The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-05-24

coal trusts. steel trusts until
the country is undermined and
covered with trusts and the people
reduced to such poverty and distress
that they are beginning to despair of
again seeing the time when man can
earn his bread by the sweat of his
brow. Trusts are the fashion, the
rage and the curse Of the age.
Innumerable instances might be cited
if necessary to explain to you the law
on, the subject of trusts and the great
evil which it is intended TO eradi-
cate and prevent.
The existence of trusts has been
proclaimed by newspapers, denounced
by party platforms, inveighed against
by political orators and solemnly de-
clared by our legislature as dangerous
to the liberty of the people; yet like
mighty me nsters of the forest they
roam the land, filling it with terror
and destruction growing stronger,
more fearless and UverpOWerlng day
by day.
Those who violate the law and ZEN
danger the liberty Of the people" by
| forming trusts and combinations
which take from their mouths the
| bread of the poor, live in palatial resi-
dences with their silver table ware,
/ their gold lined cups, rare and costly
7 china, walnut, mahogany and rose
wood furniture, velvet carpets, hosts
of trained servants, elegant carriages,
blooded horses with silver or gold
mounted harness, silks, linen, broad
cloth and sparkling diamonds,
sumpteous table, and drinks fit for
the gods; while learned and faithful
lawyers, skilful and philanthropic
physicians, teachers Of learning and
patient industry frightning away dark
ignorance by their bright lamp of
wisdom, overWorked merchants, and
toiling economical and horny handed
farmers must struggle from year to
year to keep the wolf Of hunger and
want from the doors of their humble
cottages.
Why this state of things? Why do
these rich people, continually grow
richer while the poor sink deeper
into hopeless and despairing poverty?
Naturally these should go hand in
hand an increase Of poverty and de-
crease of riches, diminution Of poverty
and accumulation Of riches; but in
stead of this we find an increase of
poverty and accumulation of riches
travelling along tOgetheT-an IN
natural state of things, no doubt in
great measure caused by trusts or
combinations as defined by our
statute.
Are the people of North Carolina,
is our fair land, suffering from this
great evil? Have we any trusts suck
ing like leeches. the life blood of the
people? OF this it is your duty to
''diligently enquire"
You will find no trust among the
poor and humble, and you need send
out no scouts in that direction. Its
home is in marble halls surrounded
and guarded by strong arms, keen
sabres and desperate courage and in
the midst of all the luxury and all the
pleasure that wealth or beauty e'er
gave. There may be yet enough Of
that patriotic valor, which success
fully resisted King George and estab-
lished our freedom and equality, to
attack and pull down frcm his golden
throne this enemy of the people; but
ere long the people will be bound hand
and foot too cowed, too weak and too
dispirited to contend for their rights
then 1T will be too late.
''Ill fares the land, to fastening ills prey,
Where wealth:.accumulates and men decay:
Princess and lords may flourish, or may
fade;
A breath can make them, as a breath has
made;
But bold peasantry, their countrys pride,
When once destroyed, can never be sup
Piled"
That part of life which is not come
y,
direction and we see nothing but a
grand farce; then behold it from an
other direction and all that is visible
is a solemn tragedy. Behold the
trusts, unlawful and dangerous to
the liberty Of the people"-with their
vast capital, their untold millions,
their vaults filed to overlooking, sit
ting upon their golden thrones orna-
mented and besprinkled with beauti-
| full and brilliant jewels, destroying at
| a word the natural law of supply and
demand; debating to the laborer what
he shall receive for his work, to the
| producer at what price he shall sell
his product and to the consumer what
| he shall pay for even the necessaries
! of life; behold the care-wOrn faces OF
the father and husband vainly striv-
l ing to comfortably support and pro-
vide for his children and wife, the des-
perate struggle of, not the farmers
only, but the people lin all trades and
occupations, outside of the charmed
| circle of trusts) to pay their debts and
provide themselves with the comforts
| of life; see their condition getting
| worse and worse year after year, strug.
| Cling like some brave swimmer fight
ing for life, with steady, firm and
| skillful strokes endeavoring to reach
| the shore, yet continually, slowly but
| steadily driven further to ocean until
now at last he has about given up all
| hope, his strength, his spirit, his man
hood about departed and soon perhaps
| to sink to rise no more; here il
| tragedy.
| See the press running in every direc-
tion to every nook and corner of the
land as fast as steam can carry it pro
claiming "down with the trusts, lei
the liberty of the people last forever
hear the great orator as he in burnina
words Of patriotism and love for the
| dear people denOunceS the trusts
listen to the laundering anathema
of the "parties" against all trusts anl
combinations; read clear cut, plair
and forcible language of our legislat
ure denouncing the trusts as "unlaw
full and dangerous to the liberty Of tn
people," hear the Judge seriously ant
solemnly declare and explain to tn
Grand Jury that trusts constitut
one of the great evils and dangers o
the age, that they are unlawful an
subject to Indictment; and then exam
inc the bills of Indictment and pre-
sentiments of the Grand Jury witt
much of the smallest Of petty misde
meanors and nothing of trusts and be
hold l show you comedy of the frs
class.
We must either laugh or weeI
laugh one moment and weep the nexi
, then laugh again and so on throug
. life, for such Is life, Am / today act
, ing my part In some side-splittin
, comedy, or am reciting the part al
signed to me in some great tragedy
, He who reigns in HeaYen knows,
not.
ACTUAL REVOLT