The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-04-01
.rrrHr PEOPLE GET AWAKE.


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lgrTHg PEOPLE GET AWAKE.
No honest man IAN deny the
statement that the Peoples Party
has been the chief agency by which
the people have been advised and
instructed so far as that instruc-
ton has gone-of the danger that
exists and is rapidly growing from
the increasing encroacEmen's and
q udacious impudence OF corporation
and monopoly greed. Some men are
continually lifting a warning voice
on matters Of this kind, and these
warnings are so loud and clear as to
make it q wonder why more people
do not see and act upon the facts
IN AIDE 80 clear. One of these men is
Governor Pingree, Of Michigan. In
his message to the Legislature he
touched upon the question OF exist
ing and growing corporate power in
such q way as to indicate that Mich
igau is having an experience with
railroad rings and kings something
like that which North Carolina is
now having. He set forth the fact
that the question of granting public
franchises by the State and by mum
icipal authorities, and he conditions
under which they should be granted
and operated is one of the greatest
problems with which We have to
deal. A public franchise, VIII, n it
has passed BEYOND STATE or NUM-
cipal control, may become a power
GREATER THAN TIVE SOVEREIGN or
municipal power. 1t may become
an ENGINE OF OrPREs SION AND COR
RUPTIoN. The moment a fran chise
is granted, the whole people surren-
der to d few Of tLeir number the
right to exercise a public function,
and the question which should be
considered is what proportion of
that right should be reserved to the
people themselves in the way of reg.
ulation and control.
Combinations aud consultations
by franchise owners are growing al
over the United States. These com.
binations and consultations are fol-
the purpose of keeping up tolls. The
amount of wealth that is being &C
cumulated in the hands Of a few by
these favored holders of specia
privileges is appalling. These toll
are indirect tax; s, and to the ex
tent that the right to regulate tn
tolls is abandoned by the sovereign
or the local power to the Franchise
owner, to that extent the right t,
levy taxes is given away. The Stat
or the Municipality appoints a,
agent for period of thirty years
more than the life of the generation
and before the term has half expir
ed the agent becomes the master an
the master becomes the slave.
BY way OF lustration, the amour
actually invested in q railroad is on
million dollars. After the road j
completed it is mcrtgaged an
bonded for TWO MILLION. Til
could only be done by executing
mortgage upon the license itself. l
other words the few men who form
ed the company and their associate
advanced A MILLION dollars an
immediately thereafter placed
mortgage upon the industry an
earnings Of the people for thlrt
years to come t. the amour
OF TWO MILLIONS and the
when the question Of regulatln
tie fares is brought up the govern
msnt authorities are met with II
bland statement that the origin
owners have Il apsferrCd their W ste
rights to innocent purchasers and
order to pay the bonus of q lnillie
d ,llars, aud the interest upon it f
tbs thirty ye.rs, the company ca
Mt live II the fare is reduced.
THIS system Of indirect taxation
going on in every State and city
the United States, and bundre ds
million OF dollars # fictitio
values, which must repre- sent sou
form Of human labor. have be,
cr.s'ed for few by the simple stro
Of III. pen, and in ord er to pay the
immense sums tribute is laid up
very man, woman and child in I
country. 1t simply means that III.
bpnd' ed of millions of dollars q
80 he taken from the ordinary chs
MS 1t IL. innate trade to the ipju
IL every mercantile and manuf.
turing AM farming industry in I
land, for no Otre interest can suh
~ihont q corresponding injury
oil. Ii is not strange that in I
presence % this insidious,
constant process of concentrate
harmed Auanci.rs, wise statesm
and profound political scholars VI
der Why the few become rich a
the m,ny become pooii
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Why 10 o.?