The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-04-26

eaeoCheiCh VI tiiD PF'PiC az ieti et, h0
tional administrations became the
mere machines Of those who sought
the concentration of money and the in
crease in its value at the cost and ex-
pense of labor.
And in 1878 there was enacted the
law demOnetizing silver. BY that law
one-half Of all the money of the coun-
try was taken away by legislation /;
the other hall remained. The demand
increasing the supply not Increasing,
the value of that half that remained
increased in value THAT is to
say, became more in products and in
labor.
TWO CLASSES AND THEIR AIMS.
There then existed two distinct and
we'll defined classes in the country
one class whose capital in life consist
ed of money, and one class whose CAPT
tai in life consisted of labor. The oh
ject constantly in view of the first class
was to increase, by process of legisla-
tion, the value of the capital OF the first
class, at the cost and loss of the value
of the capital of the second class.
As result of the refunding act, the
acts making the bonds payable in coin
and the act demonetizing silver, it has
come to pass that after the lapse OF
thirty-iuur years, and after the pay
ment by the people Of an
amount almost beyound expression. on
the principal and interest of these
bonds, the public debt remains to-day
as great as it was on March LIST, 1866 !;
that is TO say, that because of the in
crease i'll value ofmoney by legislation,
and the decrease in value of labor and
labor's fruits by Legislation, it will re-
quire as much labor or as much of the
fruits of labor, to pay that debt to-day
as it would have required to pay the
debt in 1866, although the principal OF
the debt has been reduced in figures to
less than one billion dollars.
Wealth is the creature of labor.
When you speak of the dollar, the
gold, the silver or the paper dollar you
speak of that amount of human labor
by the dollar. A concen
tration OF wealth is the concentration
of the fruits of labor. The concentration
of wealth by legislation means the con-
centration of the fruits of human labor
by legislation; it means that, by process
of law, the fruits of those who labor are
taken from them and given to others
1t means that wealth controls and reg
ulates labor; that the creature control:
and regulates the creator. The wealth
which exists only by reason of the
sweat and blood of labor is by process
of law turned upon to control and tC
rcnd that,and that only, which brought
it into being.
THE CORPORATION CRUSHING IN
DIVIDUAL.
In the period since the war, there
having been enacted general corportior
laws, and under the provisions OF these
laws corporations have been organized
throughout the land to carry on al
kinds and departments of business
These mercantile corporations hav,
been in competition with individual
and partnership effort. The corpora
ton has had greater use of capital thai
the individual could have. The cor
poratiOn has had perpetual succession
so that death did not interfere with it
business OF its progress. 1t has been s.
provided that the private property o
those composing the corporations ha
been made wholly or partly exemp
from liability tor corporate debts.
The inevitable result has been tina
the Corporation has distanced its com
pelitor, the Individual, and gradual,
forced him to retire from the field o
business, and to become a servant o
the CORPORATION or to become a tramp
The Corporation grew and prospereC
and waxed exceeding fat, while tn
Individual descended from the part O
master to that of servant. The creatur
of legislation drove out the creature o
God. Organized Wealth being the mas
ter of legislation, became the Master o
the Individual.
TRUSTS CONTROLLING THE NATION
The organization aud operation Q
trusts was a natural result. The trus
simply means the further concentra
ton and combination of wealth. Tn
trust SIMPLY means the perfection {
organized wealth The trust engagin
in any department of business is en-
abled by means of large capital an
less operating expense to undersell an
drive out all Individual competition
In doing that it becomes the only pu
chaser from the producer; being I'll
only purchaser, it cal dictate the pric
the consumer must pay. 1t become
the owner of the producer and of th
consumer, and upon It's will hecom
dependent tue welfare, the comfort an
the happiness of every individual j
the nation not OF the elect OF wealth
thai is to say. OF not less than % Pc
capf Of tho man xvoo,or end oh l.1r.
o. the country.
All men are born free ard equal. Tn
means that by "a natural law all me
are entitled to the chance to do the be
they can. All men are entitled 10 mai
the best they can of their mental an
physical abilities. unhanpered and nj
burdened by artificial condition
created by Legislation and when theco
dition of freedom and equality as tin
defined, is destroyed by human legisl
ton. and when one man is therel
more greatly hardened than another,
natural law Las been violated, and,
is inevitably the case, certain AZ
heavy penalty ensues. And in this i
stance the penalty for the violation
the natura. law is borne ny those wi
are the creators Of the instrumel
when inflicts their sufferipgs up,
them.
Continued next week.