The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-09-18

ly half enough to supply the de-
mand of business. The owners Of
the white horses were correspond I
ingly impoverished. OF course the
"sound horses" having doubled in
value, instead OF requiring one hun I
dred bushels of the farmers wheat to
purchase horse, it took two hun
dred. Instead of thirty days of the
wage earner's toll, it took sixty
days wage to purchase horse.
Labor and produce were decreased
in value one-half. Population was
increasing and new enterprises and
extended business demanded al
greater amount of exchange medi-
um, but the "Black Horse Trust"
managed things SO as to control the
finances and business affairs of the
people. Men of limited means
could not enter upon new enter
Iprises and reign of hard times set
lin. Owners of black horses were
Igrowing so rich in this worlds
goods that they declared times were
mot as hard as the "grumblers" "
sought to make people believe.
They called all these anarchists, ,"
"calamity howlers, "repudiators, ;"
"revolutionists." The pictorial
lburlesque of the complaining peo-
pie was a long-eared mule. Bur-
llesque, epithets and bold assertions
took the place of calm consideration
and well-sustained arguments on
the part of the trust. The horse
trust controlled the press and made
it its champion.
Even the religious press was
bought to serve the "sound horse
trust" company. The masses
could have instruction only by gath
ering in little companies, or larger
crowds, and by word Of mouth
pour out their complaints and reas
Ion the way out. They still main
: tanned the right Of free speech anC
"a free ballot, although the hors,
thrust had made loud threats
through financial circulars, to tak'
these from the people. Everybod
who controlled wealth in the cit
made threats at the uiscontente
populace. But with the purpose {
Ia free people, voters threatened t
Ilremove the administration of Joh
ut and elect men to Office who woul
j. |rehorsatize the white horses. Their
I'd dIwas great excitement, and bot
Or sides of the controversy we're All
,e mated to do their best to win tn
A. next election.
as In the meantime the city council
70 ordered vast Improvements, ant
u. voted heavy burden to pensio
D. the poor and dependent; taxes in
e creased until they became mort
$. cages on the wealth and prosperit
ly of the masses. The trust did nc
pay their share of these burdens
as for they had control Of the appraise
te ment officers. The masses bein
IS unable to pay these burdensom
4 taxes, the trust met the obligation
ID and bonded the people to pay, "tel
,e years hence, in black horses" Tn
ii low price for produce and labo
/ caused men to seek relief in per
relsonal debts. They gave their note
re payable in the future in blacl
a|horses, the only medium of ex
es change accepted by the busines
|d|men of the city. Hope spring
If eternal in the human breast, AM
,e|debtors counted on the little colt
in|to come to their relief, in the lonl
,d|term Of suspended payment. 1t !
1 |sad to relate that crime and suicid
,e|became alarmingly prevalent, bu
then human nature always has it
re- weak ones, and moneyed men ar
,eInot to be held responsible for thes
S things.
or Pay day finally came. 1t wa
: 1.-The time Of all others for the hors
v|trust to take advantage, for al
N ELECTION was at hand, and as the.
,r said in a political circular, ian ig
N |norant free suffrage may overthrow
,v|the reign Of the horse trust" Bus
,e|iness was paralyzed. The littl
o.lcolts had all been required to pa.
interest up to date. The blacl
horses were locked up by thei
,elowners. At once the trust fore
of|closed mortgages and took property
t-|houses and lands Of the people
=. Fifty men had such complete mon
etlopoiy Of the finances Of the who'll
isIpeople that they could stop ever.
N wheel, and paralyze all business
" The people were helpless as wer
1.-THE black slaves Of the South unde
+ Iserfdom to their masters. Th'
is power OF self-assertion was rapid.
a disappearing; the few ruled owe
,e and trampled on the many.
20 During this period a most extra
,dlordinary and baneful change wa