The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-26
the FIRST TRUST OCTOPUS
RI WAS THE UNITED STATES BANK
AND THE PEOPLE CRUSHED n.
hank OF the United states Refused to
nc Taxed, Whercupon All Its Legal
Rights Were Taken Away.


among the most pressing current prob
lens, says the Cincinnati Enquirer tJohn
r. McLcan's paper). The evil comforts
the masses at every corner and at every
crossroads. Like vampire, 1t Is feasiing
upon the blood. toll and efforts OF the
millions that the few may grow sleek and
fat.
Is the disease incurable? Is there no
way of graduating it? Many patriotic
people are ready TO declare that relief Is
to the inevitable.
But such view is not worthy American
manhood. What our ANCESTORS did we
can do, and should do. The original trus.,
which appeared like a carbuncle upon the
body polite and economic of the Republic.
received its first staggering blow at the
hands OF the Ohio legislature. and In less
than a decade General jackson delivered
the coup de grace.
Reference is made to the money trust.
known as the Bank of the United States.
In its day and generation. all the onyiron-
ments considered 1t was as powerful as
the bank trust, the Standard oil trust, the
sugar trust or the steel trust of today
Like them It set law aud justice and
morality at dehnance, and sailed forth
10 absorb all the wealth and substance of
the people, and reduce them TO serfdom.
Its paid advocates defended, justified and
praised II. Just as Bourke Cochran and
now, and for the same reason-for the
mercy there was in 1t.
This money trust crossed the Alleghe-
MES toward the close OF the second decade
Of the century. and laid its blighting touch
on the young and promising state or
Ohio It's frst act was to ignore the laws
of the state, just as the modern trust de
tes the laws and courts, as in the case OF
the Standard Oil strusi.
1t demanded the protection of the laws
aud the courts. and at the same time de-
clared itself independent OF the law max
ing and taxing power. 1t refused to be reg
ulated and refused TO be taxed, but de-
manded the protection OF the law and the
processes of the courts 10 carry on its
shylocking business
Shrewdly fostering spirit OF specula
tion, II took II but year or two TO plaster
two-thirds Of all the improved AMI pat-
ented lard OF the State with mortgages,
as the earlier records Will show. Not only
we're all forms of legitimate local banking
stamped out but all the tangible property
of the State was rapidly passing under
control Of the bank or trust.
During ali this time 1t dehed the legs-
lature TO regulate or control 1t, and abso-
lutely refused to pay cent OF taxes upon
its property and credits. Demanding
greater privileges than any legitimate To-
cal corporation or private citizen It also
lu'ely refused to recognize SINCE obli-
cation to the State,
TAN PAYMENTS SOUGHT,
In 1890, Governor Ethan Allen Brown
sent a special message to the legislature
asking for such legislation as would COM
pei the bank 10 pay its just share of taxes
and conform To such regulations as might
be Just ard proper.
Such an act was passed. and what was
deemed reas enable Assessment OF taxes
was made against the bank, AMI 5 ate
Auditor Ralph Osborne and state I cas-
lrer Samuel Sullivan proceeded at once.
collected the same and turned Il over into
She State treasury.
The bank brought suit in the district
court of the United States ard racove Cd
a judgment AMI decree OF restitution
against the State on the ground TIA the
nHhh Mss foreign corporation, ana MOI
auoJect 70 me courts anu legislature OF
we state OIL ONO
, inIs whs me hrst 1ilal decision by the
.Hiteu SAVES courts 10 FAVOR OF the trust
anu ~ nerogatlon OF the Sovereignty of
we states me oahk proceeded at once
40 demand the money OF the state auditor
anu treasurer nut without the authority
u the legislature whieh was not In ses-
1 a tney could nor make the refunier,
opon thelr refusal TO make II they were
arrested ana imprisoned for contempt OF
ceuit'
When the legislature met, on the first
MONDAY OF December 1870, 1t authorized
the STATE oihcers TO repay The money. AM
shen TOOK mn for consideration another
message from Governor Brown concern
ing the high handed attitude Of the bank
OF the United States toward the Safe OF
ONO, and asking that such aotlcn he taken
as would vindicate the sovereignty of the
State.
GENERAL HARRISoN'S BILL
The matter was referred ia n select c5m
r,.,a =, 81. - ,,.. -, III,
n'''ee u 'he TWO houses, ana was COM
posed of such men as William Henry Har-
rison. Eli Baldwin, Nathaniel Mclean,
David Shelley John bigger Lewis Ollie