Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-10-22
CLASS LEGISLATION.

There are wise men to-day who solemnly
try, and in one sense they are right. There is
no such thing as one class distinct from an
other, separated by unchanging conditions
and rigidly held apart under all circum.
stances, as is the case in England, nor is
caste recognized by law any where on this
continent where the American flag waves.
In the monarchies of the old world com.
moner may marry a titled lady, yet he has
no title The Marquis of Lorne may marry
Princess of the blood, yet he is only Mar
quis, bringing up the rear of the procession
OF Princes, Earls and Dukes But there is
in this republic class which is favored by
law, and while that situation exists it fol-
lows as necessary corollary that there
must be another class not so favored. Hence
the American classes. Unlike the distinctions
of the old world, lis possible here for mem.
Der of one class TO reach the other and per.
haps become the leader of it. His ascent,
however, is generally tortuous one. His
advancement comes too often as the result
OF u disreputable smartness aud an I'M
scrupulous avarice which, by and by, place
him in position where his government
will help him on the road toward the do.
minion which money gives.
BY government permission, consent and
connivance there has been established in
America a class which, under present con-
ditions, practically rules, When one small
element goes to Congress and demands that
it be protected at the expense of the rest of
the people, what is that but the formation
of a favored class by legislation? When the
iron and steelmakers get together and say
TO the representatives of the people: AT you
will permit US TO have monopoly of our
trade in this country we will contribute
largely to your campaign funds and pay
our imported laborers good wages" What
is that but class legislation When ten men,
representing about 100000, 900 of corporate
capital, can go into the Pennsylvania coal
region and freeze out the small miners, seize
all their lands, limit the production Of coal,
and fix the price at any figure that the trade
will bear, what is that but a political social
ism protected by favored legislation
IL may be accepted as automatic that
whenever the laws are calculated to give
one class an advantage over another class
there will soon be extremes of wealth and
poverty. We see these already. The rich.
est men that the world ever knew have
been developed in America in the last TWEEN
ty-fiye years. We now have families count.
ing their wealth by the hundreds of mil.
lions. How long will it be before there will
be others who will count theirs by the
thousands of millions? After centuries of
tyranny, blood-thirstiness and murder, in
which the weak have gone down in sorrow
and despair, centuries in which the millions
suffered and starved that hundreds might
grow rich and live 10 ideness, there is not TO-.
day in all of Kingly Europe a fortune like
these which have been amassed here in free
America within the last generation.
When it is reflected that the very element
which has this wealth is the one which de.
mands these unjust laws, which resists with
money and influence their repeal or modi.
fcation, which makes it an object for men
to array themselves on its side aud heaps
with abuse and ridicule the men who oppose
them, which is at the bottom of all the COM
binations and monopolies, and which is 10.
day trembling because certain fools and muir.
derers have raised the red standard OF reyo-
luton. Who can deny that socialism and
anarchy began in the United States when In
the corruptions and proaigacy OF the war
period tie government of the whole people
became the ally and partner of the few