The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-19
Spirit of the Press.
CORPORATIONS TRYING TO CON
troll POLITICS.
onening speech by WIN. Goebel.

Opening Speech by VIM. Goebel.
In 1896 the most effective instrument
that aided in fraudulently taking Ken
tucky's vote from Bryan and giving it to
Mckinley was the Louisville and Nash
vile Rairoad company. Today the chief
Influence that is endeavoring to repeat
the foul work of 1896 is the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad company. Now
as in 1896, the means employed to this
end are the substituting of newspapers,
the coercion and intimidation of employees
and dependents, and an attempt to di-
V de the Democratic party.
The reason for this course of the most
powerful monopoly of the commonwealth
is found not so much i'm the pretended
anprehension of hostile state legisla.
tion-for no such legislation is or has
been proposed--but in the fact that those
who own and control that corporation
have greater interest than any other
person on earth i'm the maintaining Of
the single gold standard.
Inc Louisville and Nashville Railroad
comnany is controlled by the Belmonts
who are and for many years have been
the American representatives OF THE
RothSchilds. Mr.. August Belmont is the
chairman of the executive board of the
directory of the Louisville and Nash
Vile Railroad company The Cleveland
Carlisle gold bond sale contract was sign
cd nv August Belmont and Company, on
behalf of the Messrs. y. NJ. ROthschild
and Sons, of London, and themselves.
None have greater interest I'M main
tanning the single gold standard than
the Rothschilds and the BelmontS, be-
cause they are the largest holders of
American securities on earth. The agen-
CIV through which theys can most etfec-
lively work in Kentucky is the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad company. Now,
as in 1896, that corporation employed
every known engine of coerciOn and in
timidation against the Democratic party.
Now. as i'm 1896. it uses the money
gathered by dit from the people of Ken
tlcky to send broadcast over the. COM
many thousands of free co
pies of newspapers THAT it has subsi-
died, containing every assault upon the
Democratic party and its candidates
that malignity and mendacity can invent.
Indeed, this year the people of Ken
lucky are plainly told by the president
of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
company, MIR. Milton II. Smith, in an
open letter, that that corporation is en-
gagged i'm the efforts to defeat the Demo
cratic party and its candidates; and,
furthermore, that it will desist from this
effort only when pledge is given not
10 do anything to which those who con
troll the affairs of that corporation OBJ
ject.
In other words. the owners of this
corporation, which the people of Ken
tucky created by act of their general as
sembly, assume to decide for the people.
of the commonwealth what laws shall,
and what laws shah mot, be enacted. and
what laws shall, and what laws shah
not be enforced.
There is, therefore. distinctly and un
equivocally presented to the people Of
Kentucky the question whether their.
laws hall be made and executed by them
selves through their duly chosen SER
wants, or whether the exercise Of the
sovereign powers of government shall
be turned over to the most powerful corr
poration in the commonwealth.
1t do not believe that the people of,
Kentucky are ready to abandon govern
ment of. by and for the people, and TO
substitute therefor government by the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad com
pany. for the benefit of the Rothscbilds
and the Bemonts. But that question
must be determined in this contest.