Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-16
on SUNDAY. sEPTEMBER is, 1ooo-EIG HTEEN PAGES

viii take n farmer &C become indepen-
dent under present conditions; let him
contrast the lot of the farmer with the
TOT. OF the man who profits by govern
,hehtal tavoritism and grows rich by
the exploitation of his countrymen
! through the inStrumentality of monop-
Oily. and then let him answer the dues-
tion, rs the young man, Absalom.
sate?' Has the farmers son or the
farmer himself any reason for giving
support to the Republican party?
ALL MONOPOLIES ARE BAD.
Those who attempt to divide private
inonopoiies into good monopolieS and
pad monopoies Will never make any
progress toward the overthrow of the
trusts. There is no good monopoly in
private hands; there never was. and
never Will be. With all the advance
nent in civilization man is still too
selfish to be trusted with the absolute
control with that which his fellows
must have. The Republican party has
no remedy for the trusts. Publicity Is
GOOD. but publicity alone is not sufii-
cient. The practices of the trusts
must not only be made known. they
must be prevented. The Democratic
platform contains Il demand for legis-
lation which Will place trust-made arti-
cles on the free list. There Is no doubt
that such n law would protect the
people from much of the eNtortion
which is practiced under cover of high
Y
the foreisn product. while domestic
manufacturers combine to raise the
price of home product, the American
citizen may be plundered here. while
the trust sells abroad in competition
! with the world 1t may not be out of
place to suggest that I introduced Il
bill eight years ago providing for this
remedy. but we are not willing to stop
every remedy within the power of the
state and Federal governments Con-
gresSionai action is not necessary to
destroy trust which confines its on
| erations to II single city or single
state. Such trust can be eXtermi-
mated by State legislation. 1t Is with
in the power OF the State to prescribe
the conditions upon which corpora
tons shall be organized. and these con-
ditions should be such as to make q
private monopoly place limitations up
on outside corporations doing business
within the State. This. however. is
not sufficient
Congress must cooperate with the
State in preventing the organization OF
any interstate monopoly. Without i'm
pairing the present authority of the
state. Congress can provide that cor
porations organized In any State shall
not do business outside of the State
until certain necessary conditions arc
complied with. If the people OF any
State are willing to create and con-
tinue monopoly. the people of other
states need feel no concern. so long as
the monopoly is confined to the State
in which the corporation originates.
But the moment n monopoly crosses the
State line and invades other States.
Congress has a right to. and must in
terfere for the protection of the pub
lie at large. If n corporation organ
lied in New Jersey, or any other State,
were prohibited from engaging in inter
state commerce until 1t produced evil
dence to show that there was no water
in its stock and that 1t had not at
tempted. and was not attempting to
monopolize any branch of industry, its
power to do harm would at once be de-
Stroyed. An honest corporation en-
gagged in legitimate business. ought to
| join in the enactment of laws which
VIII protect them and the public from
the Industrial highwaymen who com
nit larceny upon n grand scale. Those
who desire the humiliation OF the
| trusts are not hostile to property
rights, but they protest against allow
ing the fictitious person. created by
law and called n corporation to tram
pie upon the rights of the natural men
of flesh and blood. If the man-made
corporation supports the Republican
party. we ought to be able to appeal for
support to the God-made man.
APPEAL TO FREEMEN.
| Whether this nation shall be looked
| upon as Lafayette, aiding others to
obtain their freedom and enjoying their
gratitude. or as Lord Give, fastening
hateful sovereignty upon weaker
people and receiving hatred in return,
| IS question which you must help to
decide. Let me borrow n story which
has already been applied to the present
situation. man passed along a street
of great city, unmindful OF the mer.
chandise piled on either side: he sought
out bird store, and purchasing q mum.
Der of birds opened their cages and
allowed them to fly away. When asked
why he thus wasted his money he re-
piled: II was once n captive myself
and it gives me joy to be the means of
setting any captive free"
This nation has been n liberator 1t
first secured the freedom of its own
people, and from that day on has fur
nished the example which has lead to
the overthrow of monarchial rule in
many nations. Let it not falter now
1t is probable that the S20,00O.O00 paid
to Spain can be secured from the Fill
pinos, but even If 1t cannot 1t is better
to consider that sum as a contribution
to be spread on the doctrine or self
government than to regard 1t as pay
ment upon the purchase price OF people
or their lands. Citizens. countrmen
you stand by the side of the cage: YOU
cannot avoid responsibility; will you
open the door or shut it?
FRANCE AND CHINA.