The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-25
'"'THERE is NO USE KICKING
AGAINST THE PRICKS.n

Of 1896 sort of paralysis has fallen
upon some people who had been fight
ing against the domination OF the dolia".
they have lost heart in the tight FOR
pie, and for the people," and have SEEM
ed ready to throw up their hands ana
say. 1.-THE trusts are in the saddle, money
will rule, and there is no use Of kick
ing against the pricks.
1t cannot be denied thai recent events
have saddened the heart Of all men who
antagonize the rule of the Almighty
Dollar So far as our federal govern
ernment's policy is concerned it is too
true that
EVERY door is barr'd with gold, and opens
but to golden keys"
The wise patriot is he who, recogniz-
ing the power of money, resolves to
fight all the harder those agencies rllat
use it to enslave the masses of the
people. The fact that Hanna is the
Gar of this Republic does not make
his rule just. The fact that lie is sup
ported by the great syndicates and
trusts does not show that he governs
by ''divine right" The additional fact
that in some sections there seems an
acquiescence in the domination of "the
Jingle of the guinea while it is n sad
thing to contemplate, does not dishearten
the man who has faith that "'you can.
not fool all the people all the time"
The real optimist in our Republic to-
day is not the man who goes with the
tide to Imperialism, wrong and robbery
and declares that "whatever is, is right
The true optimist is he who thinks that
the people at heart believe in the old
fashioned principles taught by Wash
ington, Jefferson, Jackson and Monroe,
and who has faith that they will drive
the money changers ont of the temple.
1t is the pessimist who says, "Lc< it all
60. There is no use fighting the Han
mas. They will buy enough people to
stay in power. | will look after my
private affairs and not incur the enmity
of those who use government TO en-
rich themselves" The man who talks
or acts after this manner is not only a
pessimist, hesis a coward and traitor,
if he at heart believes that the party
in power is pursuing policies that dc
not make for the good Of the country.
Recently there has been an object les
son in the power of the people to rule
that ought to cause all patriots to thank
God and take courage" Monopolists
and syndicates cannot rule except when
the masses are indifferent and divided.
In Chicago one Yerkes and others who
owned the street car systems were trying
to rush fifty years franchise through
the Board of Aldermen 1t was popu-
larry supposed that enough aldermen had
been bribed to pass the ordinance when
the mayor and the city press rallied the
people to earnest opposition TO the steal.
They were terribly in earnest and made
the Doodle aldermen understand that
they would not tolerate the giving to the
street car syndicate franchise for
nearly half a century Of almost inesti-
mable value. While the people were
voicing their Indignation the street car
magnates, thinking they had bought a
majority of the Aldermen, coolly said,
"What are You going TO do about it?'
They supposed that the people would
make one cutlery and then go back to
their private business. They reckoned
without knowledge The Chicago people
were aroused TO point where it was
unsafe for an Alderman to 'stay
bought and when the test came the
street car syndicate saw that the power
of the whole community when aroused
is stronger than any. chain Of corrup-
tion or any power of INSCRIPTIONS
wealth. If the people of Chicago could
defeat the steal of their Streets for fifty
years, who shall say there is not virtue
enough in the people to put an end to the
corrupt ways of the Hannas and their
instruments?