The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-03-10
:. ~.., arr the fAverie fAnsill
IIOOO - tlfiS csiaaIic. fr.ce &c.

IIOOO - THIS csiaaIi-c. l'Tscc -Sc.
Here. then. We have the
causes that produce trusts
But what il the remedy Clearly
II is to remove these causes. Clearly
il is to see that the instruments OF
are wrested from the hands
Of private and corporate greed, and
operated as public functions for the
public good. Ard whose duty - Il
to take charge Of and regulate these
instruments Of commerce for the
public goods Clearly and unques-
the duty OF Congress. Sec
ton s, article 1, OF the Constitution.
in enumeratipg the powers and du-
ties Of Congress, lays down as the
third power and duty to be exercised,
the following:
To regulate Commerce With foreign
Nations, and among the several States,
and with the Indian Tribes.
Thus We see that every Congress
man and Senator, when he takes the
oath TO support the Constitution.
swears that he will use his vote to
regulate commerce. But how can
he use his vote to regulate commerce,
or how can Congress. acting Is .
whole, regulate commerce, without
regulating the instruments OF COM
merce Does Congress regulate these
instruments of commerce to-day: No.
They are regulated by private per-
sons and corporations in the interest
of private and corporate greed. Mo-
nopolists and corporations use the
peoples instruments Of commerce rs
the most powerful agencies and wea-
pons in the industrial system Of the
nation, to Cypress, tyrannize, intim-
idate and rob every independent per
SON and business enterprise. They
bleed the country, make themselves
millionaires, and then use q part of
their ill-gotten gaines, their red.
handed blood-money, to control and
dominate Congress itself.
1t is true that Congress pretends 10
regulate these instruments OF COM
merce; but the fact is that those who
control the instruments of commerce
control Congress, prevent the pass
age OF elective laws TO cure the evil,
and secure the passage Of other laws
in their own interest which agRravate
the evil. Congress made its fatal
mistake when it put into the hands
of private persons and syndicates
these powerful vital and constitu-
tional instruments of commerce,
which make trusts, and make them
greater than Congress.
In all our political campaigns the
allied monopolies which have q trust
on money, . trust on transportation,
and trust on intelligence combine.
They select the conventions they
will CONTROL, they elect the candi-
dates they have selected. or course
they control them after they are
elected. This has gone on until to-
day these allied trusts control and
dominate every branch Of our gov
eminent. What q terrible mistake
Congress has made in surrenderipR
to private greed such powerful weap-
ons and indispensable public agen-
cies for general business prosperity
and the preservation of good gov
eminent. II the commanding ON.
GERS of an army should disarm their
own soldiers, turn over their guns
to the enemy, and then attempt to
fight q battle, they would not act
more foolishly or treacherousIy than
Congress has done in failing to exc
cute in behalf Of the people its
vested constitutional powers in q
matter of such vital Importance to
the general welfare Of the country
and the life Of the government.
Can there be any excuse for this
gigantic blunder perpetrated IN the
light Of and in defiance OF the teach
ings Of all history since the dawn Of
civilization DoeB not the expert
ence OF mankind, in every country
and in every age since government
was first organized, teach that what
soever power has controlled the in
struments Of whether IL
has been . government or q combi.
nation Of business interests-thst
power has always controlled Gem
merce itself' Yes. And the whole
experience Of mankind further teach
es that whenever . government has
failed to control the instruments Of
commerce, and has left their control
to private interests, these private in.
terests have not only controlled com
merce. but have also controlled and
dominated tine government.
Ibis great danger was clearly seen
oy the founders Of our government
when the Constitution was framed
and adopted. When We read the de-
bates in the Constitutional Conyen.
ton. We find that those who oppoaed
monarchial ideas and Hamiitonian
theories Of government were in the
majority, and declared undyinp on.
position to all forms Of MONOPOLY.
They took the posi- .ion that q nat
ural monopoly should never be al
lowed to 60 into private hands; that
Q business which WAS Q natural mo
nopoly was q monopoly 1T birth, and
tnat therefore no one could honestly
claim to oppose monopolies il he IA
vored putting such Q business into
private hands. The result of that
discussion. and of the patriotic fore
sight OF the founders Of our gov
eminent, was that every instrument
OF commerce, IS then existing, was
made public function.
Did not the fathers declare undv-
ing opposition to banks Of issuef Did
they not provide that the govern.
ment should Issue all money. thu
hrst great instrument of commereeP
The second instrument Of com.
merce-transportation-at that tims
was the dirt r0a6s-th> k;..,