The Advocate and news., 1898-02-09

broad way the great basic issues involved
in the titanic struggle OF the present-a
struggle upon which depends an issue no
less momentous than the very existence OF
popular government. The conflict Wmch Is
pending is between corporate power In the
hands OF few on the one side and public
interests and the peoples rights on the
other Any narrowing Of this issue, or any
attempt to elevate one OF the many eyil
consequences flowing from 1t so as TO make
a paramount issue Of that which Is par
tial or only q single stem from the giant
stalk, Is q serious blunder which can serve
only to divide the forces OF progress. Even
If the single reform, however beneneent,
triumphed, 1t could in the nature or the
case be at best but partial success. Thus,
monopoly in money, monopoly in transpor-
tation, monopoly in all public utilities,
whether national, State, or municipal, and
monopoly in commodities essential Tor
mans life, comfort, 'Or well-being, are the
offspring Of corporate control, or society 8
needs and civilizations demands, in which
the great profits of the few are acquired
at the expense of the many. Against this
evil, as the concrete representation or des-
potsm in its latest role, all reformers, all
friends Of liberty, freedom, and justice
should unite.
The forces of freedom and the forces of
oppression are being rapidly marshalled,
the lines of battle are being drawn. The
tendencies Of the opposing theories are no
longer vague or doubtful. IL the corpora
tions are to continue, popular govern
ment cannot live, any more than liDerty
can exist under the rule OF absolutism.
Here is a fact for thoughtful people to
consider. The corporations, as we shall
presently see, are the sworn enemies or
public rights, individual independence,
common justice, and that wholesome lib
erty which marks q free government.
Nothing is gained by pursuing the os-
trich policy. 1t is neither manly nor safe
to disguise the naked facts, which are no
longer disputed questions among honest
and informed citizens. The situation in the
United States to-day reminds one OF a
certain Eastern legend. Abdallah, an orr
entail prince, was one day reclining on ms
couch, slipping his. wine, listening to the
music Of birds, and enjoying the rich fra
GRANGE waited from his garden of roses,
when beautiful fly entered his apartment
he watched the little insect with interest
until it flew away. The next day 1t re-
turned to his cup, and SO on, each sue
cessive day finding the little visitor at
the princes lonely board. In short time
Abdallah became strongly attached to the
fly; he encouraged, humored, and petted 1t,
never noticing how rapidly 1t was growing,
nor the strange transformation that was
gradually taking place, by which the once
small and inoffensive insect was assuming
the form Of a man, and later that OF
giant. With the growth or the intruder
the Ngor, health, and greatness OF the
prince diminished. Abdallah became so
fascinated with his visitor that he gave
him the right of his house; and when his
self-inVited guest, after appropriating some
of the princes most priced treasures gave
them back to Abdallah, the poor potentate
went into an ecstasy over the generosity
of his guest, wholly oblivious Of the fact
that the little returned was but molety
of his own wealth which the interloper
had appropriated. With the ascendency Of
the giant that had once been fly came
the complete transformation OF the prince
He lost all capacity for reason and self
government, and reflected only that which
the giant desired him to manifest. Hence
he became a cringing lackey at the feet
of a soulless tyrant. Under this fatal spell
Abdallah dismissed, degraded, or destroyed
all his true friends and faithful servants
and followers, putting in their place the
willy tools of the giant. Then another
change came over the unhappy prince; the
fascination Of love changed to the fascina-
tion of fear. The warnings Of his old
friends had been mocked, their fidelity had
been rewarded with disgrace, and now the
prince felt himself a powerless victim Of
one who was stranger TO every high or
holy sentiment. One morning the prince
rose not. His servants entered his apart
ment to find him dead. It was whispered
that the print of the giants thumb was on
his throat.
This legend is suggestive. The corpora
tions have ensnared our nation as did the
apparently harmless and beautiful fly. They
have been tolerated until they have gained
power and firm foothOld In the govern
ment throughout all it's ramit1cations.
Moreover, and worse, the great opinion
forming agencies oI Lne age naVS cVnS
under their power. Silently, secretly, but
with the one central thought Of mastery
through consolidation and triumph through
organization, a few men have banded
themselves together and have seized upon
various sources of wealth-sometimes the
wealth which nature through countless
ages has prepared for all the children Of
earth. In other instances, those things
which, arising from and being dependent
upon society, clearly belong to the people
collectively, have been seized upon and
utilized for the benefit of the few; while a
third method Of accommodating wealth has
been through indirect oppression by secur-
ing monopoly Of the products which enter
largely into modern life, a monopoly rem
dered possible through the protection af-
forded by government and the aid Of those
who had already grown powerful through
the control OF natures treasures and So
ciety's opportunities. These class favors
and special privileges have been frequently
supplemented by acts which, to say the