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Annual Report of the 
fixed and stable, and so guarded and controlled by the General 
Government as to prevent extortion of a higher rate by combined 
capital, and such rate should be as low as the annual increase of 
wealth by the channels of productive industry. 
The prosperity of a nation, socially, morally, and financially, must 
depend upon the success of those engaged in productive industries, 
and their condition can never be hopeful and flattering until there 
is a more just and equitable distribution of the weatlh which their 
labor creates. The capabilities of this great 'country for production 
can hardly be computed; but,, if we ever expect to reach our utmost 
possibilities in that direction, our statesmen and philanthropists 
must devise some plan similar to those I have here feebly outlined, 
so that capital shall be changed from a despotic master to a valua¬ 
ble servant, and the great producing forces of labor and capital work 
harmoniously together, both in production and distribution, or the 
source of all wealth—the lands of America—will, in the near future, 
be in the possession of the few, as in England to-day. 
“Who ownetli America’s soil? 
Is it lie who graspeth the hard red gold; 
Whose glittering gains are by millions told; 
Who bindeth his slaves to the woof and loom, 
And chainetli their souls in a living tomb,— 
The tomb of hopeless toil? 
Not he, not lie—by Heaven! 
“Who shieldeth America’s land? 
Is it he who counteth his ships by scores; 
Who plucketli his gains from a thousand shores; 
Who buyeth andselleth, and worketli not, 
And holdeth in pride what by fraud he got— 
With hard and griping hand? 
Not he, not he—by Heaven! 
“ Whoguardeth America’s right? 
Is it he who eateth the orphan’s bread, 
And crusheth the poor with his grinding tread; 
Who flingeth his banknote lies abroad, 
And buildeth to worship a golden God, 
A shrine to Mammon’s might? 
Not he, not he—by Heaven! 
