The Advocate and news., 1899-03-08

campaign; for the other section OF the
work we built an Oregon ten thousand
miles away from the seat Of war and that
10 the way we won In that campaign. So
think before we can attack these trusts
we have got to build our battering ram
back in the hills somewhere and gradu-
ally move 1t up, doing many other things
as we move 1t along. Perhaps we will
never care to go any further than to do
these other things; 1t may be that the
ownership and management Of a few
trusts by the government will keep the
rest in check. But let us notice what we
have got to do. The first thing that
stands pre-emlnently before us is the dis
posal of the railroad question, more
pressing problem just now, at least
more practical question, than that Of the
trusts. wish to read you very revOlu-
tiOnary statement-two paragraphs. 1t is
not bound in red. It is indeed a govern
ment publication, the report just out of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Meanwhile the situation has become intol-
erable' both from the standpoint OF the
garded, determinations constantly occur,
the price at which transportation can be OBJ
tained Is fluctuating and uncertain.
The general public gets little benefit from
mainly confined to the heavier shippers.
All this augments the advantages of large
capital and tends to the injury, and often
to the ruin OF smaller Dealers These are
not only matters Of graVest consequence
to the business welfare of the country,
but they concern. in no less degree the
higher interests Of public morality.
which does so much to force out the small
operator and to build up those trusts and
monOpolles against which law and public
opinion alike beat In vain, as discrimna-
tiOn In freight rates.
1t Is evident that in approaching the
trust problem we have got to approach Il
Through the door Of the railroad problem.
There is another avenue, however, which
Is equally important and which is, fear,
not yet understood by the people, and
that is, 1t must be approached through
pure government, through civil service
reform, In other words, instead OF preach
ing civil service reform as q kid glove
afiair 1t will have to be preached as q
popular need Of the many in order to give
them officials who will be selected for
efficiency and not for "pull' and who
will be strong enough to take hold and
regulate or manage, as circumstances de-
mand, these great monopolies.
II Is apparently the theory of the many
that you can select an Official in Kansas
on few hundred dollars or one or two
thousand dollars year who can match
in keenness and strength the railroad at
t0rneys and presidents selected from the
farthest quarter Of this country. You
expect such q man actually to be the
equal OF your railroad official We could
go to Chicago and find chat the interests
represented by the great trusts Of this
country are spending over $40 900 a year
to train the people In their view Of polit-
ical economy and sociology; we find the
people Of the State of Illinois, and II is
Just the same in Kansas, spending $4,000
a year to give their view Of political econ
omy and sociology. Do you think 1t will
be easy to develop class of public OH
cials and legislators until we begin this
education far back among the masses?
Therefore, / repeat, do not look upon
the trust question as one that you can
Immediately attack, but rather as some
thing to be kept before you as one Of the
most menacing conditions of the coun-
try, until you have prepared for IL by
education among the people by a solution
Of the railroad question and other mo-
nopolies Of situation and people by
moral elevation such as Jesus wrought
among his disciples, and by training in
those phases Of righteousness which
make for the best citizenship