The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-11-18
], and no further, and here shall thy

come and no further, and here shall thy
proud waves be stayed
I'VE are interested alike as taxpayers
as citizens, as workers. Those OF US VINO
undertake to despoil our fellows toda!
NAV ourselves be the subjects OF inJus-
tice and the helpless victims of some new
and mighty combination tomorrow. AT
this moment it is charged that the com
merce ard prosperity Of the entire South
arc threatened with the blight and the
onnression of vast railway associations,
which are attempting the placing OF the
control of the entire system Of railway
transnortation in the keeping OF one man
or set of men and at the mercy of one
interest, which may be guided by TINS
imDuIse or that-Which may demand tnal
our business shall be developed or de-
| pressed. Whilst it is pleasant to feel that
there are still lines of transportation De-
| voud the reach of any monopoly, yet II
i well for US to know that even this vast
| mower can be dealt with; and the people
NAV be trusted to deal With it. AS you
here and your ~neighbors above made
lnvees and limits for the mighty Missis-
sipni. and directed it into usefulness and
restrained its ravages, so this power OF
cani+al can be checked and governed
and Guided by the strength of the people.
Nononoly. oppressive or threatening to
no 60 invites its own overthrow. NO
man no trust, no accumulation OF CAPT
tal or combination of interests, however
stunendous. can stand against the wrath
Of Justly grounded suspicion OF the
American people or against the organized
resentment or resistance of any state OF
this great Union.
The business of the corporation; Of
/ the trust company, Of the bank, OF every
combination of capital and brains ana
enterprise, is to give the pubic sooo
value for fair returns. The ONE any
of us go beyond that and attempt to eN-
tort from the public unjust tribute or
~eytrayagant dividends or profit on un-
fairly inflated issues of securities or TO
exercise unjust discrimination, we cease
70 ha business men and become high
wavrlcn. in fact, if not in law. When
we cease to become the servants ana
nartrnrs and associates of the people
from whom we draw our living in return
for our investments of money and eX-
penditure Of thought and energy, ana un-
dcrtakc to be the masters OF the people,
and dcspots, demanding from
them, we forfeit our claims to respect
and sympathy, and invite vengeance we
incite ignorance to seek redress by Vlo-
lence and intellect to devise methods LOT
our destruction.
ct is our duty to recognize our re-
sponsibilities and obligations to the great
public on which all of us depend for our
living. to respect its rights, to offer it
always fair value for what it pays US,
to encourage and accept honest colRpeti-
+;o, &c tho host Ctimn19nt of orr strength
and offering the most accurate measure
of our manhood.
"Your trust companies here have en-
abled you to do things you could not
have lone without them. AS your Deo-
pie. all through your long history as a
community, have proved their ability to
deal with every emergency of war and
every problem of peace, they can be
relied on in common with their fellow
citizens at the proper time and in the
proper and conservative way. | moan
! by 'c~onscrvativc,' preserving and main
tanning and destroying no rights and no
value.
The real business men and builders
Of the country-those who represent ac-
tual values and substantial investments,
and real money, want to be creators and
originators, and not ~despcts; helpers and
associates, and not tyrants or plunderers.
legitimate competitors for business, and
not monopolists or masters
These are the utterances of a wealthy
and successful officer Of a great trust
railroad systems in the South, and in
terestcd in other large business enter
priscs. In giving expression to them in
the mpa Of the worlds leaders Of
sound thinker and wise in council, as
we'll as the most successful man of his
Years in banking and railroad circles il
| the South. he does we'll to inveigh
control of the entire system Of trans
portation in the keeping of one man CT
set Of men, and at the mercy of one in
terest, which may be guided by this i'm
pulse or that-which NAV demand than
our business shall be developed or de
pressed That is a menace to the South
that many believe to be imminent. The
people should not permit any monopoly
in transportation. If one remedy fail,
others can be applied. In railroads as
il other business it is true that at all
times it is the duty of the leaders in
business and in finance, as Mr.. Williams
clearly expresses it, 'to u and
accept honest competition as the best
stimulant of our strength and Offering
the most accurate measure of cur man
hood"
IT SETS THE PACE,