The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-06-03

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No. II WABAsHAw ST., ST.. PAUL
HARD TIMES AND THEIR CAUSE
We are indebted to Judge Kelley, OF
Pennsylvania, for copy Of valuable
and interesting speech, made May l5th'
in Spring Garden Hall, Philadelphia, be-
fore the Association of Currency Re-
formers.
The Judge is man after our own
heart an agitator, man who is more
at home fighting uphill than sailing on
the broad sea of peaceful political pros
perity. He says:
engage in this discussion, and welcome the
labor IN which IT will lnvoiye me, because !
believe that the interests OF the people and the
nation irnperiously demand change OF our
financial system, and in the full knowledge OF
the fact that those who claim to be the leaders
of the Republican and Demo ratio parties de-
ride my opinions. The derision OF presump-
tuous ignorance or greedy ayarice 1 mn
me with no fear. Their missiles are less dan
gerous than | have hitherto encountered in
what seemed to be a less hopeful cause than
this Some OF YOU will, doubtless, remember
that in 1856 Tor me to address kepuolcan
meeting in certain parts OF this district was 10
encounter shower OF bricks or OF eggs, or
both. and that persisted to the end. That
despised cause trumphed, and | am as de.
voted to its principles now as when received
the sneers and blows of many OF the people
who have since honored me by eight consecu-
tive elections to Congress
1t may be we'll to remember now, when we
are without organization or press in this city
devoted to our cause, that it was in the fourth
Congressional district that was thus treated
when advocating the Republican cause. Nor
NAV it he inappropriate for me to say now, In
the outset, that, health and strength being
given me, mean to be instrumental IN carry
ing the agitation of this question Of financial
reform into every hamlet In the state Vi reuA-
!, sylvania. [Applause.l
Il Right or wrong, that is the true spirit.
let every man hoe out his own row to
1.-THE very end. If he is right he reinforces
hnd establishes truth; if he is wrong he
elucidates truth by the discussion which
he provokes. There is nothing so deadly
md baleful in the natural or political
world as stagnation.
Tho Judge draws pitiful picture OF
the condition of the people throughout
the East. He says:
| look upon the people of my district as it is,
81 nv old district, which embraced the Four
teenth and Twentieth Wards, and Of that
which first represented, which included also
tne Thirteenth Ward, and stretched away to
The Delaware at Bridesburg, and see their in
dustries paralyzed and themselves and tami-
hes impoverished.
Honest and thrifty working people by tens
of thousands, in this district alone, are out Of
employment. 1t is now much more than q
year since many OF them were reduced to that
condition, and have come home to find them
IN ragged penury Many of those who, in the
autumn Of 1873, held title to their little homes
= and were paying off any membranes thai
might exist against them by applying Mha
they could we'll afford to set apart from thei
monthly earnings to buildings associations
are in despairing poverty, and, having reat
the sheriff's bill describing their homes, hav'
seen them pass at nominal prices into tn
possession Of others.
Men who have each winter contributed t
the ward fund for the relief OF the poor in al
most every ward of Philadelphia, were durin
the past winter glad to accept relief, and re
ioice at the fact that in many instances tn
\ Committees refused to register the names Q
such. that they might not hereafter he re
preached because their necessities had com
pelled them to accept as charity the none
they had previously given OF their abundance
for the relief Of others.
The capital Of the district, so far ~ 1t is EN-
barked in productive industries, sympathize
with the depressed condition OF labor. 1on
der piles Of brick, covering whole block
which were recently resonant with the hum I
industry, are now silent almost Us death. tn
owners OF the land, build ngs and machiner
lose money. confidence and hope daily. The
do not now employ rs many hundred men
they did thousands but two years ago. The
works ran then day aud night; now, but fe
Of them run full sixty hours to the weel
Rent. interest on invested capital, the destfu
ton resulting from the rest and rust OF M
chinery a. eating them up. And while q
this goes on we notice an increase OF paupe
ism. OF crime, OF insanity, and terrible il
crease of suicide. :,
The Journals complain that not only t
streets, but the roads, from one great city
another. are filled with tramps, and ASK IN
the authorities shall deal summarlly and
yerelv with these able-bodied idlers. w
should they he punished or restraineds w
are they idle! Why do they, through cold
heat foot-sore, weary, hungry ana ni.eis
trudre sullenly from town to town and city
cityi 1t is because they can md no empiss
ment at their homes, and rather than !
where they are known, and it may he RENEE
bered they thus work their way YEARLY, cfi
crossing upon the highways hordes OF OIL
unfortunates in pursuit OF employment u
ia wages. Among them there are doubtless ma
1 who are unworthy. But give the labor
ii people work, ard most of these tramPs
Gather back to forges. furnaces and worksno
and become rent payers and purchasers OF
l productions of the joint capital and laool
the country.
Judge Kelley then proceeded t. pre-
that New York is in equally bad con
lion; that immigration has largely fall
az. that business all over the country
- decreased that immense amounts
money lie idle in the vaults OF the ban
without borrowers
Judge Kelley charges all these con
ouences upon the system Of contract
81 the currency initiated during the re
of Hugh McCulloch, Secretary OF
! Treasury. in 1867. He says: