The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-06-27
Friday. June ~, 1890.
Monopoly US. the People.

root In the United States and IS spreading
wide and deep through our American soil.
A monied aristocracy has got possession Of
our government and the effort that class is
making to fortify itself against the people,
at the capital, is alarming. They are en-
deavoring TO secure their grip SO that the
people will not be able to shake it loose by
their votes.
The silver men are making gallant fight
against the gold ring and money monopoly,
and the outrageous means resorted to by
Speaker Reed to crush them and stihe the
public voice, reminds readers of French
history of the stormy scenes in the French
chamber in the days which Immediately
preceded the first empire. 1t was bayonets
that Bonarart placed his reliance on, while
it is money the plutocratic party depend
upon in Washington.
The policy which has placed the wealth
of the country in the hands of a few, which
are fast crystalizing into distinct money
class, has steadily developed for the last %
to 80 years. In that time by the policy Of
the government which that class has been
able to direct the American flag has been
banished from the seas. We have no COM
merce under the stars and stripes. Nelly
BLY, in her 70 days trip ronnd the world
never saw the American flag floating at the
mast head of any vessel. Commerce under
our own flag has succumbed 10 the policy
which has steadily narrowed the industry
Of the nation between, contracting lines,
which are reached and controlled by few
hands. Heavy restrictions on trade have
placed our commerce in foreign hands and
ships. We no longer have ships hunting
the world over for markets for our products.
but foreign vessels come and buy what they
choose and sail away under foreign flags.
In the same period the same influence has
been undermining and destroying the farm
ers. Embargos have been placed on our
farms in the shape of mortgages with inter-
est that is fast sweeping the land into the
hands of alien landlords, capitalists who
own the mortgages, and these men are fore
closing them which will soon place large
portion of the farms in their possession.
The freeholds that remain, in compar;-
lively short time will change hands through
executors and trustees sales when the same
money class will secure the fee simple title
to the balance, and the farmers be reduced
TO the condition of tenants if radical reform
does not check the onward march of monop-
oily. This money monopoly has secured in
its hands government and state debts
amounting 10 thousands of millions, and the
interest is paid out of the taxes collected
from the people, while the bonds are I'M
taxed, or when subject to taxation the rate
of interest covers the tax leaving the hold.
ers large income. From government and
state the same class has EXTENDED its grasp
and hold the farms of the country in its
control by mortgages which the latest statis-
tics place at thirty-four hundred millions.
drawing the substance from agriculture at a
rate of 6 to 9 per cent.
These debts are largely in the hands of
foreigners, who concocted the plot to de-
monetize silver in 1878, and by cutting off
half the money metal Of the country increas-
ed the value of these debts hundred per
cent They and their representatives in
Congless have utterly failed 10 answer
single argument of the silver men, but their
subsidized press of the large cities in the
Atlantic States, have used epithets OF abuse
and baseless assertions to defend their un :
termable position.
1t will be seen that by far-reaching
system of contraction, the business of the
entire nation has been brought into narrow
confines which this monied monopoly IS
now able to manipulate and handle, and
turn all the surplus wealth of the producing
classes into their own pockets.
The fight is now raging between the peo-
pie and this plutocratic class, 10 wrest from
the latter the power which they hold oyer
the business of the country, and take from
their hands the control Of the finances of
the government and the money of the PEG.
pie. The battle is destined, though blood
less, to be the greatest in history. When
the converging lines are scanned they are
seen moving towards one point which indi-
Gates total change in our tax laws, and
direct and Independent control of the money
of the government and the nation with no
entangling alliance with banks and money
rings. Railroads, telegraph and all natural
monopolies will be taken from the hands of
private monopolies, and be controlled by
the government. The tariff theory has
passed thro' the era of protection and reach
ed tina: of monopoly, and among the first TO
see this is Jas. G. Blaine, who is now recon-
mending reciprocity with the Latin nations;
free sugar from Cuba and South American
countries for free markets in their countries
for our -four and other farm products.
Every nation in Europe is moving to vir-
tually close their ports against the products
of our farms. Cuba is about TO add so
cents more of duty per barrel to her tariff
on our flour. England, even free.trade
England, is placing more and more restric-
tions on our beef cattle. The Mckinley
bill aims to shut out all foreign products
from the United States, and foreign countries
are preparing TO retaliate. And this abnor.
NAL condition of affairs has haen brought