THE FARMER AND THE TRUSTS. 405 



They accomplish this end by the expenditure of money 

 and patronage. In the aggregate the Trusts have the disposal 

 of an enormous amount of legitimate business which they 

 may, if they choose, make use of to control political influence. 

 There is little doubt that they do so use it. They are large 

 contributors to the funds of political parties, and the men who 

 supply the money to pay political orators, subsidize the press, 

 supply brass bands and uniforms, and distribute partisan 

 documents, are the ones who control the appointment to 

 office in the event of victory at the polls. Sometimes these 

 appointees are the servile tools, but more often I think merely 

 the loyal friends of those by whose influence they have 

 thrived. They are bound to them by conviction and habit, 

 and hardly, if at all, realize the pecuniary tie that binds them 

 They are ready and glad to serve the friends who have served 

 them. There are many government positions in which it is 

 possible to be highly serviceable to friends, without consciously 

 violating any official duty. In the aggregate a body of bright 

 men thus api)ointed supply the "atmosphere" in which legis 

 lation is carried on, and they can obtain and supply the most 

 valuable information, as legislation proceeds and takes shape. 

 The "civil service laws" were a terrific blow to influence of 

 this sort, and the opposition to it is mainly inspired by 

 pecuniary interests. 



Congress is controlled mainly by the control of nominations. 

 There are very few congressional districts in which the Trusts 

 are not influential. Let any one known to be absolutely 

 independent seek to obtain a nomination for Congress, and he 

 will find his way blocked in ways that he can not understand. 

 It costs money to receive a nomination and election to Congress, 

 or to any high office, and the majority of those who seek those 

 offices are not in a position to sustain the expense, which will 

 always involve an "assessment" of from $1,000 upwards to bo 

 paid to the party committee for "campaign purposes." This 

 is usually but a trifling part of the expen.se. The money for 

 these expenses comes largely from the coff'ers of the Trusts, 

 and may be conveyed in such ways that even the most 

 honorable men see no objection to receiving it. The candidate 



