Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-21
THEIR FyhssT APPEARANCE IN THE
OPEN FIELD

THEIR fsBsT APPEARANCE IN THE
OPEN FIELD.
IL mas hardly been secret that in the
past the trusts, the monopoIies, the banks.
The railroads. the big corporations and all
that goes under the general name of the
Money Power, have combined to influence
legislation, national and State, in their own
interest OF, as they naively put it. for their
better protection. To the credit of their
modesty it may be said that they have al
ways and persistently denied the charge,
often made, that they did so. But this is the
first time that they have boldly come to the
front and proclaimed themselves as COM
blnlng to defeat one of the great political
parties III national campaign. 1t is bold
ly asserted that they will make use of all
The means In their pOMer-neans obtained
from the people by legislation-to defeat
the Democratic party, a party more closely
allied with the masses OF the people than
any that ever existed in this Republic. To
the circumstances Of h. people it is re-
piled that they are seeking to make laws
injurious to those institutions, the
combine thus virtually assuming to
themselves the law making power
of the conntly. 1t is impossible that
such an assumption can be permitted;
it is hostile to the whole spirit of the gov
eminent OF free people. If the people
once give their consent to it they will have
lost the power of self government, and the
government of the whole will have been
delegated to classes. If there were no other
good in the Chicago platform the fact that
it had developed and brought into the open
this dangerous assumption, would be a
complete justification Of it. 1t has uncov-
cred most dangerous foe to free govern
ment and fortunately for tIae Republic it
has at the front the Man and the party to
render it powerless. The danger does not
appear moment too soon. for the people
had begun to tolerate Interference by great
corporations in politics as almost matter
of course. little thinking the extent to
which it would eventually be carried.
There is much, very mach, far more than
the casual observer sees, dependent on the
result of this election. If this gigantic
pooling of interests by corporations sue
coed now, it is questionable if the masses
of the people to whom belongs the legisla-
ton OF the nation will ever again be able to
control it. This is not a mere political or
partizan fight; it Is struggle on the part
of ho To yI,of I,
of self government, and to preserve It for
all time.
1t is with deep interest that as a citizen,
rather than as partizan, We shall watch
the issue of this struggle. 1t is far better
for the combined powers we have named
that they should fail rather than succeed
in this struggle. In the light of history
and with the spirit of the people of the
country we honestly believe that failure
now would be far less costly to them than
success. 1t is the last thing they should
desire; to succeed over the opposition of
the great mass of the people. For this can
not be the end of it. No movement of this
magnitude, embracing as it does SO great
proportion of the population, and founded
on the real sufferings OF the people, has
ever been quelled in free country. It
may be checked, but it is impossible to
quiet it. 1t has been set about in a calm,
orderly, law abiding way, by great politi-
cal party led by men accustomed to lead,
and who fully understand the grievances of
those they represent. Neither abuse,
trlckery, nor money will divert it from its
object. 1t is in vain to point out to the
millions engaged in it something that they
do not want and offer that as a method OF
side tracking it. The people have begun
their march on the road and new thousands
are gathering into the same road with them
every day. It is impossible not to sympa-
thize with them; it is impossible
to deny their story of their wrongs;
it is impossible to shut our eyes
to the vast amount of truth there
is in their complaint. To say to them
wait is mockery. and We must beware
how we mock at the sufferings of those who
are strong enough to make us repent. We
cannot help feeling, no thoughtful man can,
that the present situation in the United
States is grave one, far graver than the
struggle for party supremacy. 1t has al
ready been shown that party ties in it are
weak, and that there is gathering of the
masses to one side. 1t is a dangerous thing
for us to ignore this ominous gathering.
It is to our view the great struggle OF the
closing days of the Nineteenth century.
One other great issue we have settled at
the greatest cost nation ever paid, let us
settle this by that far reaching wisdom
which shall make it cost less and paid in
different kind. Let us recognize the depth
and breadth and height of the movement
now in progress, and not try to reduce it to
the hazel nut size of mere party struggle
MR.. BRYAN2S SPEECH.
Mr.. Bryan S speech in New York last
week was in all respects a great one. 1t