Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-05-04

room for many.
Mr.. Editor, for fear that l am in
truding on you and the many readers
OF the REGISTER, | will close but will
write again of some more promising
features of the country.
P L. O'BANNoN.
Shall We be Ruled by Trusts?
Free competition is one of the foun-
dation stones upon which modern civil
iZation rests, the other two being the
right to own land and make contracts.
That free competition is crumbling to
the dust and that mighty combinations
Of capital are establishing industrial
despotism in its stead is one of the ter
rible facts with which the present and
the future has to deal. In destroying
one of the foundation stones upon
which civilization rests can we pre-
serve our civilization? That is not yet
determined. By such men as Mayor
Jones, of Toledo, and others eminent
for their learning, state or national
socialism is suggested as a remedy.
Socialism might be remedy and
might promise a higher civilization
than we now have If there were any
assurance that it was adapted to man,
but having observed no change in the
nature of man from the beginning of
his career to the present time, and
therefore finding nothing to warrant
US in believing that any change is TAX
ing place in his nature, it seems to us
that socialism would in a comparative
ly brief period degenerate into an iron
clad despotism. Man must be free,
the. industrial world. His own intelli-
gence, Industry. and moral worth
must be the measure of his success.
If there be men who are so indolent or
cowardly that they would desire the
state to assume all possibilities for
them and thus relieve them of their
burdens, they should also remember
that there are other strong aggressive
men who would be very glad to do this
work instead of having the state do it,
and that in selecting the state for a
master the chances are it will be TAX
ing a step backward towards slavery
and despotism instead of step for
ward toward higher civilization and
a greater freedom.
No citizen can view the array of in
durtrial combinations presented in our
columns this week, with Indifference.
All thoughtful persons are compelled
to ask themselves what it portends,
what the result will be upon the lives
of their children and the generations
that are TO follow US. All persons who
assume such responsibilities as the
Creator intended that the citizens of
republic should assume, are compelled
to ask themselves what are their du-
ties at this time, and what is to be
done to check the growth of combina-
tions which, if unchecked, will hold
the lives and property of the people at
their mercy.
The first thing is to understand that
these combinations cannot exist with
out the authority of law. They are
the result of franchises granted by the
state and the nation to a limited num-
Der of individuals comforting upon
them certain privileges and immuni-
ties. They are absolutely at the mercy
of the law making power and will be
unable to pursue course dangerous to
the welfare of the people, through
their government, fix for them their
proper limitations. Therefore, it be-
comes question of politics. We must
put in power party representing the
people and not the com mbinations of
wealth. We have already reached the
point where the antagonistic forces in
our politics are the corporations on
one side and the people on the other
The corporations have taken posses
sion of one of the political parties,
while the people have taken possession
of the other. The line of battle that is
now forming is distinctively and de-
cidedly upon the lines indicated-the
people on one side and the money
kings, corporations and combination of
wealth upon the other.
The money kings and corporations |
realize that if the line dividing their
interests from those of the people. so
clearly marked out in the campaign of
1896, is rigidiiy maintained, that the
triumph OF the people cannot be pre-
vented. Hence, they are using money |