The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-25
THE FUTURE STATE.
BY b. LACK.
CHAPTER VI.-PART 1.

eThere stands a ruined monument of the
stupendous folly of the people that sup
posed they had "a government of the peo-
pile for the people, by the people, yet al
lowed every function of government except
the postofce that could be made an in
strument to eXtort profit from the
People for private benefit to
pass into the hands of few
crafty, INSCRIPTIONS people, who Invested
of all patriotism and humanity, clothed in
a gauzy web woven by dishonest members
of legislatures, called a corporation, a body
without soul, bribed officials and
trampled the rights and liberties of
their fellow citizens.
This system of spoilation had commenc-
ed before the 10 colonies had cast off the
yoke of Great Britain, and when the Unit
ed States became nation it is one of the
most singular facts in history that they
the foremost people in popular education
gould not see it. Whenever portion of
the community thought it for their private
Commercial interest to connect distant
parts of the country by roads, they at
once proceeded to agitate the public and
make it believe it was necessary to build
such d road for mutual self-defense and
TO develop the country, although millions of
acres of land lay undeveloped all around
them in the hands of spectators. Then
without any real necessity for public use a
road would be built by the people and the
few shrewd schemers could use the roads
charging their individual commercial adj
vantage TO the people in the shape of en-
HANGED profit their goods"
But those roads seldom remained in the
hands of the government long after popu-
lation increased and they became a source
OF benefit to the whole people. Private
enterprise, then came to the front, and
some person persons willing to serve
their country-for their own benefit-would
make great parade of figures before the
people, and dollars before the legisa ture
Showing how the people might be benefited
by planking or matchmaking the road and
that IL would take a vast amount of mon
ey to do it, but they were willing to do
it and bear the certain loss of the first
Few years, taking the risk of ultimate
loss for their love of country and the
qualification of their individual business
push and enterprise provided-and 1t was
\ singular fact that in all laws desired by
private citizens to benefit the public, there
We're lots of provisos-the dear people would
grant them the power to levy tribute of
so much per mile from every citizen using
the road for from 20 to so years; the more
years they We're subject to fear of loss and
MARTYRS for the public benefit the better
they were pleased; these disnterested fell
lows always got the law, and 1t was a
statesmen that conferred the public privi-
1ege for private benefit prospered immed-
lately thereafter in remarkable degree
some even becoming stockholders-in their
wives iiames-in the road.
When railway building commenced in
the United States, such a possibility of ex-
acting tribute from a people (miscalled
free, never existed under king, or the
superstttionS of the church, as could now
be effected by laws which a foolish people
MO l. az
Orators were sent out by private enter
prise" who trumpeted throughout the land
that something more wonderful than the
PHILOSOPHERS stone had been discovered
The railway Let this instrument
Of commerce but once cross county
and wealth would increase indefinitely hun
dreds of fold. The farmer told his
land would triple in value the mechanic
that his wages would double and no idle
time: the poor laborer that he would be
Seized on side by the people living in
the city, and on the other side by the
farmer each trying to get him for double
wages while the railway contractor would
stand in front. determined to out-bid both
The merchant should get cheaper trans
portation, while all being employed there
would be so great demand for goods that
they would sell for more than before
because value depends on product and not
the price The bushel of wheat is the
value, and not the species of money that
exchanges them. The value of land is the
fertility of the soil, not how much money
il will sell for. The value of the land is
in its ability to produce what will sustain
life. Money cannot sustain life; it can
perform but the same service to land that
II does to products. Used in the abstract
it will indicate ratios of value between
products of different value: used in the
concrete. it will exchange them. Value is
in the commodity; price in she pieces of
money designating the ratio of
value III erecting the noe
the farmer was to get more for his produce
by extension of his market Competition
was to be a "bulP' for his express benefit),
and get his goods for less because of reduc-
ton of cost of transportation. The me-
chanic was to get double wages because of
greater demand for their class of labor,
and at the same time be able to buy his
provisions for less because the farmers
of a more extended country would have ac-
cess to the town in which he lived which
was destined to become a city and distribut-
ing center and competition was to become
bear for his benefit. The laborer was
10 be cock of the walk" When he worked
for the farmer he was to have the benefit
OF the competition DULL" and get high
wages because the farmer getting high
prices would be stimulated to produce and
bid high for labor; when he worked in the
city he would get high wages because of
the demand for farm laborers and so many
being needed for railway construction, and
board would be low because of the low
price OF provisions on account of the abun-
dance of farm produce account of the
competitive bear" fed by extended mar
kets: and if he would consent to the incon-
venience of the constant change of resi-
dence consequent on railway building
wages would be no object with the con-
tractor. Oh. but Pat and Ole We're to be
the gentlemen, and the merchant would
have nothing to do but to oversee his busy
clerks ana book-keepers, and once a day
patfe' his money and send it to the bank
ftoFided-for where great benefits are con-
ierred a slight return is expected-the peo-
PIE helped the capitalist a little. First
Inc people through the legislature should
give the corporation the brightest gem in
tNef crown of sovereignty, the right of
eminent domain to take property for priv
ate use in defiance of the constitution and
to levy tribute of the people, to acknowl-
edge the whole people to be subordinate 70
small number of citizens, through the
grant of a franchise. Second. The people
should give the land necessary for the right
of way Third. They should vote town
ship aid because the railway went through
the town. Fourth. County aid, because it
went through the county. Fifth. The state
was TO Give large amount of land because
the railway went through the state, and
sixth: the United States was to give a very
large amount of land because the railway
went through several states. Seventh.
Ihe railway corporation was to have the
right to issue all the mortgage bonds thew
could hold in collision with foreigners, and
sell al the stock that fools would buy
Eighth. That the corporation should charge