The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-08
ANTITRUST LEAGUE.

lies, although but few months old has
established state leagues throughout
the country, and the association con-
siders itself strong enough to come out
in the open and fight. The following
address issued by President Lockwood
will be read with interest by all who
are opposed to the methods employed
by these organizations in crushing
competition:
"The object Of the American Anti
Trust League is to drive from public
place the subservient tools OF the
trusts, monopolies, combines, and cor
porations, and to re-estab blish the equal
rights OF American citizens in COM
merce and industries of the country.
To-day in every Legislative hall, both
state and national, omnipresent stands
the lobbyist and corruptionist of this
great railroad, monopoly, trust combi-
nation, which has formed an alliance
offensive and defensive, by which they
expect to control legislation and to
plumber the producers and consumers
OF America.
"And, what is still worse, there also
stand the representatives, elected by
the people, who have become debauch-
ed and who are the secret servants and
instruments OF this great corporate
power and are ever ready to do their
bidding, while proclaiming their devo-
tion to the rights of the people. We
find them eYerywhere-in the legisla-
ture, in Congress, in the Senate, and
on the bench. The political life OF this
kind Of representative is made easy.
Their recommendations are arranged
for them by the political bosses, who
are but the servants of this power.
Campaign funds are furnished. That
part of the public press that can be
managed is used to eulogize and lionize
these subservient tools. Their elec-
tions are managed for them.
"There also stands the representa-
tive elected by the people, who is true
to the principles OF manhood and is
governed by promptiugs for the public
welfare. He stands bulwark against
the legislative schemes by which this
great railroad, monopoly, trust combi-
nation expects to plunder the people.
He is obnoxious to this dominating and
controlling power, and their emissaries
are sent into his district to undermine
and destroy him politically. Some pop
ular man is encouraged to become
candidate in his place, and the power
and influence and money of this corpo-
rate conspiracy is put behind this can
didate, and the true servant of the peo-
pie finds himself defeated for renomina-
tion, and he is retired from public life
retired because he was true repre-
sentative of the people and dared to
defy this corporate monster. This pro-
cess has been worked so silently and
secretly that the people have not rec
ognized the bandiwork by which ma
jority Of their legislative bodies has
been controlled.
SIN many of our great cities the
street railway traction companies have
created political despotism. The man
who is ambitious politically, before he
can hope to be nominated to any
position Of public trust must first
kneel at the throne. Yes, and in
many, many cases before laborer
can hope to earn bread for his family
he has first to show that he wears the
brand and collar of their ward boss
They have created a disposition so
damnable that man must become
serf to this corrupt corporate power
before he can obtain an opportunity to
work. 1 have talked with these men
who mourn the loss of their liberty as
American freemen. This great rail-
road, monopoly, trust, traction COM
bination is corrupting our public af-
fairs and debauching our public mem
and destroying the foundations OF the
republic by the corrupt use OF money
in our political life.
THE ONLY POWER.
"The purposes Of the American An
thrust League is to arouse the only
power on earth that Is stronger than
the power of money in our public life.
That power is the patriotic impulses
of the people. The little finger OF that
power, when awakened, is stronger
ten thousand times than the influence
of all the billions of all the trusts
and combines in the land.
The memories of the many
sacrifices of the fathers call US to &C
tion. II these trust combinations are
allowed to go on they can plunder each
of us into poverty. No man knows how
soon the fear of hunger for his wife and
family will make him coward. 1t be-
hooves us to strike while the fire of
liberty yet burns.
"The American Antitrust League
is non-partisan. We call all American
freemen to council. If a Democrat or
Populist or Republican public man
has shown himself to be subservient
tool OF this great corporate power, then
all the united power of all the men of
the American Antitrust League will
be used to crush him and drive him
from public life. We will adopt the
tactics of our enemy until we have cre-
ated Legislative, judicial, and execu-
tive power in sympathy with the public
welfare. And we call upon every
American citizen who loves his coun-
try and the great principles of popular
government better than he does his
party to join US in the work of ofre-estab-
fishing the equal rights of American
citizenship"
BY WHAT PROCESS?