The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-10
RESTRAINT OF CORPORATIONS.

chCe IN ponies 10 the verge OF control
ling the Government This Ia logica
result Of the development Of the age o
mechanism when great combinations sr,
practicable not only in railway business
but in telegraph and in manufactures, al
Of which can be conducted on principl,
which. in one form, is called "trusl
combine"
The tari1 laws initiate In favor of
these combinations TO control prices and
trade, and those laws, will be main
tanned as far as the railroad and INC
nopoly booms can do it.
This form Of power is simply the char
acierisiic Of the age when genius seeks
the roads that are open to it, In old
times the same men would have been
feudal barons
That we are drifting fas, towards a
tyranny that people will not stand is
certain, and the only question il will the
Republican party fortify that corpors-
ton power so strongly in politics that
the popular vote will find no remedy and
we will have 10 submit? The whole
spirit of the business world and the feel
ing Of conservatism goes towards sup
pressing violence, whether there be cause
for it or not but we must note the
important fact that the telegraph and
railroad that give so much power to cap
ital also put il in the hands of labor 10
paralyze the business of the country IT a
single stroke in case labor gets mad
enough TO risk starvation and has at its
head a man Of genius 10 organize all the
elements We know that we have come
near 10 that crisis, and that it was avoid.
ed because we were under a liberal ad.
that believed in reform and
because there was no leader strong and
wise enough to organize and act in the
sensible direction, and besides this the
occasion had not come We said that we
are drifting towards such abuses that
the people viii not stand it
If il continues under rule that
is influenced by the corporation power
led by such men as JAY Gould. Il is
openly charged by Governors of States
md leading men and newspapers in
" ords we have lately quoted, that the
ballot has been openly bought and the
government handed over TO a party by .
he power of money and corruption
" G all know where that money comes
rom, and that there will be ten times az
much the next time after four years of
republican rule
The expected virtue Of Gen. Harrison.
it comes up to the most rose-tinteG
xpectation Of the most hopeful patriot,
viii not stem the tide of Capitalization
'hich is the old Federal idea adapted to
apitalistic power in politics, and we
all to see any indication in the Repub-
can policy, as outlined thus far, that
he rule of the majority will be anything
iiIerent from what it was ten years ago.
The Democrats 90 out OF power, horse,
Dot and dragons, in full retreat. with
ut positive act by the Democratic {
ouse to mark a well-fought field. and
My the active reforms of Mr. Cleveland !.
nd his tariff message to mark where we /
iptured the citadel from the Republicans 6
D the charge that they were corrupt and d
ere the party of high taxes
In the very brief period that the Dem j,
ratio majority has left them they may Y
Vance reform measure that would be a
e flag of the party, but there is little
dicaiion that they will do it, and the
mate tariff bill may come down to the Il
ouse with the very provision abolish o
2 ule tax on tobacco that the Demo H.
ats should have put in a bill and passed n
ready.
OF course that means a division in the b'
smocratic vote, and before they recover
pm having the wind taken out of their ra
lis the Fiftieih Congress will be dead W
d the Republicans take the whole out u
Presidency, and both Houses of Con- is
ass, and proceed with their policy with in
= advantage that the record of the su
mocrats lacks spirit and purpose. ic
Hence we cite the danger of the grow
, power of corruption in politics that ri,
y shape our whole destiny for ten or ST,
enty years de
Ga