The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-09

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Pierpcnt Morgan, representing foreign
gold syndicate composed of London Jews,
owning and absolutely controlling, as
the agent of that trust, eight of the big
gest railroad systems in the nation.
Which are they? The New York, New
Haven, and Hartford, extending from
New York to Boston and throughout
New England; the Erie, with all Its
branches and feeders; the New York
Central, extending from New York to
Chicago, with all Its ramif1cations; the
Northern Pacific, extending from Chi
cago across the continent to the Pacific
ocean, with all It's ramifcations; the
great Lehigh Valley system; the Big
-Four. covering the great fertile Central
West between st. Louis, Philadelphia,
and Chicago; the Chesapeake and Ohio,
running from Baltimore out to Chicago
and the great Northwest: and the South
ern Railroad, extending from New York
south to New Orleans, with all its rami-
f1cations In more than dozen states
These powerful systems, with the
tributaries which they dominate and
control, comprising more than $4,000
miles, govern every means of modern
transportation in all the great, populous,
and important sections Of the nation
from Chicago east and south, except the
Pennsylvania Railroad, the Baltimore
and Ohio. the Seaboard Air Line, and
the Atlantic Coast Line. Morgan and
his gold hackers have their greedy eyes
cornered-and will press the button and
gobble them up in their own sweet time
In short, this man Morgan, representing
the cold-bloOded Shylocks, the descend
ants Of the mOney-changers whom Christ
drove from the Temple, can today sit
down around table with six other rail-
road magnates, all of whom are already
working in harmony and conjunction
with the gold syndicate, and control alb
sOlutely every mile of railway in the
nation By stroke Of the pen they can
lock the wheels of every locomotive, they
can put up rates or they can put them
down. they can build up one section and
tear down another they can form part
nerships with other industrial pirates,
and they can organize trusts until there
will not be an Independent business left
in the nation.
The third great and vital instrument
Of commerce is the transmission Of in
telligence. AS far as the business world
can use the postoffice department every
one stands on fair and equal footing;
but the information that controls the
markets and affects vitality the business
world, from the Associated Press dis
patches to the daily newspapers, the
stock reports, and so on, down, are
transmitted by telegraph. The tremend-
GUS Importance of this instrument of
commerce is not generally realized. The
actions of men are controlled by their
opinions; their opinions are formed on
the information they receive. Therefore
the opinions and actions of the wisest
and best men are sadly at fault if the
truth has been kept from them. or if it
has been colored or perverted. Those
who can control what we read can con-
troll our thoughts; those who control our
thoughts can control our votes; those
who can control our votes can control
our pocketbooks and the destinies of the
nation.
Here. then, are the three vital instru-
ments of commerce-Money, transporta-
ton. transmission of intelligence How
should they be used and by whom should
they be controlled? Can agencies so
powerful, and the proper use of which is
absolutely essential to the welfare Of all
the people, be trusted in the hands of a
part of the people to be used for their
own private gain and power? Clearly
not. Then how should they be used and
controlled in order to give equal oppor-
tunities to all and to promote the gen.
eral welfare? Clearly these instruments
of commerce should be used as public
functions at the lowest possible cost and
without discrimination in favor of one
person and against another. This must
be done in order to put every industry
and business enterprise on an eqaul foot
ing. Has this been done? No. But
instead we have permitted the reverse to
be done These vital instruments Of
commerce are today completely in the
hands of private individuals and specu-
lators, who therefore have the business
world at their mercy. Whenever a gov
eminent permits the instruments Of COM
merce to go into private hands it has
surrendered its most important function
Of sovereignty. It has surrendered it's
power to Establish justice, Insure do
nestle tranquility, provide for the COM
mon defense. promote the general well
fare, and secure the blessings Of liberty"
It is to secure these rights that govern
ments are established among men.
The instruments of commerce are
natural monopolies- are natural
trusts. When they are used as public func-
lions, open and free to the use Of all on
like terms and conditions, then there is
healthy competition. with widespread in
dustrial activity, and general prosperity
and happiness. Under such just and hap
py conditions it is impossible for an in