Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-06-05
DECORATION DAY
CONTINUED from page one.)


his mandates into force the other man
1pulates the agencies of industry. He
controls the money market; he con-
tracts and expands the currency as
suits his avaricious purposes; he con-
Bolidates the instrumentalities of COM
merce, always of course with a view
to greater profit to himself and there
lore to greater exactions upon the
people. He promises if he is not mo-
Tested in his schemes of aggregation
If the law against combinations is not
enforced against him, to cheaper the
things which he produces, and when
he finally succeeds in establishing his
monopoly he puts up the price of his
wares and finds many other ways of
levying tribute upon the public. If an
offended patron complains or is upon
the point of bringing him within the
pale of the law, he forthwith takes a
hand in politics, not for the Hove of
country, but for the love of power,
which he perpetually misuses. He
proceeds to direct caucuses and con-
ventions that he may make the laws
and have them interpreted as suits
the needs of his enterprise So intent
is he upon maintaining his monopoly
that he becomes blind to the common
interest. The great overpowering nee
essity, from his point of view, is in
creased dividends even at the expense
of the patient, Flooding masses. When
he has gained political control it mat
ters not to him at what cost, his sway
as dictator in his sphere of activity
is complete. All competition has been
s.cangled. he controls the legislative
machinery and is practically beyond
the reach of official authority
This illustration is applicable in re-
spect of every line of trade and trans
portatiOn that can be brought under
monopolistic influence. and when all
of these are combined so as to jointly
control the traffic of the country then
the people have ceased to govern
themselves. The power to govern has
been usurped. shackles have been
placed upon the liberty of speech and
action. The individual is no longer a
free agent. Thus there is new kind
of slavery, and whoever opposes it
quarrels with his daily bread.
At the risk of being classed as an al.
armist, assert that this very situa.
ton is upon US today. We give it
small heed because the latitude of op
portunity in the United States, land
lis comparatively new, is still very
wide. The individual of this genera.
tion does not feel the pressure from
the slowly closing tenacles of monopo
4 Iy as those who are to come after him
4 will feel 1t, and he is therefore toe
n arone to console himself by agreeing
with the proverb that sufficient unto
1the day is the eYn thereof" H..
II we would save the Republic from
another civil conflict the time to ac,
Z: lis now. Fortunately for our country
y: the weapons that would be most eff
!, fectuaI in such a conflict are the wea
4 spons OF peace, but these weapons are
not always the first to be. used. The
remedy lies in the proper use Of the
ballot We fail to apply ii; If IN
& their headlong pursuit Of money the
81 people neglect their duty at the polls,
and 1anaely submit to the usurper and
the brutal method Of his political
agents, they must not complain when
the nnanaeles are permanently placed
lpon them sss
For the time being We may indulge d
feeling &c security against the power
rao,lopoly the hurry % their
5sSss.fl tias tho ne men conclude
! sllislt 4 II more con lent u leave po-
zica to the iicians. 4 very cfftti.