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swindling of the most wicked character. The sale of shares 

 in corporations which have some real foundation, some capital 

 and value, has been turned to a large degree into nothing but 

 gambling. And the sales are often conducted upon a basis 

 that would make a gambler, by the ordinary games of chance, 

 blush with shame — too unfair and cowardly for a highwayman 

 to sanction. Those managing these stock gambling enter- 

 prises, these sales of stock, fix the price at which they buy 

 and at which they sell. By their wicked schemes and combi- 

 nations, they rob confiding customers, without the least appar- 

 ent remorse ; yea, even attempt to justify their action, and I 

 regret to say that too many, instead of stamping it with that 

 disapprobation it deserves, call it shrewd, and even approve 

 of it. Such persons, had they looked into the lions' den, 

 would have sympathized with the lions, not with Daniel. 



Through these corporate privileges and this manipulation of 

 stocks, — this robbery of the people, — single individuals have 

 become possessed of property equal to the assessed value of 

 the real and personal property of entire States of this Union. 

 The whole assessed value of the State of Maine, real and per- 

 sonal property, by the census of 1880, was less than two hun- 

 dred and thirty-six millions of dollars ; and th» minds of all 

 of you can recall the name of a single individual who is un- 

 derstood, and without doubt correctly, too, to be worth quite 

 that amount. The taxable valuation of New Hampshire was 

 less than one hundred and sixty-five millions of dollars. The 

 taxable valuation of the three States, Nevada, Colorado, and 

 Nebraska, amounted to less than one hundred and ninety-five 

 millions of dollars, and of the three States, Florida, Delaware, 

 and West Virginia, to less than two hundred and thirty-one 

 millions of dollars. The taxable valuation of the State of 



