The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-04-21

measures have been suggested to thwart
the purposes Of the trusts. One of
these, concerted or forced obstention
from planting for time, might prove
effectual, if forced through taxation
or otherwise so as to make it general !;
but this would hurt innocent manu-
facturers, the planters main customers
and best friends Boycotting trust
goods offers a fairer, and, assome claim,
a surer method. This writer suggests
agraduated tax cumulative with the in
crease of the product manufactured as
likely to prove more effectual.
Every tobacco man outside of the
trust should unite and combine to down
the tobacco trust, or else the planters,
warehouse men and dealers will be
forced to abandon the industry. A
resolute determined people can accom-
pllsh much in the way of reform, espe-
cially when they have right and justice
on their side and are impelled by ma
lures fundamental law, self-preserva-
tion. Let us start right, do right, and
continue right onward, and as Judge
Daniel once said substantially, "some
law will surely be found to uphold us
in so doing" The tobacco trust has
already set it's coulter so deep" as, in
time to effectually balk the whole trust
team, which means ruin to the busi-
ness. 1t has surely brought great
damage to the tobacco industry al
ready, and when the rebound comes,
as surely it will come soon or late,
where will the trust be then?
A soCKDoLAGER.
The reader may ask, what is meant
by a "sockdolager2" We reply, it is
what old Tom Blackwell, the grand
father of Buck Blackwell, of Durham,
was wont to call a knock-down. Here
is sockdolager knock-down for the
trusts:
Let the State recognize trusts as it
has railroad corporations, and then
pass laws to effectually control them.
Flight the devil with fire" and big
chunks of it well heaped on Give to
them distinct public functions and
characters, as distinct from private
business; require public supervision
over them in order to rectify abuses
and to protect the citizens and Com
monwealth. There is no necessity to
make communistic State, but there
is a palpable and urgent necessity to
protect private property, individual
rights and enterprise, and to promote
the industrial welfare and well-being
of all the people.
MPERATIVELY DEMANDED.
There is a growing inequality of con-
dition Of the people of this great re-
public that menaces it's stability and
the perpetuation of true Democracy.
Something is imperatively demanded
to correct the evil tendency in the
aggrandizement of immense wealth in
the hands of the favored few. Tax
alton is the factor needed as the great
equalizer in solving this irregular So
cial equation. Let the State levy a
graduated income tax, cumulative on
the amount taxed, on all corporations,
trusts and individuals; tax all inher-
itances and bequests, and levy spe-
cial tax on the succession of all estates
over $1OO, 900, and thus accomplish for
the next generation what our fore
fathers so wisely and benefciently did
in the inauguration of this republic,
in the abolishment of primogeniture
and entail.
Desperate diseases require heroic
remedies, and the diseased body polite
must be treated accordingly. The
economic conscience, at it's best, is not
above par; and corporations have no
SOULS" and therefore the State alone
must govern them. The autonomy
of the State, SO greatly endangered by
trusts, must be preserved at all haz-
ards, and everything in conflict there
with must be suppressed or brought
into subjecti0n to law, or we will soon
witness what is fast approaching an
aristocracy of wealth-a despicable
plutocracy-tha will crush out all
enterprise and thrift outside of their
favored arenas, and inaugurate ty-
ranny more cruel and enslaving than
feudalism or serfdom, because of it's
being inflicted on people that have
once known and enjoyed the blessings
of civil and industrial liberty.
Beware of trusts
r. L. RAGLAND.
SENATOR VANCE thinks Mr.. Cleve-