The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-09
THE NEW Ys AR AND ITS GREAT.
EST PROBLEM

We cannot remain stationary. PROP
lens of too great importance are to be
discussed and settled. at least for q
time. Will the people commence the
twentieth century with more or with
less liberty than they now haveH Will
the great trusts have more power or
less power than they now haveH Will
the ideals of the founders Of u gov,
ernmeuG be nearer or further from
realization than at PRESENT. Q lestions
OF m re far. re aching Importance than
any with which the votlrs OF America
have had To deal flr a q IarTer Of a
century demand solution. Ii America
properly solves these problems the
new century will open with brighf Ger
D. osoecrs for the bs,termenG of hu
MARTY and q nearer vie y Of the better
age with peace and good will as the
ruling virtues Biunders made in tue
disposition of the questions that o
front US mean greater woe for the
many end a backward step toward the
dark ages when q few absorbed and
rioted in the wealth produced by the
many AS a resulE of the tremendous sd
vauces OF science aud invention that
have charecSerizsd the closing century,
great changes in che relation Of capital
{ labor, OF the workers TO the scn N
ers are inevitable. The old order Of
hing ia fast breaking 10 and ore of
the two CLASSES must grow more power
ful than ever before. The great inve0
tions aud d~iscoveFWs Of the ninete enth
Century are as gigantic weapons
Whether they shall be Of the great
ben, &c 80 humanity that they should
1e or shall become powerful Instru
mems OF oppression IN the hands Of
remorseless capital depends upon the
result OF the mucn-coufds4d gama that
ia nov bsIng PLAYED with the I'M IN
people on One hand and che S1ylocks
whom we have YER had with Us, on
the other. F. in reality the C lntrOll
Ing. scru4ting aim OF n moDop0lIs. g
AMI trust fDrm-rs OF to-day Is largely
the same tnat governed the Oli&arcnIc
OF 0lYiOCA 6lCulSLg ELdg SNOOAN VIC 1
comm n people through the long years
nt The middle ages and has only OF
recent centuries largely lost it's prestige
History teaches b. TO overcome the
schemes of Chis element is the problem
ot the ages-the battle that the com
mon people have been w4Riug with
alternating victories and defeats, for
centuries. Jr several centuries now
this eve present SnyIock element has
bsen losing ground aud the pc pie have
been getting the reIus of pc yer INTO
their own hands Slavery has been
almost completely wiped ouL. Lords
and dukes have become far less power
tul. rhs docCrIne OF the divine right
of kings and OF the divine right Of a
tew TO epj " the wealth produced by
che many are no longer popular. In
stead the prioc pes of popular govern
nens and of IND v,dual freedom nave
made wonderful progress and the ola
5hv lock element # former days has
largely resigned the reins Of govern
" VIC pOpPAO D0'
chs cla-s wisely sees thai the inven
lions aud disc )verIes Of this nj lry
are TO play no insignificant part 10 the
great contest bat ~e8n che man and the
With these in it's hauds 1T may
4gaia hope 60 become the dominaUInR
{ 4c5or. Monopoly has been mads pos
-i0 g Railroads. telegraphs and fac
TorIts are Indispensable. With the
Inventions of the century controlled
IL and continually Ievyiug triOute
IN the com non people, toe Shylock
eIemenG may in the twentieth century
the power whlcn it exercised
during the middle ages, but has since I
lost. And 80 the trust q lestiOn is not
0ne OF q day or of a deca1e. The
cuanxes that have made monopoly
possible are permanent changes, aud
5h se who profit Oy monopoly wilt not
, leld up their pO wiEh luTa struggle.
These considerations, we think, war.
Toe be let that BY far the most
imp rsant p)litic Il problem Of the new
year is tina of trusts. Whether any |,
p rIlticsl> party will present an untail
remedy is far from certain But
at any rate the question will be dis
used and, it is hoped, the people
a ~akened to it's importance. The
Uoint we have sought GO emphasize is
tnat the trust is made possible by
changes in our industrial system,
oranges which are permanent, and
that until properly dealt with by the
the trust will grow more and
more p0 werful Tdis fast &C 3epted, il
POw rbo noODlo RI FOrronlo q 4