The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-04-11

Il N3lI ttC OAN'S
| treasures from the people, ootn Norm
and South. 1t did not lack
II was able TO employ the mosi astute
attorneys and command the supsetNf
ency Of the shreWdest politicians. IN
s+itutions Of learning. hospltals.
ohnrchas and societies for the relief
Of the poor were upon its lists OF an
nual philanthropic expenditures. %
If was with the wealthy men OF Rome
who rayaged whole districts ana SUP
iugated provinces TO prlns ,neii
wealth to Rome. This they spent IN
wild extravaganza n in donations
for the pleasure and support or the
thousands who bent the pregnant
hinges OF the knee where favor follows
faWning." Sc it was with the over
lords Of England and rma IN
other days. All these men, as lnd1-
viduals, were not too much to be con-
demned. The law permitted their rob
berries. In a sense they enacted the
law by which they garnered their
wealth and by which they oppressed
the poor. AS in the present case. no
doubt, many Of them were in the busl-
ness in spite Of themselves. NO man
among us could safely say that he
himself would do differently. But it
does not follow, because Of all this,
that monopoly is right or for the best
interest of the country. It behooves
us as men to stand for the right,
though tn heavens fall. Perhaps this
monopoly, if we should object to its
existence and legislate against it,
would refuse to u its little railroads
through our towns; perhaps it would
withdraw its business from our State;
perhaps it would array against our po-
liticai fortunes those forces which it
knows so we'll how to use; jerhaps it
would sell its stock in u banks, COM
mission houses, cotton factories and
warehouses; perhaps it would desert
as entirely and refuse to GUY the
products of our farmers. Be 1t so, we
ought to prefer manhood to slavery;
be it so, We ought not to care to live
in q town or q State which is domi-
mated by an interest hostile to the
freedom Of our producers. The Amer
lean Tobacco Company did not make
our farmers: our made it. And
if 1t should withdraw from our bor-
ders entirely and taxi with it the capt.
tai which it has gathered from the
products of our farmers, together with
all money invested in cotton mills and
and about to be invested in
~interurban railways, it could not take
our lands and homes. our fertile acres
and fine climate. Nor could it take
the water power which it has not ere
ated, but is merely arranging to use.
Nor could it take from us the spirit Of
our people who, before its advent,
manufactured the products of our soil,
making wealthy and independent
thousands of our citizens and paying
a better price for raw products to our
farmers than is now paid. Valuable
in certain ways as large concerns may
be, by which much money is made"
it does not follow that the processes
by which they accumulate are eco
nOmfcally advisable. We are to1d to
look at both sides of the shield and
not to be blinded by the side that is
Of FURNISHED gold. When Ahab met
Elijah on a celebrated OCCASION, he
charged the IL prophet with inter
fering With business" but the proph-
| cts reply was: Il have not troubled
Israel, but thou hast troubled Israeli
Those Of us, of whatever party, who
would bring about such reforms as
will bring the government nearer to
the people and more responsive to
their Will: who would cOntrOl or de-
stroy m~onOpolies; who would revise
the tariff downward; who do not be-
lieve that colossal fortunes, built up
under protection Of the law. will con-
duce either to the advancement Of
civilization Or to the best interests of
society, will not be disturbing bust
ness half so much as those who pro-
mote and uphold these modern bust
ness methods. To believe so and to
teach men SO would destroy every
moral and r~eformatory effort the
world over.
With this rather extended prelimi-
nary, indicating why men naturally
differ on all questions tina pertain to
progress. showing the cahses that OPP
crate to make one man conservative
or even reactiOnary whenever there is
a movement towards reform, and. 7
hope, indicating at the same time that
an advance in civilization and better
ment Of law and government has come
through the progressive, / shall pro-
coed to the task from the
start, to-wit to reply to the opinion
that the American Tobacco Company
has been and continues to be ga bless
ing to our people I will digress far
enough to say that I differ utterly
with those few people who hold that
the best form of government is .des-