the property and
tine prosperity Of the people. IL was not the value
VI phllIl hdA hu Yea paper Auhl luhut TIE
first revolution; il was the great principle involved
In the assumption of the right to tax ut will. And
now say that he who seeks TO represent his party
who will not openly pledge himself 20 break down
these pools and the One-man power that monop-
olizes our public highways, does not stand on
the state platform, ana is no true democrat
Our chief railway abuses grow out of the cen
tralization OF power in the hands of those who
control those agencies of transportation. Our
constitution is openly defed, what is the remedy
II has been held by one of the first courts of Amer
lea that the charter of railway may be forfeited by
Misuse or abuse has been defined TO consist in any
rogation of the public rights, wilfully done
pointed to manage the general concerns of the
the state exercised, and yet If public opinion is
NJ rights can vest in defiance of the state cOnsttu
ton, and therefore every consolidation by
lease or purchase of the great ways Of Texas in the
hands Of one man or set of men, was made under
contracts that the legislature should annul and de-
clare void The constitution prohibits a consolida-
ton under either apriyate or Judicial sale Even
il we had no constitution, II has been law among
English speaking people since the DAYS OF Henry
v that all contracts in restraint of trade, void.
The Illegally of combinations. like pools TO de-
stroy competition has been declared By every court
that has considered the question. Talk about
your one man power 10 own the railways of Texas,
and about vested rights if the peoples represen.
tatives will do their duty, they will stand by the
constitution they are sworn to support, and
puforca ha snuu1meuf Of every contract under