The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-12-12
CORRESPONDENCE.
LICENSING CORPORATIONS AND
TRUSTS.

mer Of the 2S.h ult. you refer to an
rather commend the Columbia Pr0tsc
tive League, the purpose and operation
of which I have been trying to inVes
tigate and solve for some little tim
and like you, and perhaps more, from
the information you gave, l am II
clined to look on it with favor.
Several persons up North, whom
now know to be prime movers in it,
personally know, and for fifteen years
and more some of them have been out
spoken, straightforward, progressive
political retormers. They are mer
whom | know to have been working
with an eye single to the interests oI
the industrial psople; not all OF them
in the same way nor in the same paety
with myself, but I am quite willing to
credit them with as much sincerity, il
not as much fearls So zeal.
Tnis gives me confidence to further
investigate this League. | know that
they have not been malicious toward
the rich nor to corporations nor trusts,
nor opposed to them for any purpose
only to check and avert the evil that
is in them toward the workers and the
poor.
Everybody knows that all over this
government there has been and Is an
increasing complaint against trusts
and monopoly. It is not the voice OF
Incidence, the tramp nor the dolers;
but it mostly emanates from producers
who constitute two thirds of the o
ereigu people Of the nation. Ia the
South and West it comes from more
than that proportion of the people.
In all the grumbling up to this time
there has not developed, In Congress
or out of it, a single practical measure
that would reach down to the roots of
these monster growing evils that as
sumo to lord it" over the people and
all their industrial pursuits, unless it
is this one that we are Investigating,
like il for several reasons, and frat,
because it is non partisan, so hat no
party has a string On it, SO far as
have learned.
Then it unfurls its banner over open
" avowed principles, and seeks to de
ceive no one, not even its opponents.
It does not grRpple with the elemen
tary principles of money, nor does il
assume to; but it distinctly grasps the
condition relating to what money we
have, and the combinations OF wealth,
and boldly proposes to advocate legis
Iative measures that will at least miti
gate the evils and lessen the burdens
upon industry and production.
I see in it the axe laid at the root Of
the monopoIistic trust tree, which will
clip it's roots as well as its branches,
and that can eventually be made to
chop it dow unless it yields to judi
cious and kindly pruning.
Taxing the product of energy and
sweat while it is in the hands Of the
iaborers, has always been popular with
the money loaners and wealthy n
cerns. Now if I understand it, THE
League proposes to tax Qicense) more
heavily and completely The product OF
labor
AFTER 1T HAS PASSED
from the producers; not to the con-
sumner, but to the accumulators, ag-
gregators and monopolists.
Wealth is combining itself upon the
principle that Gin union there is
strength" Ia there any nan who IA
justly plead that such unions" should
not be taxed in proportion to such in
creased strength; or, in other words.
taxed according to their increased
power of accumulation
The graded license tax proposed
by this league will reach the vital
point of evil in trusts and combina
tions that go g%rievously hurt industry
and nothing else that we have yet seen
brought for ward will do it.
Many people say that trusts are an
outgrowth of advanced civilization
and are necessary in these times of
rapid transit, telegraph and mail, to
facilitate commerce. Very we'll. Be
it SO; but the civil rights OF the people
who
HAVE NOT TdIs LARGE WEALTH TO COM
BNE,
should be protected aud advanced as
rapidly and to a degree commensurate
with that Of commerce..
Wealth, in its privileges Of eggrega
tion has been protected and fostered
by Law far more carefully and eff 3ienG
ly than have the privileges and rights
of the great common people.
The people complain of these 'hspecial
privileges" extended 10 wealth by law