The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-02-13
THURSDAYFEBRUARY l3. 1902
4 TINE FOR ACTION.

The signs Of the times point very
strongly to the necessity for some
Congressional action, having in view
the regulation of the biz Industrial
combinations commonly known as
trusts
A rose is rose by anvothername
Ii matters not 10 Us whether these
organizations be called trusts or
something less distaSteful 10 their IN
ceptOrS. Combination OF capital is
all right so long as such a combina-
tion does no injury To the people
who. through their chosen represeu-
tatives, give it the right 10 live; but
when appreciation andfair play seem
to have been swallowed up by greed
and downright self>hnes~. it would
be far better for the country TO per
nit rattlesnakes 20 run at large than
to allow these Observation-Disclosures
OF capital to go unrestraiu,d among
us.
Power is all right when used i'm the
proper way but it is all wrong TO all
low any set OF individuals sufficient
power TO not only control. but even
prevent legislation. Such a sPecta-
Gle has been before the people of this
Nation during the past week. when
men OF hearts, as we'll as brains, have
been pleading with the Ways and
Means Committee of the National
House of Representatives TO give
some relief to Cuba in her deplorable
condition. The general sentiment
of both press and people throughout
the land has favored such action on
the part of Congress; but the Beet
Sugar Trust has because Of greed
and selfishnessl bitterly opposed the
whole thing and thus far their wishes
in the matter have been needed, while
the people, whose servants Congress
men are, have been virtually told To
go way back and sit down What
disgraceful spectacle. Is the cOun-
try to be longer compelled to sit still
and allow such acts OF dislOyalty on
the part of its servants to go on I'M
rebuked? The blood Of honesty boils
before such picture. True manhood
hangs its head in shame. Something
must be done, and that quickly.
Coxey, with all his army, would be
safer custodian OF the Nations Capt.
tol than these leeches who are sap
ping the very life-blood ont Of Ma
tional honor.
The greater the power inherent in
the great combinations OF capital,
the more dangerous they become TO
the country. One such combination
is a peril TO fTeemen. but when several
Of these bodies organize under one
common head OF leadership aud are
dominated by few individuals, the
danger is an hundred fold more
threatening. For instance: Wash
ington official figures state that the
total capitalization OF only lS3 bust
ness combinations in this country Is
s36O7.5 39 200. That Is more than
The toiai stock of moneyin he whole
United States, What is worse. those
1873 corporations are practically con-
trolIed by a mere handful OF men,
who. when acting together. can
throw the full force Of that stupeu-
dous capitalization to the accom-
plishment OF their ends. Surely any
people should tremble before such a
spectacle.
Nobody with a grain OF business
sense, opposes a legitimate combina-
ton of capital. 1t is to a certain eX-
tent valuable for both capital and
labor. but a selfish trust is too vora-
cious an animal to be turned loose IN
this fair land without reasonable re-
straint. We venture the prediction
that unless something is speedily
done for heprotection OF the people,
this country will soon become trust
ridden and completely ruled by few
greedy combinations of capital.