West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-02-17
PUBLIc-PLUNDER TRUSTS.

Of all outrages in the way of mo-
nopolies, and of'conspiracies to take
advantage of the public, the most
iniquitous is the combination of po-
litical adventures, to corner" Off
ces.
Just alarm pervades the country
on witnessing the consultations
that have lately sprung upon the
commercial and industrial world,
under the name of Trusts. Oil
trusts, steel, iron, rubber, sugar,
whiskey, gas trusts, DC, are rivet-
ing their hold, and are fastening
their arrangements, in order to have
sure footing for the inevitable con-
test that two people must, out of
self-defense, make against them.
An iniquitous tariff system has
wrested the powers of government
from their legitimate sphere, and is
largely responsible for the existence
of these vast agregations. Upon the
prostitution of governmental funct-
ions to the upbuilding of personal
! fortunes, these various trusts rely
for their maintenance and perpetual
ton. 1t may prove positive good,
that the constituencies greed which
stole the name of protection" for a
robber- tariff, has forced attention to
the monstrosities perpetrated under
under the mask Of law, by the all
embracing schemes covered by a
term, that is no longer misleading.
The nation is aroused to the dangers
threatened from the so-called
TRUSTS" and it now seems more
than probable that they will be
thoroughly ventilated and under
derstood in detail before long.
Whether their influence will be suf-
ficient to prevent their suppression,
remains to be seen; and of that at
present we do not treat; but certain
it is, that if the righteous indigna-
ton of an aroused people, finds no
effective expression in practical
measures, it will be because these
giants have stridden above the law
and have made their Judgement Sc
cure by corrupting the forces
charged with the duty of making
the law respected.
While that general subject is in
the glare of public scrutiny, we turn
to another closely akin to it, where
each individual in the land is inter
ested and each is vested with the
power to accomplish something.
If Boss Tweed had lived to this
day, he might have gathered his vii
lainies and his Williams together I'M
der the euphonious title OF a Poll
ties Trust" but he could not thus
forecast the future.
1t is inconceivable that intelli-
gent citizens should recognize so
promptly the tendencies for evil of
combines" in the business world,
and yet be blind to that exact state
of things in the workings ofpolitical
rings.
However deep investigation may
90 in developing the enormities of
the former, the more far-reaching
course of the latter will defy compar-
ison. The INSCRIPTIONS fellows,
who by division of dirty work, ar
range to divide the spoils of office,
perfect their organizations, and they
have all the strong points of a
"truSt." The subject of their deal
is the public Treasury neither
more nor less.
The sugar-trust controls sugar.
1t may break and relax its grasp.
The Public Plumber Trust" con-
trolls the taxing power. The taxing
power, as stated by Chief Justice
Marshall, is the power of life or
death, to every enterprise and every
interest of the State. Aye, more
than that, as shown by the interests
consolidated in support of the pres
ent tariff, all the commercial trusts