140 
STATE AGEICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
through political agencies; so that its plottings and pro¬ 
ceedings were seen of all men. It was a sin so damning and a 
curse so heavy that the moral s jntiments of the people and the 
sympathies of the world were against it; against it altogether 
and under all circumstances; in detail and in general. It was 
circumscribed by geographic limits, and the numercial majority 
of our people, who watched it with jealousy and hatred, always 
had the power^ if not the technical constitutional riglf to sup¬ 
press it at any lime; and it was always certain that whenever 
it should openly assail the existence of free institutions, the 
people, who believe that constitutions are made for men and 
not that men are made for constitutions, would find a wav to 
put it down. And so it finally was extinguished. (Applause.) 
But railroad, express and telegraph companies, under proper 
regulations and within wholesome restrictions, are not only 
harmles but absolutely a necessity of our modern civilization. 
They may proudly and truthfully point to the immense ser¬ 
vice they have rendered to the people in facilitating commerce 
and bringing the comforts of life to every man’s door. The 
dangers to the public arise not from .the use, but from the 
abuse of the powers which have been granted to these corpor¬ 
ations. Unrfiixed evil is always condemned and avoided, and 
is therefore harmless. It is evil that comes in shining 
raiment, with seductive manner, with much that is really 
pleasant and good, and wins its way into the paradise of 
popular approbation. There is no conflict between labor 
and the legitimate profits of capital. Each is necessary to the 
other. But the great passion in this country is the love of 
wealth. And as life is short and every man impatient of 
results, the great tendency is the consolidation of agencies to 
accomplish vast results speedily. So, that whenever competi¬ 
tion begins, consolidation results. A short time since the 
Merchant’s Express Company was organized with an immense 
capital, in the interests of the people, as it was said, to break 
down the monopoly of the then existing company. Competi¬ 
tion went on until both companies came to the not unnatural 
conclusion, that it would be more profitable to unite and 
