The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-16

nrxocRAr1c.1rBRRAL TICKET.
REPUBLICAN TICKET.

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representative. T Tob B1CsnF1o og
60 Alexander SSna Owens 8 s
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ADDRESS,
70 the Voters Of the Sixth Congressional Dis
triet Of Illinois.
On the Bird day of November next you
will be called upon to cast your votes for
State officers, members of the Legislature
and Of Congress and for county officers.
In the hands Of those you then elect is
placed the power to levy taxes, to enact
laws and to enforce them. 1t is a power
which may be used against public interest
and in the interest Of corporate capital and
of INSCRIPTIONS and rapacious lobbyists.
1t is power which, during the past ten or
fifteen years, has been Systematically. con-
tinuously and fearfully abused to rob the
producer and consumers and to enrich the
few who control the transportation, the
CURRENCY and other commercial agencies OF
the country.
IF YOU desire proof Of this fact we ask
your attention to the condition OF the in
dustrial classes Of the country to-day, and
the causes that have produced that condi-
ton.
TAKE THE FARMERS.
The farmers of this country compose
nearly half of its population, or about
twenty millions of people. They are the
great producing class and the great con-
Stunning class. They produce what no man
can do without They consume nearly
every article produced by the other indus
tries when they can afford to purchase. II
they do not thrive the nation cannot thrive.
Now, tor years it has been notorious fact
that these men have not been in pros
porous condition. The Department. of Ag-
riculture, early in 1873, reporting from
majority Of the counties of the Union, de-
clared that small minority Of the reports
received expressed no Encouragement Gen.
Walker, superintendent of the census, at
firmed that large part of the farms OF
the West were held in the hope of future
profits rather than for present results The
returns of the last census show that al
though the annual farm production is %
per cent. Of the capital invested, yet that
during the period between 1860 and 1870
the agricultural wealth Of the country in
creased only 40 per cent, or A per cent.
per annum, while the non-industrial wealth
invested iu bonds, stocks, mortgages and
other forms of capital of that character,
increased 200 per cent, or 90 per cent per
annum. The farming capital Of the coun-
try was Sc per cent. of the whole wealth
of the country in 1850 and in 1860 in 1870
it was only 81 per cent.
THE CONDITION OF THE MECHANIC
is no better Last year it was shown that
the mechanic in New York City, although
he received considerably higher wages
than in 1860, could not purchase with thoss
wages SO much of the necessaries Of life
for his family by nearly 20 per cent as he
could before the war. The Massachusetts,
Bureau of Labor showed that in that usu
ally prosperous manufacturing common
wealth the earnings of the head of an az
erage family we're insufficient for its SUI
port. The widespread paralysis Of tn
manufacturing industries that ensued en-
hances the suffering. Tens Of thousand
of industrious and skilled mechanics ar
to-day working on short time for reduce
wages, or are absolutely unemployed. Gu
great cities are thronged with unemploye'
operatives, wasting their scanty means, an
often dependent on the bitter bread O
charity. This is the condition of nearl.
two and half millions Of the working
force of the country, or, counting in theil
families, of eight millions, about one-f fifth
Of our population.
THE CONDITION OF THE COMMON LABOREE
is worse. The streets and highways of the
country are thronged with men hunting
work." The past winter showed in on,
American cities recurrence Of the condi
ton of older countries. Mobs of starving
and desperate men demanded work of the
public authorities of Chicago, St Louis
Pittsburgh, New York, Boston and other
cities to give them the bread that they
could not obtain in their usual ayocations.
In midsummer OF this year, 1874, the
bankers Of Wall street asked additional
policemen of the New York authorities to
protect them against the apprehended at
tacks Of the workingmen.
These three classes Of the industrial
forces Of the country, comprising nine
men in ten of our population whether
engaged as farmers, mechanics or common
iaborers, are, and have for years been in
an unprosperous condition.
BUT THE CORPORATE CAPITAL
and public departments, National, State
and municipal, the interest and principal
Of which is usually and chiefly paid by this
industrial force, which is the only creation
OF wealth; this funded capital aud the
prosperity Of class who deal in it, ha,
advanced as never before A Vanderbilt;
Scott, or Stewart builds q colossal for
tune on the wrecks Of the hopes and labo
and small fortunes of these industrial
classes. Never before, in the history o
the world, has wealth increased in such
marvellous and unrepublican manner as il
the United States during the last 6ftee,