Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-02-22
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL
Republican Legislation Has Pro-
duced Monopoly.
CORPORATIONS PLUMBER PUBLIC
The People Pay the Taxes For the
Support of the Federal Government.
No Relief From Trust High Pricea
Until the Democratic Policy of Tar
IN Reform Is Adopted.

Until the Democratic Policy of Tar
III Reform Is Adopted.
Ihose Who have watched the efforts
OF the administration to curb the trusts
and corporations have doubtless MOTTO
Ed that no results have been accom-
plished Of any benefit to the people.
The great flourish made when the
Northern Securities railroad combine
was declared by the supreme court an
illegal combination has had no effect on
the railroad managers of the corpora
lions that composed that combine.
They are still charging the same un-
reasonable rates for goods and pas
sengers, so the puny remedy employed
was worthless, and they laugh at it.
NO one was punished for wrongdoing,
n unless 1t be an occasional fine, very
small in proportion to the offense and
ridiculously inadequate to the wealth
of the corporation, nothing ever will be
done by a Republican administration.
The leaders of the Republican party
are, with few exceptions, side partners
of intrenched monopoly and partial ben
efciarles of the plundering Of the peo-
pie. The unreasonable railroad rates, the
trust high prices, excessive insurance
rates and other ways Of wringing mon
ey from the people are all accomplished
under the laws that the Republicans
have enacted. In return for these spe-
cial privileges the corporations have
donated a percentage of their gains to
the Republican campaign funds. Such
tainted money was used to elect their
candidates for president and for con-
gress and for the state legislatures last
year and In previous years, SO that all
avenues Of legislation are filled with
corporation sy%mpathizers and but few
real friends Of the people.
The proposed legislation to prevent
the railroads from charging unreason
able rates will be trimmed down so
as not to hurt the railroads when it
emerges from the conference commit
tee Of the two houses of congress and
Is signed by the president.
The Republican leaders in congress
openly boast that no tariff legislation
will be permitted and have elected a
notorious stand patter as speaker to
enforce their partially for the trusts
and combines which benefit by the
present tariff law.
Until the people elect congressman
who are independent Of the railroads
and of the trusts and combines and
who are not under obligations to those
corporations for campaign funds to de,
feat an honest expression of the pop.
ular will there can be no real change
from present conditions. The Demo
cratic party is under no obligations to
the corporations for campaign funds,
1t must rely upon the plain people, for
it is fighting their battle. If it had
compromised with the monopolists it
would be in power today. Democratic
congressman are pledged by the party
platforms, both Of the present and the
past, to vote for legislation that will
revise the tariff, so that protection
to trusts will be abolished or so re.
duced as to only produce enough rev
enue to run the government honestly
ana cOnOnlcall administered, SO Iuey
are entitled to be intrusted with power
Monopoly cannot be abolished by re
strictive legislation. The monopolists
laugh at such efforts. The tariff wall
must be lowered, and the laws that
conserve the corporations must be re-
pealed. Above all, there must be equal
taxation, so that the corporations will
pay their full share Of supporting the
government, whereas now under Re
publican legislation the trusts and rail
roads pay nothing for the support of
the general government.