, 1891-06-09

itics.
On the other side are the corporations
which, in a fight, at once federate, unity,
consolidate, and they represent in cash
and water about nine billions (s9, 900,
900, COO, an incomprehensible sum OF
money.
THR CORPORATIONS EVIL INFLUENCE.
In the past, and ever now, the cor,
poration has dominated legislation-de.
bSuched legislatures, courts and con
PRESSES Its power has been ~autocratic.
1t has issued its DEGREES and has been
obeyed. To pay dividends on water il
has not only impoverished the farmers,
butt has robbed the railroad employees
OF fair pay, Of honest wages, and thus
it happens that the farmers and the EN-.
ployes nave practically the same griev,
Auce; the rate of transportation i'm.
povershes the farmers, and the rate OF
wages impoverishes the employees, and
both are robbed that dividends may be
collected on water; and this stupendous
wrong has proceeded for years, and has
been upheld by legislation and by the
courts.
1t is just here that the Won Moltke
strategy and tactics Of the corporation
come prominently into view. The cor
poration, as in the case OF Iowa, says TO
the farmers, IF you reduce rates we
will reduce the number Of trains; If pre-.
viously we charged you 30 much as 10
destroy your profits, we will now so re
duce facilities that your products will be
delayed in reaching market, and youi
condition will be worse instead of better
you will have jumped from the frying
pan into the fire; and since you appeal
to the legislature for redress, we will
show you that we have our employee,
under such subsection that they will
hold meetings and protest against youi
plans of redress, and we will issue our or
ders and have our employees vote against
candidates who are pledged to introduce
bills to remedy the evils Of which you
complain"
This is history, true to the letter,
naked, unadorned truth. 1t has been
written, and can be produced when re-
quired.
The play upon the employe is done so
artistically that satisfactory responses
are anticipated, and disappointments are
few and far between.
NTM1DATINd THE ENPLoYE
The employe, metaphorically, is in
vited TO look down into his flour bar
rel, TO make a survey Of his smoke
house, inquire about his grocery bills,
count his surplus cash-and balance his
handbook. This done, he is told that to
reduce rates of transportation, to com
ply with the demands of the farmers,
one of two things is certain to happen
he will be relieved Of employment en-
tirely, or his wages will be reduced; in
either case the penalty would be crush
ing, and taking alarm at the intimidat-
ing threat, the employe is bulldozed to
the extent that he arrays himself against
the farmers and obeys orders; but he
goes, or has his wages reduced all the
same. Nor is this the end of the humil-
iating business.
The railroad employe, realizing that
he, too, ought to ave some legislation
TO redeem him from the serfdom i'm
posed by common law" which is no
law at all, goes to the legislature for re-
aress-as, for instance, If disabled in the
line of his duty he demands the right of
going into court with his claim for re.
dress, OF If killed, that his heirs may nave
hearing and a jury decide the case.
The farmer in such cases may, doubt
less does, say TO railroad employees who
are battling for justice: when our bill
was up for a redress of our wrongs you
opposed uB under the whip of the cor.
poration, and now in return we mock
ut your solicitations. Endure your
wrongs as we endure ours. Wanting in
courage, you not only deserted us in time
of need, but you protested against jus.
tice being done us, and petitioued to SO,
curt our defeat"
Such is the law of human nature, and
having secured this antagonism between
the farmers and the employees the corpo-
ration is happy, and is in u position to
bring its resources TO bear and maintain
the practice of tine common law" in
Equity, by which the infamy is perpe-
trated, and the crippled employe, at his
leisure, may whistle for redress; or, il
killed, his wife and children, eushrouded
in gloom, may die of starvation.
Manifestly, there is a common ground
upon which farmers and railroad en-
ployes may meet and battle for justice,
1 d by side; not only railroad employees,
but all wealth producers, for all of them
have interests in common.
A DEMAND FOR JUSTICE.
1t is nc longer doubted that a third
party or Il new party, is to enter the
field Of politics. There is no installing
the signs of the times. The shibboleth
of this new party is Justice to the pro-
ducers Of wealth"
In finding remedies for colossal wrongs
1t is quite probable some mistakes will
be made, but they will be infinitesimal
compared with the mistakes that have
been made in establishing the wrongs
complained of. 1t sometimes happens
that a broken bone is set in such a way
as to produce a deformity, and it has to
be broken again rs a remedy. When
antiquated wrongs are torn up by the
roots the operation has often been pro-
ductive of commotion-of rev olutions,
of war, and all the evils which war en-
tails; but the time must come, it is the
verdict of history. The eternal years
are pledged to the triumph Of Truth.
Here, in what is termed a God IA
vored land" wrongs ought to be eradi-
Gated by peaceful methods; but in view
of recent events, when a continent shook
beneath the tramp of armed men; when
all the streams ran crimson to the sea;
when sulphurouR clouds obscured the
sun in its meridian brightness; when the
thunder of the far flashing artillery, the
scream of shells and the rattle of mus
kerry blended with dying groans and
the shouts of the living that the star
s%pangled banner might be, what it never
had been, the symbol of freedom, here,
with such facts in full view, it were well
to be cautious in outlining the future.
1t is largely within the province OF
prudent speech to say that many of the
wrongs of which the producers of wealth
comnlain could BE- remnYed by lepisla-