The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-30
ADDRESS
0fDavid Gore. Independent Reform Candidate
for State Treasurer, Delivered at
Paxton, Ill, Sept. 8.

y
FELLOW CITIZENS In the few remarks
that shall make to you to-day, desire u
do SO from a reasonable. consistent and un-
nreind;ced stand no;nt I shall avoid using
any LANGUAGE that will mar the feelings OF
anv unpreiudiced and fair minded man. l
shall trv to confine myself within the
bounds Of truth: shall make no assertions
that the facts records and impartial obser-
walton will not logically demonstrate the
correctness Of
We are engaged in work of reform in
the broadcast sense of the term hence l
have laid down the above declaration for
my guide. In the first place is reform
necessary And if so. in what particular +!
| cannot mention in detail all the reforms
which are demanded by the toiling millions,
and which by right they ought to have, but
will confne my remarks to few OF the
more obvious.
First, The first and most important re-
formation which is needed, in order to make
the way of reformation easy in all other
respects, is to break the spell which the
education Of the
CORRUPT AND DESIGNING MEN
have made upon our minds. Our preiu-
dice and partiality have been appealed to
in such manner and so persistently that
we have become educated to oppose each
other without any cause whatever, in fact
our stimulated and perverted zeal has, in
many instances, undermined our better
Judgment, and has caused US to act at va
rance with our best interest. When we
have subdued our prejudices we will have
overcome the greatest obstacle in the way
of reform.
Secondly, those engaged in the various
business professions have become organ
ized so that those engaged in productive
industry, especially the agricultural por-
ton of the community, in their hitherto
unorganzed condition, have had to trans
act business at great disadvantage to them
selves, and hence are not receiving their
due share of the produced wealth of the
country.
Thirdly, the monied power of the coun-
try has become SO great and powerful, that
to-day, it rules this government Step by
step its seductive influence has been made
even the judicial departments Of the gov
ernments, are not above suspicion of hay
ing been moved by the influence of money
all our congressman, senators, members OF
the executive departments, together with
all the judges of the court, are venal and
can be Bought and sold, by no means
There are, and always have been h0nora-
BILE exceptions, who are and ever have been
working for the interests of labor. But
that a majority Of them are directly or in
directly interested in
INCREASING THE POWER OF MONEY,
no well informed man will deny the fact
neither will any well informed person deny
that from our greedy aggregated capital,
all forms of monOpoles spring, take root
and have their bearing.
am not an enemy of capital, or rail
roads or canals telegraphs OF manufactures,
or any other means which will develop the
resources Of the country, or that will in
any way facilitate the business of the
country. Far from it. | am friend to
all these institutions, and believe that they
thoull receive the fostering care of the
government to the extent OF their import
ance to the country, having 10 view at the
same time the prosperity Of all and every
interest, in order that every interest may
be protected alike, according to their i'm
portance to the achOle country. But we are
opposed to the
RECKLESS EXTRAVANANCE
and venal management which has marked
the course Of public affairs for the past
few years, during which time more than
two hundred millions of the peoples land
have been given away, an amount almost
beyond our comprehension more than six
times as much land as is contained in the
state OF Illinois, an area larger than Great
Britain, Ireland and France. A territory
large enough Tor great empire, and suih
Gent to support a larger population than is
now contained in the United States; be
sides this, hundreds Of millions Of money
has been given away under the fimsy pre-
tense of developing the resources of the
country.
All these gifts have been made by the
government to aggregate capital, together
with special privileges granted in the form
of chartered rights, whereby our liberties
have been turned into an engine of oppres--
sion by augmenting the extent and power
OF capital. And instead of developing the
resources of the country as pretended, it
Is robbing labor Of its Adydly ea1ned and
due share Of the increased realh of the
cOuntJy,' in other words our own gifts to-
gether with an undue share of the earn
ings of labor, have been, and are being
added to the already
oVERGROWN AND POWERFUL MoNoPoLIEs
of the country, until now every other pur-
suit or interest have to bow in obedience to
their greed and ayarice
As before stated. am in favor of rail- |
roads and any other interest being protect |
ed in their legitimate rights, and desire |
that capital be justly rewarded for its ser !
Wees. But when we examine the true /
condition OF the country, how does the |
matter now stand between
CAPITAL AND LABOR?
Let us examine this question little,
According TO the reports of the best sta
tisticlans of the country, made up from
the records and all available means of in
formation on these points, it is estimated |
that the value Of the property Of the Ma
ton Is now about twenty-four billions of
dollars, and that the produced wealth of
the country Is about three per cent. per
annum, which makes the net increase in
the national wealth seven hundred and
twenty million dollars per annum.
Now. according to the best authority,
the labor and capital invested in produc.
tive industry, in other words, the pro
due'ng element Is paying rent or interest to4
money or non producing capital, on az /
least one hdlf tie national acedlh or twelve /
billions of dollars,
Now let US estimate the average rate of |
interest at nine per cent per annum which |
would make the annual payment, by the |
producing to the non PRODUCING element |
on rent, or interest, or capital, one billion, |!