Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-27
WHO ARE THE FRIENDS OF THE
LABORER!

BORING men, urging oPoh thehi the heeesoity
of change, and declaring that the policy of
the republican party was destructive of their
true interests, and if permitted to stand, as
the policy of the nation, would end in the
destruction of cur industrial interests. To
these charges, the best answer that can be
made was made by the intelligent farmers and
mechanics of the State, at the polls en- the
second Monday of the present month. They
told these carpers that they were not the ig-
norant uniformed men they took them to be,
that they understood much of the workings of
our institutions and their influence on free
and intelligent labor. Looking to parties, as
they were enabled to form an intelligent look
out, they were prepared to judge correctly be-
tween the two. BY their fruits they were
known and judged by them. They contrasted
the progress made and the increase of wealth
since the republican party took control of the
government of the country, ten years since,
with the ten years before, and they were more
than content. They saw that labor had been
enfranchised, made free and ennobling in
every part of our common country, and that
all the great industries which enrich and en-
noble whole people were being extended in
all directions. They saw that labor thus made
free and fully protected, was more remunera-
tive than ever before. That while the homes
of the farmer, mechanic and artisan had all
the comforts and Injuries of life in far greater
measure than ever before, the progress
of the nation in material wealth, under this
freedom and protection to labor was unpar-
alleled in any former decade of its history.
say they saw and knew all this. Their
homes ever increasing in comfort and attrac-
tiveness by additional pleasant and attractive
surroundings, were present witness to them
of this truth. They knew further that the
savings banks, institutions peculiarly belong
ing to laborers, contained millions of dollars of
their earnings, more than they ever contained
before, so that to-day these institutions in the
New England States contain more than $780,
900, 900, while in 1860, they contained but
$40, 100000.
1t will be idle for democracy to deny any
of this. The money in the savings institutions
speaks for itself to that point, and no one
will or can deny or can fail to see if he will
but look, this improved condition of the
farmer and mechanic. The farmer has bet
ter buildings and the mechanic works in a
better shop, and both labor with improved
tools and implements in their varied callings.
They saw not only this, but that the nation in
all its great and varied interests was advancing
successfully. They saw general improve
ment. The banker did business in better
banking house; the merchant in a better store;
that all rode in improved railroad cars, and shat
on all our roads men and women drive better
ter harnesses. In all this they were witnesses
to the general thrift. They saw more. They
saw the credit of the nation steadily advanc-
ing in spite of the democratic party at home
and British bankers in New York and abroad.
They saw too in free trade alliance, the
same relation between the democratic party
and the foreign manufacturers; they knew
that as the nations credit advanced, the pub
lie faith advanced; that the wheel that moves
all the great industries of the land was rolled
forward, driving all the machinery, thus sub
serving all industrial enterprises. They
know that two hundred millions of the nation
al debt had been funded at five per cent, in
spite of the assaults of the democratic party,
on the financial policy of the republican par
ty, and that that fact being accomplished the
whole debt can now be funded as five per cent,
thus saving to the people in interest the sum
of near twenty -four millions of dollars, an
nually. They knew that while Congress was
maturing the bill, which has led to this most
&aspicious result. the democratic press of the
cOuniry sneered at the thing az something that
could not be dODe-&nd that when the loan
Was before The world they s0agAs 10 erDbsrrass
s9e Secretary 0f the Treasury In VARGAS ways
nos sse ,kAs THE nzsgniAesas tssuga ealsaps'i,s
money every where sa3 ySpss 40 GS8itioaasl
impulse to every iss41ssFy. Bas ns9ss SAasa
this they think possibie, egen probable,
funding of the whole debs az f9as pei eezs-
In London attempts have been made 10 get
up Syndicate to take the remainder u the
loan at four per cent. To this policy Of the
republican party, always go fruitful in grand
results and promising 80 much in the future,
the intelligent hborers of our State, know
the democratic party has been constantly OPP
posed. Hence their emphatic rebuke Of the
organization at the polls on the second Mon
day of this month. They saw that the repub-
lican party was in favor Of law and order, free
and improved schools, upon the principles laid
down by the early fathers. That under their
rule the taxes had been reduced near $780,
100000 annually, that the rights of citizens
were everywhere protected, and that fraud
upon the government was everywhere pun
ished and the guilty condemned. They con-
trasted all this with what they witnessed in the
city of New York under democratic control.
Free schools converted into sectarian schools,
mobs sustained, the treasury bankrupt, the
debt increased not dollar in the treasury to
pay the current expenses of the city. Mil