The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-10-28

/ were, De a report OF fepuOilCdn committee or
| congress- stolen under construction contracts by
the men who composed the corporation, and nc
man has yet been punished for the theft.
! Under democratic rule no acre of the public do
man was ever given to private parties for internal
| improvements, but the grant was always to the
state.
Thus, my friends, while the powers of govern
ment we're perverted to transfer the wealth created
by all to the mOnopOies of the manufacturing
states the same party of general welfare cOnstruc-
iOnlss, who aid the wrong have stripped the CON
tnent Of its choice land and transferred the credit
and money of the people to monopolies which now
| belt the continent with roads once subsidized TO
secure competition but which now pool their bust
ness to establish one great monopoly.
MONOPOLY.
The powers of monopoly, created under republic
can rule, now dominate the highways of trade on
land, bride Pacific mail lines avoid competition
on the ocean, invade lObbes both state and nation
al to perpetuate their power, monopolize the cur
rency the lifebloOd of the world of trade and COM
mercey destroy the law Of supply and demand by
gambling in the future yield of earth products di.
mlnsh the wages of labor by forcing dividends on
fictitious bonds, avoid individual liability behind
corporate creations, mesmerise the press, and is
this day threatening the existence of civil liberty
on this continent. And yet, while this is done in
lagrant opposition to the teachings and practices
of democracy for hundred years, the timid office
hunter, who tremblas under this financial power
turns up the whites of his eyes in horror at the
bare idea of arraying, as it is termed one class
against another.
There are two classes of people in this country:
those who in field, shop and office toll, and the
powers of incorporated monopoly, which in de-
lance of law have monopolzed the great high
ways Of trade and with their allies collect tribute
at will from the labor of lis all.
Between these two classes there will be conflict
for the correction and enforcement of law until
the people triumph When they enforce this con-
trol the democracy of Texas and of the union will
disturb no real values. The railways are the high
ways of the people, and he who would preach
crusade against their real and legal rights is
neither friend of the roads or of the people
Ihey are part of our progressive civilization, and
and not against them, but their plunderng methods
must reform be directed.
We now have breed of men, calling themselves
democrats, who say there are no monOpoles here
Tie national democratic platform of 1850 de-
clared that there should be mo discrimination in
nOpOlies.
The national democratic platform, on which
Grover Cleveland was endorsed by the American
people, declared in 1851 that it favored 'all egis-
latOn which might tend to the equitable distri6u-
tion of property, the prevention of monopoly and
the strict enforcement of individual rights against
cooperate abuses. How foolish were these declara-
tions if monopoly had no existence? 1t does exist
in agrant disregard of the bill of rights of nearly
every state.
We solemnly declared in our own bill of rights
that "perpetuitles and mOnopOles are contrary to
the genius OF free people, and shall never be al
lowed, and to emphasize that declaration, the
same Ol! of rights in its very last article declares
VOID every law passed in violation of its prohibi-
tons And now the democratic party of Texas, in
strict alignment with the national democracy de-
maEded in state convention in 1884 that orr laws
should be amended as to prevent the establish
ment of monOpOies in Texas. If the democratic
party OF Texas is not false to all its professions
why should any man now look beyond its lines for
relief against monopolies: Within its ranks we
must look for remedies, and let us hope that we |
will not look in vain.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
Between individual capital, when not invested in |
restraint of trade and labor, there can be no CON
fict; for each being invested and used under a ma
tural law OF mutual dependence, whatever ieOpar- |
dies the security Of one destroys the other Pheir
antagOnlsm would not only injure both, but their |
liked hostility would banisn civilization. Hence |
the comm unst, the socialist and the anarchist,whu |
regard individual wealth as robbery, must be, and
is, an enemy to the civilization which he dreams |
about improving.
ILLEGAL COMBINATIONS
But when many combine, whether incor
lorated or not, and confederate to restrain |
md Cypress trade in those things which
enter into universal use, the contract which con
'entrdtes this power has heen held among all Eng
slish speaking people from the days of Henry |
Is void When sucha contract is made it estab-
isles monopoly, in violation of the bill Of
lights which declaresa monopoly to be
contrary to the genius of free people and in
open defiance of that same bill of rights which tells
is that any law sanctOniug sucn monopoly
would be void. The Illegally of all contracts to
iestroy competition, pertaining to matters of pub.
lie concern, has been declared by nearly ali our
courts. The supreme court Of OhiO# declared a
contract for combination among salt companies
for, said that COurt 1.-The clear tent
ncy of such an agreement is, to establish mo-
lOpOy and destroy competition in trade; and, for
hat reason, on grounds of public policy, the
ours will not aid in its enforcement" "Courts
vii not stop to inquire into the degree of injury
Inflicted ON the public; it is enough t. know the
Inevitable result OF such contracts is to inur: the
public"
The supreme court of PENNSYLVANIA, in consid
ring contract between Ave mining companies to |
IS the amount of coal each one should sell to
ring the prices and sales under the power of the
said through Judge Agnew: "Such
combination is more than contract, it is an
fense, and he held that when such a combina.
ion subjects the public to the power of
lis confederates, lis criminal The same doctrine
vas applied by the court of appeals of New York
o break up contract between canal boats, whose
wners had formed pool to regulate the rates of
reights and passengers
And now, my friends, proclaim before you that
here is this day in New Ork, one man power,
which directs the methods of many railway cor
orat0ns in Texas, and that through its traffic
gent here it fixes the rates of transportation on
ur public highways, whose interests it CONSOLE
ates here to defeat tile laws of competition and to
stablish monopoly of the carrying trade of Tex
s. This Is or the very essence OF MONOPOLY and is
ot only NOlatlv9 Of the bill OF rights bat of the
constitution. This traffic agent is within the
cope OF his employment, an officer for all the
Dads receiving his orders Our state constitution
Art. n, Sec ", provides "NO railroad or other
corporation, or the essees, purchasers or managers
II any railroad corporation, shall consolidate the
tOck, property or franchises of such corporation
,lth, or lease, or purchase the works, or fran |
hlses OF, or, IN any way control any railway cor
Orauon owning, or having under il control, q
arailel OF comp ung line; nor shall any officer of
uch corporation act as officer of any other rail
Dad corporation, owning heavy control of a
IA allel or competing line Now, there is not a
eNas road with terminal connections at New :
.Ork, whether BY rail or sea going vessels which
not IN the meaning of the constitution a Compel
NJ road with every other road in Texas touched by
connected with it, and having like terminal con
ectlOns. Though some who are seeking exalted :
laces in the name of democracy and apparently
llnded by the glamO.r of corporate power. are .
lysterously silent on the subject of railway man
cement, your state convention in August last ,
DICED the desire OF Out people when it declared as
DlOWs: 1--WE protest against the consolidation of /
qrallel and competing lines in this state. and :
ledge ourselves thai laws shall be passed and :
nfUrced to correct this evil
RAILROAD POOLS.
Consider, my friends, the monstrOus wrong in r
icted by railroad pools on the people. who have a
Ontrlbuted over sixty millions of acres of aad to G
uild these roads, enough land at two dollars Der c
ere to furnish sixty dollars to every man. woman :
nd child in Texas. Not only So but they re- i
eived bounties from individuals, counties and n
tiles, to construct them They are held to he pub n
c highways by every court in America, and we h
ubsldlZed them for our use; yet in defiance of law
ley destroy, by combining, the benefit we would Il
njoy from competition, and here, where we have D