The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-13

private hands, and vast power can
never be safely entrusted in the hands
of the few; there is no affinity between
political democracy and commercial
aristocracy. Either the use of the one
or the other must perish from the earth.
Coal kings, oil kings money kings, rail-
way kings, and a hundred other kings,
who make up our commercial aristoc-
racy are as inimical to the democratic
form of government as any king or
queen of royal purple and golden crown
and scepter. The trust question is
merely one phase of one which is still
deeper namely, What shall be the ac-
ton of organized society toward con-
solidated capital? The trust is merely
an advanced stage of a movement as
old as civilization itself
Competition today means combina-
ton tomorrow; combination tomorrow
means still greater combination the
next day and still greater combination
means private monopoly. We have
passed the today and tomorrow
stages in the consolidation of capital,
and are now face to face with the
next day stage. It is no longer a
question of competition or monopoly.
for competition is dead in the CONNER
cial world. 1t is only a question of
what form of monopoly Shall we own
monopoly or shall monopoly own us?
Shall we submit to taxation without
representation in the matter of the
prices of the worlds necessities, or shall
we have voice in the matter of taxa
ton?
THE evil of trusts is not in the trusts
per Sc, but in the private ownership of
them. Public ownership alone can
bring relief You ask how the transfer
of title shall be made from private to
public hands. Go ask the victim of the
Standard Oil monopoly how the transfer
was made from the individual to mo-
nopoly. Go ask the innocent victim of
capitanstic greed how Pierpont Morgan
came to possess title to 80 900 miles of
railroad. Go ask the countless victims
of private monopoly'S onward march
how the title from private to corporate
hands has been accomplished. The
millions of the disinherited of earth
shall at last claim their own. Not as
individuals, but as society. The law
of the superior right of all to that of
the individual will operate to give
back to the outraged and despoiled the
heritage that is his own. The centuries
of wrong and injustice will be adjusted
the judgment day is not far off. Or
ganized society must interfere and it
will interfere. The vested rights OF
private property in trust and monopoly
will go the way of vested right to rule
and govern and to own another human
being. The aristocratic sway of prop
| erty over the mind of man is doomed
to pass away"
Last night good progress had been
made with the set speeches of which a
dozen or more were delivered.
The resolutions committee was busy
in the afternoon and last night. while
| the main body of the delegates were
listening to the speeches at Central
| Music hall.
| A set of resolutions were formulated
by the committee covering the follow
| ing points:
Government ownership of all rail-
ways and telegraph lines; the abolition
of all special privileges by legislative
| enactment; placing on the free list of
all trust goods and direct legislation
by petition from the people.
The discussion in committee was car
/ ried on along these lines.
An amendment was offered for the
taxation of all franchises, but was
voted down on the ground that such &C
ton would simply legalize special priv
ileges.
H. S. Bigelow was the first speaker
at the night session.
Congressman William Sulzer On. "
received a hearty reception when pre-
scented to the audience. He said in
part:
THE law on the statute books against