108 LAND AND LABOR. 



people's dearest interests as gamblers play with dice, 

 or boys with foot balls, is not a hopeful sign of ad- 

 vancement. The facts are both astounding and 

 shameful. 



It appears to be the desire of these great corporations 

 to at once absorb the whole public domain, people it 

 with the paupers of Europe on the one side, and those 

 of Asia on the other, and between these two millstones 

 to grind the children of the soil into the most abject 

 slavery. Certainly, another twenty years' develop- 

 ment like those just passed, will leave nothing to the 

 country worth saving, and sink our people so deep in 

 the mire of plutocratic despotism and social degrada-^ 

 tion as to make a revolution, in our country, like the 

 French of the last century, the greatest boon that the 

 Almighty can bless us with. 



Mr. Gould, in his testimony, says, " We have never 

 lost any money by these sales. There have been in- 

 stances when lands have been thrown back on our 

 hands, but we have always sold them again." It was 

 hardly necessary for Mr. Gould to have made that 

 statement. Most certainly they sell them again, a 

 dozen times over if they can get the chance to do so ; 

 but never refund a dime of principal or interest that 

 have been paid, nor for improvements that have been 

 made. It is certain that they do not lose money by 

 those sales ; nor do vendors of sewing machines, in- 

 stalment furniture, and other articles under similar 

 conditions. Such transactions are in perfect harmony 

 with th ir practice in the whole matter. 



Special rates, in this connection, is another weight 

 that the people must bear. When the capitalist 



