466 THE GROUNDSWELL. 



fcnd originating in the system of granting special privileges, 

 by national and State Legislatures. 



The ramification of this systematized robbery of the peo 

 ple, through the communism of capital, now extends through 

 every industry of the nation. 



The railway companies are a company of communists 

 who take toll from all. The iron manufacturers, able to 

 stand alone but protected to a most scandalous extent, and 

 who have taken untold millions from the working men of 

 the United States, exact their toll from the railroad com 

 panies, as well as every individual in the nation. We can 

 not even toast a piece of cheese on a wire without paying 

 toll to these arch-conspirators. They are now so strong 

 that individuals can not even undertake the manufacture 

 of iron without asking their gracious leave. The immense 

 capital at the command of the few persons concerned in this 

 industry enables them to dictate to those entering the busi 

 ness what they shall and what they shall not do. If they 

 agree to use money to keep the monopoly intact, they are 

 taken into the communion ; if not, they are crushed, just 

 as the iron-masters of England sought to crush this and 

 other industries in the United States while yet young and 

 weak. This is why tariffs were originally instituted ; but 

 in these days the strong and rich are protected, and the 

 Weak and poor are made to pay for all. 



EXAMPLES OF ODIOUS PROTECTION. 



Salt is protected, although the poor use more than the 

 rich, and although the manufacturers sell their surplus in 

 foreign markets lower than they do at home. Iron is pro 

 tected, although, however poor the individual, he can not 

 cook or eat his meat without paying tribute to these iron 



