West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-10-01
Thirty Years Since the People Con.
trolled the Government.
FOUR FACTS FOR CONSIDERATION
west Virginia should Ascertain
Amount OF Water In Corporations
Doing Business In state.
Mason In Wheeling Intclliscnecr.

| our Iast article called attention to
the fact that no honestly capitalized
corporation had discharged labor.
we now see IL stated that the Ameri.
can Car Company, which suddenly
discharged 2 200 men in Huntington
Iast winter, and caused 600 children
to stop school because without food.
is capitalized at more than &, for
each - furnished, and that the Ala
oama iron and coal companies rep.
resent more than S. OF water for
each 81 furnished. II West Virginia
had government which was think
ing about the general welfare IL
would ascertain and publish how
much water is in each corporation
doing business within the state.
1t has been full thirty years since
this country has had a government
that was controlled by the grand Jury
class. Honest government will never
come back to us ill public speakers
give voters the truth regardless of
political expediency, regardless OF
railroad influence, OF the frowns and
favors of Wall street, OF the hostility
OF the venal element, and regardless
OF the misconceptions end preiu.
dices of the ignorant class. Be il
remembered in this connection that
some of our wisest men believe that
railroads and Wall street have so
muzzled the press and intimidated
po'Iilcal aspirants that a plutocTacy
within ten years is inevitable. BE il
also remembered that men writing
To earn money do not publish that
which attorneys for Wall street think
1t inexpedient to bring home 70 the
understanding OF the grand Jury
class. Herein lies Roosevelt's crime
he turned on the light. Let us
consider four facts:
First fact-Certain financial mag
mates got control OF banks, trust and
insurance companies and induced
their ofiicials to inappropriate ex
ceedlng ten billions of fiduciary
funds, and they now have nearly all
their deposits tied up ia bonds and
stocks representing two thirds water
and only one-third capital actually
furnished. Hence these Institutions
lack cash to pay depositors. The
financial magnates controlling these
banks, etc, are confronted with the
fact that, If government performs Its
plain duty, they will not reap the
proft which they expected to reap
by selling bonds and stocks repre-
senting twenty billions Of water.
Second fact--These financial mag.
mates are under an honest delusion
that il will best promote the com
mon welfare for the government to
betray It's duty and stand hands off
till this thirty millions, two thirds
water, has been fastened on the ma
ton as permanent bogus mort
gage. In other words, that II will
best promote the public welfare to
saddle the people with a bogus
mortgage for twenty billions Of wa
ter payable to dangerously rich
class, rather than dissppoint an aris-
tocracy Of wealth whose daughters
will marry English dukes and Italian
princes.
Third fact--The Elkins Aldrich
element in the Republican party,
and the Henry G.. Davis Rayner.
Belmont element in the Democratic
party, are under religious belief
that political parties should be used
to shu; out from the public ear and
from the public service such men as
would find way to wrng out water
without causing industrial paralysis.
Hence II comes about that national
and state committees usurp jurisdic-
iion to select speakers to talk TO
voters, and selee; speakers who
avoid honest discussion and refuse
TO meet any we'll informed man in
joint debate.
Fourth fset--The Elkins, Aldrich,
Davis, B-lmont elements refuse TO
answer the crucial questions, to wit:
II a railroad costs one million shall
the public be MIXED to pay interest
on Two mil'ionss Their hirehngs
shou, down men asking this ques
ton, and shout them down by pre-.
dio,'ng dire disaster II such men are
elected 10 legislative Office. Elkins,
Rsyncr, etc are as sincere as we're
the French statesmen who shouted