Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-15
A Complex Danger.

SenaL0I JOuu SucIuldu NOOb uOo tdAC
he view OF trusts which Mr.. Blaine tried
o popularize during the past campaign.
tie declines to look upon them as largely
private affairs with which the public
have nothing to do. Since his defeat for
the Republican nomination for President
Mr.. Sherman has developed views upon
a number of subjects that might almost
be called Democratic. The probability
is extreme that he has surrendered all
hopes of ever being President-his years
precluding his nomination four years
from now-and he no longer stands in
awe of the corporations and capitalists
who are the creators and beneficiaries OF
the trusts and combines, and who are so
potent in nominating bodies. Mr..
Sherman prior to the meeting OF the
Chicago Convention would never have
dared to make the remarks against trusts
of which he acquitted himself in the
Senate the other day. The danger which
threatens the country from the aggrega-
ton of capital and it's largely unlicensed
and corrupt employment is of the gravest
character, and really makes the future OF
the Republic matter of doubt. In all
ages of the world there have been un-
scrupulous capitalists. Ancient Rome
had them in numbers. Men like Crassus
rolled up sesterces almost by the billion.
That most flinty hearted of usurers was
wont to stand around neighborhood in
which fire was raging and bar
gain for the adjoining houses. When
Casarism replaced the Republic the
imperial purple was put up by the Pre-
torian guards and knocked down to the
highest bidder. But great as was the in
fluence which wealth had in undermin-
ing the Roman Republic and enervating
the Roman people, it was individual and
not aggregated wealth. The subtle
agency of a corporation, to say nothing OF
it's latest effiorescence, the trust and COM
bine, was unknown. Corrupt proconsuls
and praetors would drain provinces and
wiring imperial revenues out of Spain,
Gaul, Asia and Africa, but they did not
draw from the Romans every drop OF
their fiscal blood.
1t was great hobby with Thomas
jefferson that the growth of manufactures
| in the United States would tend to relax
the Republican simplicity of the people.
That great man and highly original
statesman desired to zee the American
people remain a pastoral and agricultural
race. His views as to the dangers oi
wealth were go radical that to the pro-
iector of the modern trust or combine he
would be almost considered crank. In
one of his writings he expresses regret
even that the horse had been broken to
the service of man, because it encour-
aged an era of luxury and incidence.
Few people are prepared to 60 to this
length with Mr.. Jefferson. Few, proba'
bly,, even share his disinclination to the
United States becoming nation Of man
ufacturers. OF course these ideas were
abstract, and were probably not intended
by the sage of Monticello for every
day life, because in several of his mes
sages while President he elaborated
very practical and sagacious schemes fol
revenue in which he advocated in an
able and statesmanlike manner protec
ton to our growing industries. But wha
would Mr.. Jefferson cay, were he alive
to. DAY, and confronted not only by the
enormous corporations which now over
spread the country, but by the new ane
portentous system of trusts and com
bines? Naturally perhaps of a somewha
pessimistic temperament, Mr.. Jefferson
would have surrendered all hope of ths
Republic.
1t is curious fact that both Mr.. Jef1er
son and Mr.. Hamilton took a rather
gloomy view of the future Of the Repub
lie from totally different reasons
While Mr.. Hamilton at home was loudly
proclaiming the experiment one OF doubt
full success, although it was largely
inspired by himeelf, Mr.. Jefferson, wht
at that time was our Minister tt
France, wrote back home of the Constitu
ton as doubtful and empirical propo
sition. Neither of them had any great
hopes of the permanent success of the
venture. Yet the experiment has turned
out exceedingly we'll. The trainers O
the Constitution builded wiser than they
knew. 1t really looks as if one of the
greatest of the dangers which menace the
perpetuity of the Republic is confronting
it now in the form of trusts and mbines
1t gives the last complexity to an agency
for concentrating wealth Of which Hamil
ton and Jefferson as little dreamed as
Crassus or Catiline in the old days al
Rome. Unless the peril is met and con.
quered. popular rule will be mere
mockery, and even the forms Of a Re.
public will shortly be dispensed with.
It is an encouraging sign of the times to
see Sherman taking his attitude of the
other day.
Or2r 4 SUr Tn - Nf