The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-15

rich mon because OF their wealth. II !
aonseless and without reason. and mus
he met and put down with every fore
,.hleh society can command. But pluto
cracy" finds a place In cur institutions
nevertheless. in its truly objectionable
| form, and the popular rebellion agains
Il. which, confounding with IL the wealth
| witch IS necessary TO healthy and sound
society, Is right rs far as II makes thai
J Objectionable "plutocr9cy" the object oil
It's cnmity. The "plutocracy' that the
| people properly resent is those comoina
lions OF individuals formed TO take adj
vantage. Of the opportunities which pro-
tective tariff laws give them TO piunder
their fellow-citizens, and which. TO retain
these laws, spend great parts OF the
money which they enable them 70 g0use
out OF the American people In deoauch-
ing elections so as 10 secure law-inaherS
who will keep these laws on the statute
book These United States are infested
and cursed with a ''plutocracy OF mat
sort. and IL is eating into the Vitals or
this nation. and will corrupt and destroy
II root and branch unless II is itself
broken ND and destroyed from top to bot
tom. The rebellion OF the people against
this rotten "plutocracy' is the only com
mendable thing In the objects OF the
Populist party. and If that party would
drop its absurd demands for rotten money
and would cease its war upon rich men
merely because they are rich, combining
itself solely TO war upon the ''plutocracy"
Of the protected monopolists. the Popu-
list party would really represent a live
and visible part Of the population. whose
voice would be needed. and whose aims
would be praised. But IT will not do this;
II looks on the income-tax feature OF
the tariff bill as fits best part, simply
because IT plumbers rich men; it insists
on making war on rich men, merely be-
cause they are rich. when there would
be no prosperity II there were no rich
men. and the Populist party, according
~, fritters away a great opportunity.
makes a vast amount of noise without
producing any impression. and secures for
Itself the place of political mountebank
IN popular estimation, when /; should
really hold one Of honor and respect.
That the trusts" and the protected !
constituting the most de- |
trading and offensive ''plutocracy" that |
he world ever knew, are now ruling this |
COUNTRY is perfectly plain and obvious |
O every man. The most casual attention /
o the course of the United States Senate
ince the tariff bill has been before it
hows that that bill, which came from
he House as tariff reform measure,
as been totally recast in the Senate, ac-
ording to tie demands Of the monopo-
es and trusts. These influences, there
ore. absolutely dominate all legislation
l this country.
We have frequently said that the
rnited States Senate is the harbor
nd stronghold Of the monopolies and
-usts, and what is now going on ought
D be enough to open the eyes of all
mericans to the truth OF that remark.
rhy is this so? Why does the trust
xercise an influence in the Senate that
cannot command in the House? The
JASON is very plain y congressman
strict is but a fraction of his State,
nd may not have a single monopoly or
ust located in it, or, if there is one, it
ay be relatively but a small and unim-
,rtant part Of his district. rho congress
ali comes, therefore. as 4 representative
his whole district Of which the trust
no part in many cases. and but n small
lrt in others. But the whole State is
senator's district. All the trusts are in
IS district. Besides, the method of his
ection is very different. The congress-
an is elected by all the voters Of his
strict. The Senator is elected by the
embers Of his Legislature, rarely more
ian $50 in number. To affect the con-
ituency Of the congressman the indi-
dual voter must be bribed, and there
e some 10000 voters in each district To
feet the constituency of a senator a
ajorty Of $50 is all that need be Sc
cured. They do not buy these members
the Legislature by actual bribes-that
they do not do so unless II becomes
cessary. They give the Senator money
d he doles this out 10 candidates for the |
glslature, TO enable them to debauch
tiers and secure their election TO the
gislature, and then experience teaches
that that Senator becomes the owner
NoSH Oht VI lIc LEGISLATORS tndI ne |
S thus aided" They operate on the
nate, because the Senator's constituency 4
ng infinitely smaller than the con-
II is a far simpler matter to J
ure the Senate than the House. and,
'sessing the Senate. they hold the key r
the position. In this way the United a
ties are now ruled by a "putocracy' .
It is the most damnable dreadful. op- c
ssive, and corrupting agency that has d
r cursed any people since the same =
I Of one ate into the vitals Of Rome.
destroyed the Roman civilization Il
Is is the 'plutocracy" that all good
zens may justly complain of and NAV
II to the dea,h. There is but one wav
XIII it, and that is to cause United co
ties Senators TO be elected bv direct II
e or me people. They cannot buv II
people, but they will buy Legislatures &
long as Senators are elected by te
L IL