St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-07
MoNOPOLY,s MADNESS.

The moaopOlStic combination in the
United States is powerful because of the i'm
mense aggregation of wealth under its con-
troll. And it is because of this source OF
power that it is dangerous to the institutions
of this country. Money in politics is only
potent for evil. Its sole use is for purposes
of corruption. There is no occasion to use
money in honest elections. Under condi-
tons where every citizen is left free to de-
post his ballot with the full assurance that
it iSgoing to be counted in the final returns
there is no place where money can be an
important factor in political contests. 1t is
on Y where fraud and chicanery and soul
duggery are to be practiced that money be-
comes useful or even needful. Hence it is
that all political combinations organized on
the basis of wealth are dangerous to re-
publican institutions.
All the mOnopoiies of this country have
pooled issues and effected a combination
whereby they are to contribute to the sup
port of each other whenever any one inter-
est is assaied. Thus if a movement is made
to reduce the tariff, thereby affecting the
manufacturing interests of the East, then
the banking institutions, the railroad syndl-
Gates the telegraph companies and other
monopoies rush to the rescue, and stand by
the aSsailed party as zealOuSly as II their
own Individual interests were imperiled.
If one is aggrieved they all with one accord
make the grievance their common cause. 1t
is a powerful organZation-powerful be-
cause of the number of interests it embraces
and because of the vast wealth it rep
resents. And yet. though it is para
doxical way of putting it, still it is
none the less true, its power is its
great weakness. The more powerful
it grows the more aggressive it becomes.
The more aggressive it becomes the more
the great mass of the people are brought to-
gether in a determined organization to over
throw it. The people are made TO realize
more and more every day that if this
nation is to remain republic the power
of monopoly must be crushed. 1t is rap
idly growing issue and the monOpolies are
forcing it. When the final test of strength
comes there can be no doubt as to the result.
The turnpike road of history is paved with
the bones of despotlsms and aristOcratic
governments that were destroyed by pop
ular revolutions, but nowhere in all the
pages of history is there recorded an in
stance where virtuous and intelligent peo-
pie were enSlaved. The mOnopolsts have
not read history Alright if they suppose they
can rely upon the power of gold to corrupt
the American people into submissive will
ingness to have an olgarchy rise upon the
ruins of our democratic institutions. There
is too much honest patriotism among the
great body of the people to make such
thing possible. They love their country
and its institutions too well to even contem-
plate such a thing. If the monOpOlists
were wise they would see the dangers sur
rounding them. But they are not wise.
Stricken with judicial blindness, they are
rapidly driving their vessel upon the reefs
of popular indignation which stand in its
course. The reefs are stronger than the
vessel, and the result of The shock will be
certain destruction to monopoly in this
country.