The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-09-16
LEeISLATE OUT EVIL.

- wa - 49,"
It has been said that nothing
can be done to stop the encroach-
ments of the corporations by leg
islation, but in our humble opin.
ion their growth can be dwarfed
by legislation if our lawmakers
in Congress and the Legislature
would enact laws which will
put these institutions on a foot
inc with individuals, by making
every stock-holder in a corpora
ton liable for the whole, as is
the case with an ordinary bust
ness corpartnership. If this were
done the manipulators of trusts
would not have such enticing IN
ducements to offer when they
wish to affect a big scheme, men
with money would be chary
about putting their means into a
scheme if they had to be respon-
sible for the whole concern; for
instance, if the stockholders in
a corporation were held respon-
sible for the whole, before a man
of property put his signature to
the scheme, he would look up
the financial responsibility of his
contemporaries. and if he found
them ladened down with Judge
ments, or that their property is
hidden under a petticoat, they
would decline to invest, as they
would not care to risk their all
in such company. Under our
system of of laws a man may
have large property interests,
and yet, so far as the records
slow he is only poll tax payer,
and, frequently not that; it is to
avoid the judgments for debt that
property is screened in the
name of another, this however,
does not prevent the man from
doing a very extensive business,
but it does prevent anybody from
collecting an honest debt from
him, and for this reason, if the
law of corporations were like the
laws of copartnership, honest
men with means would uot be
found in schemes which have for
their purpose the oppression of
the people to make money, busl-
ness would be done on live and
let live policy, competition would
regulate trade, and labor, and the
products thereof would receive
justice.
See the injustice of our sys.
tenn of laws, their inequality and
oppression; instead of being equal
for all they, discriminate unblush-
ingly, and defantly, against the
masses in favor Of the classes.
They seek to enrich the rich. at
the expense of the poor. This
may sound to some as demagog-
ism, and We do not like such
views, but we are forced to them
by the truth of existing condi-
tons. A law which permits a
man to revel in wealth and luxu-
~, and not be liable for a copper
of the debts he contracted, is an
asylum for the thief. Law, that
grants to a combination Of men
privileges which it forbids in an
individual is q monte-bank-it is
an institution legalized to cheat
and deceive by vain pretences,
and as Whitlock aptly puts it
s:Such is the weakness and easy
credulity of men, that a monte
bank is preferred to an
able physician. % The people be-
come deceived by these jugglers
of wealth, and they are made to
believe the combinations are
bringing to them blessings, and
that all Of their troubles must be
attributed to those who are at
tempting to do business by hon
est methods. Honest methods
are ancient, and up-to-date meth
DDS have taken their place. in
the long ago, it used to take Is
ounces to make a pound, up-to-
date methods with some, has
shortened the rule, but the short
side Of it will always be found
when the purchase and sale is
being made by the up-to-date de-
ciple. Law which permits the
combination of wealth to force
misery and want, is an oppres-
sion which liberty loving peo-
pie cannot be happy and content
ed with. We cry out against
mob law-an enraged multitude
rising up to avenge a wrong, and
yet, we must meekly submit with
out a murmur, when moneyo-
cracy ruthlessly snatch the bread
from our children's mouths, and
with their arrogant tyranny,
backed up by the lawmakers of
our own choosing, cause our
wives to be without proper raj
ment, notwithstanding the we fact
toll daily. A law, which permits a
man who has swindled his neigh
hnr- nerhans borrowed his earn