The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-06
DON'T SHooT-TLL COME DOWN."

The skies are clearing every day for that gooo
weather time which is the right Of the people OF
this country. For years on years their financial
affairs, the welfare OF this country. has been IN
the grasp of a small group Of fnanciers who have
killed and made alive as they wished
That the country is to be relieved OF the
strange hold of this group is due to the election
of Woodrow Wilson as President and that the
majority in the House and Senate of the United
States is held by the Democracy. That party
enunciated its purpose at Baltimore to put an
end to the domination Of the money trust and
it's allies, and its work i in the ten months IN Which
it has been in power is bringing reusits thick
and fast.
The latest event showing that the Democratic
purpose to put it's words into deeds IS the reslg-
nation of J. P. Morgan as a director in more than
a score of great corporations, other members OF
the firm of ]. P. Morgan & Company retiring
also from those corporations which have been
controlled and dominated by the Morgan inter
ests. This is a step towards ending an intoier-
able condition in the financial world which has
been brought about by the interlocking Of direc-
torateS of great corporations.
Concerning his motive in Withdrawing from
these directorates Mr.. Morgan says for himself
and his associates that they do SO because at
tendance at so many directors meetings is a bur
den of which they will be relieved, and further
that An apparent change in public sentiment In
regard to directorships seems now to warrant US
in seeking to resign from some Of these connec-
tons"
The action of Mr.. Morgan in retiring from the
directories in many corporations is to be COM
1nended strongly, for by such voluntary action
there is at once an end put to big business
methods which have been used to the hurt of
legitimate business. This action is such as to
demonstrate most clearly that the election of
Woodrow Wilson as President and his success in
securing progressive legislation has convinced
trust magnates and others violating the law that
they must stop their questionable practices.
Such action, while it is to be commended,
should not in any way affect the antitrust legis-
lation which has place on the program outlined
by President Wilson. Indeed, if anything, it
makes more emphatic the need of legislation
which would be a bulwark against future en-
croachments upon the rights and liberties of the
people by great financial groups. The with
| drawal of the Morgan interest from various di-
rectorates is an admission of the wrong in these,
and without doubt came because they had been
made to see clearly that such conditions were
not going to be permitted to continue. This
was seen by the American Telegraph and Tele-
phone Company when it announced it would sur
render control of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, and the Morgan announcement is
justly regarded as being the forerunner of other
announcements of Withdrawals from other inter.
locking directories.
because Of what has been accomplished the
antitrust legislation, which is on the program
to be taken up by Congress, should have in it
features which will bar the doors against actions
in the future which would tend to give control
of this country to a few great trusts. Not alone
should there be such antitrust legislation which
prohibits any such control as has existed, bu,
the law which is enacted should provide a Den
atty to insure good behavior. 1t should be E
law which will reach every man who dares t.
violate it, and by its provisions it should be {
clincher in making it emphatic that guilt i
personal" 50 that any who would violat e it ma,
realize that they do SO at their peril.
Don't shoot-IU come down. is the position q
J. P. Morgan and those allied with him. Let tn,
legal gun be loaded with such ammunition thu
there will be none who will endanger themseive
by getting into the danger zone Of it's rance.
The banks of this country have already o;,e