The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-11-26

SASS OSOS ~ ~ SAS SAAS 49,
giver, to whom it is impossible to as
cribe any other intent than the crimG
nal one. Those great corporate officers
and their respective subordinates, who
are concerned directly and Indirectly
in these practices, are probably ignor-
ant of the existing law. They ought
to be solemnly warned by some penal
enactment directly and exclusively
aimed at this besetting sin.
IS THE LITTLE FINGER OF MONOPOLY
THICKER THAN q LoINs OF THE
LAW?
We are often told that in this strug-
gle for honest government against the
power of the railroad corporations the
just cause has no chance of success.
We do seem to be put on a forlorn
hope The little finger of monopoly
is thicker than the loins OF the law.
The influence of our enemies over
the Legislature is mysterious incaIcul-
able, and strong enough to make the
Constitution a dead letter in spite of
oaths to OBEY it, and a popular de-
mand, almost universal, to enforce it.
There is no other subject upon which
the press is so shy as upon this, the
most important of all. Afraid to OPP
pose the corrupt corporations, and
ashamed to defend them, 1t SINKS into
silent neutrality. Prudent politicians
always want a smooth road to run on,
and the right path here is full of i'm
pediments. In this state of things we
seem to be weaker than we really are;
for the unbroken heart of the people
is on the side of justice, equality and
truth. Monopolists may sheer at our
laundering leadership and the unor-
ganized condition of our common file,
but they had better bethink them that
when the worst comes to the worst,
our raw militia is numerous enough
to ~overwhelm their regulars, we'll paid
and well-drill as they are. They have
destroyed the business of hundreds
for n that they have favored. For
every millionaire they have made ten
thousand paupers, and the injured
parties lack nc gall to make oppression
bitter.
The people, certainly, got one i'm
mems advantage over the carrying
corporations when they adopted the
XVII Article of the Constitution.
That comedies to us all the rights we
ask, puts the flag Of the Common
wealth into our hands and consecrates
our warfare. The malign influence
that heretofore has palsied the legisla-
tive arm cannot last forever. We
will continue to elect representatives
again and again, and every man shall
swear upon the gospel of God that he
will do US the full and perfect justice
which the Constitution commands.
At last we will rouse the conscience
OF a majority, screw their courage to
the sticking place, and get the appro-
pirate legislation" which we need so
sorely.
Whenever, a majority in both houses
become independent enough to throw
off the chains which now bind them to
the service of monopoly-when fire.
quent repetitions of the oath to obey
the Constitution shall impress its obi
cation upon their hearts-when ad-
monitor and reproof from within and
without line upon line, precept
upon precept, here a little and there a
little" shall have taught them that
fidelity to the rights of the people is a
higher virtue than subserviencv to the
mere interests Of a corrupt corporation
when the Seventeenth Article shall
have been read and re-read in their
hearing often enough to make them
| understand the import of it's plain and
simple words-then, without further
delay and with no more paltry excuses,
they will give us legislation appro-
pirate, just and effective. A tolerably
clear perception of their duty, coupled
with a sincere desire to do it, will en-
able them to catch the shortest and
the easiest way. All srifing with the
subject will cease at once; all modes
of evading this great point will go out
of fashion; no continuance will be re
sorted to of ways not to do it while
protesting to be in favor of it our
Pcommon n will not be insulted by
the offer of a civil remedy to each in
dividual for public ofenses which
effect the whole body of the people
and diminish the security of all mems
rights at once. The Legislative vision,
relieved from the moral strGbasmus
which makes it crooked now, will see
straight through the folly of trying to
correct the general evil except by the
one appropriate means of regular
punishment at the suit of the State.
| Does this seem harsh 2 Certainly not
more severe than any other criminal
law on our statute book which applies
to railway managers as well as to
everybody else. They need not suffer
the penalty unless they commit the
crime; and they will not commit the