The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-23
;.ls SECOND AVENUE.

To the existence OF any notions Of soDaf.
afe property. when an things wero com
mon, and when men throughout the world
lived Without law or government In :n1o-
cencs and simplicity. v . mere drea0 Of
the imakfnaficn- II h the golden aee Of
the poets which forms such = delightful
picture In the actions adorned By the muse
OF Hesiod. Lucretius. Ovid and Virgil. II
has been truly observed that the drsf man
who was horn into the world killed the
second: and when did the time Of SIM
plicity begin? The sense OF prop
ersy il inherent In the human breast. and
the gradual enlargement and cultivation
Of that sense. from it's feeble force ia the
savage state to its full v.gor and maturity
among polished nations. forms q very In
structfve portion Of the history Of civil
society. Man Was fitted and intended BY
the author OF his being for society and
government. and for the acquisition and
enjoyment OF property 1t is, to speak
correctly. the law of his nature: and by
obedience TO this Law he brings all his
faculties into exercise, and II enabled to
display the various and exalted powers
OF the human mind" And in a note 70
the foregoing he adds: The institution
OF marriage and the institution OF private
property and OF government and Law have
been considered by the wfsest statesmen
and philosophers Of every age as the
foundation of all civilization among man
kind"
BY this time next year the people Of the
United States will be in the midst Of the
noise and excitement OF another preslden-
tial election-a toll and tumult that may
be necessary In free country. but the
recurrence OF which every four years is
an infiiction that absolute necessity alone
could jussify-and the politicians who. like
the poor. are with US always. are already
securing their armors and preparing for
the fray. From present indications "the
forces opposed TO the Republican party"
win seek to make trusts enc Of the
issues, IL not the issue. OF the campaign
Nothing would delight them more than TO
see the Republicans indorse the trusts In
their platform, for men like Bryan are
prepared, or think they are prepared. to
prove to the voters that the trusts. II not
destroyed. will grind the faces of the peo-
pie into the dust, upturn our republican
form OF government and establish upon
the ruins a monarchy with orders Of no.
biiity. etc, etc. But II Is not possible.
think. that the Republicans will do any
thing Of the kind. On the contrary. the
probability would seem 10 be that they
will denounce trusts - strongly IS their
adversarfes-in which case no issue will
be made. and the trusts will go on the
even tenor OF their way!
II would not be the hret time In the his
tory OF American politics that the political
diplomats and party managers have writ
ten the platforms - the contending par
ties smiling and winking at one another.
OF course the fact is that the formation
and operation Of corporations. which. as
we have seen. are simply the present
shape that modes Of carrying on business
has assumed. can no more constitute .
sensible, legitimate issue In politics than
partnerships or joint stock companies. or,
indeed. for that matter. the manner In
which an individual conducts his own
business. could be made such an issue.
1t Is not a matter for legislation. but sim
ply ore that must and will take care of
itself. IL synd!cates. trusts OF whatever
they may be called. can put the best ar
itcle on the market for the least price.
they will survive all the rant and fustlan
Of the stump orator. All that our solons.
state and national, need do IL 10 do moth
ing: a course which, II more frequently
pursued by them. would vastly rebound to
the interest of the dear people they love
Gu aeyotediy