The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-05-18
NEEDS OF THE NATION.
WEALTH SEEKERS ROBBING THE
POOR BN LAW.
The Creation OF NOnopolieS Il Method
of Getting Rich by Aid OF the l.aW.-
Correction Needed.

The Creation OF Monopolies Method
of Getting Rich by Aid of the Law--
Correction Needed.
IN.
4 few /. hections on the tendency of the
lines will not b.. out of place in cOnnec-
non with these observations on tariff tax
alton No man IF q thoughtful turn can
witness 5 the daily course Of legislation,
both state and Federal, without the re-
currence of these reflections, and they
will be of a rather melancholy nature if
~ sees things AS they appear to lue. The
haste to get rich pervades every movement
of society. and in so far as this desire In
wolves fair and square contest of 1ndi
vidual genius and energy it is not only
legitimate, but highly commendab'e, Out
Of such things grow wealth and prosperity,
and all of which civilization is capable.
But when these riches are sought to be
obtained by wrestling the laws to the ser
vice of one man or combination OF men,
Nv means of which another man or Set Of
men is placed in the power of the first.
who plunder them at pleasure, this same
laudable desire becomes, by its methods
and results. a crime against society. 1t
deprives one portion of the people of the
equal protection of the laws; renders it
less possible for them to maintain the
struggle for their fair share of the public
freedom and equality into a despicable ty
rauny. No man can deny that such an
interference. whereby the law takes sides
between its citizens in what should be- an
equal contest, is inevitably followed by
such results.
The manufacturers of our country fur
ni>h an indi putable illustration OF this
getting rich by legislation. | have already
dwelt sufficiently on the methods by which
y, fNfo thriv Il f.rf
duties, with all of its ins eparable evils and
injustice to others, and have also endeav-
ored to show how absurd and phistical
were their arguments, even when the pre-
t-xt and cover for these duties reve
nue. for the government. Flimsy and un-
SubStant al as that veil was it is now
gone. The revenue is now many, many
millions in excess of the expenditure.
Every possible expedient has been resorted
{ for keeping that excess down: eNtava-
CANT appropriations, refundlDg of direct
taxes, pensions without limit, the payment
Of the due debt bearing three per cent. in
terest, with money which was worth six
per cent. to the people from whom it was
collected, and even reaching forward and
paying the debt not yet due with prem
lum of 25 per cent. thereon, and still the
excess over the nsels of the government
is gaining Yet the manufacturers and
duce tariff duties. Having obtained an
advantage overs some fortyor fifty millions
of their countrymen by the pretext of
public revenue, they propose to continue
it after the pretext has long since disap-
peared. They say, Spend it, divide it
among the States, take it off those foreign
products which do not compete with any
thing made BIZ US, remove the direct taxes,
do ANYTHING rather than take from Us this
advantage over our fellow-citizens, and
compel Us to fight an equal fight, aud
scratch as other people scratch! What
does a little too much in the treasury
matter? OUR revenue is not too large.
We can spend it all. If you reduce the
duties to only what the government needs
what will become of US, who for hundred
years have been supported by taxationE'
Another method of getting rich by the
aid of law is the creation Of monOpoiles
Monopoies are created either by law or by
combinations which are made possible by
the law. They also exist sometimes by
force of circumstances. These mOnopolies
generally assume the shape of corporations
chartered by legislation, State or Federal.
Il is true that there is no set limit to these
charters In theory, if one railroad COM
pany is incorporated, another may be be-
tween the same points SO OF banks and
all other business associations. In good
for the greater the number the less the
monopoly; but in fact many corporations
become sufficiently powerful to prevent
The establishment of their rivals. Even
where the Legislature is true to its duty
and charters enough companies to give
the people the benefit of competition, they
combine among themselves and become TO
all intents and purposes monopoly IN
this form they are more dangerous tnan
when acting singly, for their power to IN
fiuence legislation is so much greater.
Not only so, but being united In interest
aud under such simple executive manage
ment, they can easily destroy all competf-
ton by the weight of their combined capl-
tai alone, without regard to leg slatlon
All they ask Of the law is to be made a
body-politic, by which number OF persons
can act with the efficiency and convenience
of a single man, and that the law should
then stand off. The monopoly follows as q
matter of course, and individuals, com
munities, States, and entire regions Of
country are plundered with absolute I'm
punity. In this way The most poWerfu
and beneficial agent of modern progress Ii
converted into an engine of oppression
without conscience and without responsl
bility For it must be admitted that nt
conception of modern times has done 81
much to promote human advancement II
wealth as this association of individual
effort which charters Of incorporation at
ford. But the greater the benefits OF tn
syst. NJ, the greater the need to see tina
they are not permitted to convert thes
benefits into positive evils-the more urgen
the duty of legislators to keep them tn
servants, and not the masters, OF the pee
pie Among the few and highly lntelll
gent these combinations are easily affect
ed, and this is seen daily. Not only
the corporations created for the sam
purpose conspire to influence leglslatlo
or to control trade in the absence OF legis
lation, but, as general rule, all othe
corporations whatsoever do the same In
banks. the railroads, steamship companies
the manufacturers and trust companle
all make common cause, and that cause
10 shape legislation and public policy
their interest. This gives to their pecuila
interest such an apparent approval
public opinion that it is often mistake
for public interest, and legislators not Sc
dom believe that in following their su,
gestions they are serving the public, whe'
in fact, they are simply serving the co
pOrations. iii a' ''fi'' '~='t E*s