Omaha daily bee., 1888-12-04
The TRUSTS.
The President Pays His Respects to
tho Iron-Heeled Creations.


We view with pride and satisfaction this
bright picture of our country's growth and
prosperity, while only a close scrutiny dcvel-
ops a somber shading. Upon more careful
inspection we find the wealth and luxury Of
our cities mingled with poverty and wretch
edncss and u~nremunerative toll. A crowded
and constantly increasing urban popu-
lation suggests the lmpoverishnent
of rural sections and discomfort
with agricultural pursuits. The farm
er's son, not satisfied with his fathers
simple and laborious life, joins the eager
chase for easily acquired wealth.
We discover that the fortunes re-
allied by our manufacturers are
no longer solely the reward of study, indus.
try and enlightened foresight, but that they
result from the discriminating favor of tho
government and are largely built upon undue
%eXaction from tho masses OF our WI people.
The gulf between employers and the en-
ploycd is constantly widening and classes are
rapidly forming, one comprising the very
rich and powerful, while III another ara
found the toiling poor.
As we view the achievements of aggre-
gated capital we discover the existence OF
trusts, combinations and monopolies, while
the citizen is struggling far in the rear or is
tramplcd beneath an iron heel.
Corporations, which should be the care
fully restrained creatures of the law and tho
servant of the people, are fast becoming tho
peoples masters. Still cOngratulating our
selves upon the wealth of our country, and
cOmplacently contemplating every incident
of change inscparable from those conditions,
1t is our duty AZ patriotic citizens to inquire
ut the present stage Of our progress how the
bond of the government made with
the people has been kept and per-
formed. Instead of limiting the trib-
ute drawn from our citizens to
necessities of its economical administration,
the government persists in e~Xacting from the
substance of the peoples millions, which,
unapplied and useless, lie dormant in its
treasury. This tiagrant injustice and this
breach Of faith and obligation add TO eXtor.
ton the danger attending diversion OF the
currency of the country from the legitimate
channels of business.
Under the same laws by which these re-
suits are produced, the government permits
many millions more TO be added TO the cost
of living of our people and TO be taken from
our consumers which unrcasonably swell tho
profits of "A small but powerful minority.
for the support of the country under the OPP
Grafton of tariff laws. But the
mass OF our citizens is inordinately
burdened beyond any useful public purpose
and for the benefit ola favored few. The
government under pretext OF an exercise or
its taxing power, enters gratuItOusly into
partnership with these favorites, TO their adj
vantage and to the injury Of II vast majority
ofour. people. This is not equality before
the law, The existing situation is Injurious
TO the health Of our entire body polite. 1t
STILES IN those all patriotic love Of country,
and substitutes in its place selfish greed and
grasping ayarice. Devotion 10 American citi-
zenship for its own sake and for what IT should
accomplish as a motive TO our nations adj
vancement and the happiness of all our pco-
Pile is displaced by the ASSUMPTION that the
government, instead of being the embodi-
ment Of equality, is but an iustrumentality
through which especial and Individual adj
vantages are 10 be gained.
The arrogance Of this assumption is UNI
concealed. 1t appears in the sOrdid dlsre-
gard Of all but personal interest in the re-
fusal 10 abate for the benefit Of others one
iota Of selfish advantage, and in combination
to pcrpetuate such advantages; through ef-
forts TO control Legislation and improperly
control the sutIrage OF tho people.