But the biggest trust can scarcely buy New York's six million inhabitants. And, thanks to our secret voting system, we are protected even against ourselves and our own selfishness.
If a trust buys the ordinary voter it cannot be sure that it gets what it buys.
But if a trust buys the legislators it can count votes and secure delivery of the goods purchased.
Use your influence to curb the power of the trusts by taking away from venal legislators that power to sell to trust managers the Senate of the United States.
This subject you should discuss with your neighbors. You should urge it upon all of those voters with whom you come in contact.
You should influence legislators in your State to vote for a
Constitutional amendment causing popular election of
Senators—and no legislator will resent your suggestion if he be
an honest man.
Everybody knows that the United States Senate to-day does not represent the people. There are exceptions among the Senators, but they are in the minority. Every year the Senate is less and less representative of the nation, more and more representative of organized capital. Good Americans, irrespective of party, will strive to work for this change in the national machinery. Take away from the trusts now the power to tamper with national laws through the Senate.
THE PROMISING TOAD'S HEAD
The head of a toad, like the head of a trust, is superficially a hideous thing to look at.
Sometimes it is alleged that valuable jewels are found in a toad's head, and on this account the hideousness even of the far-famed horned toad of the West becomes less repulsive.