The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-07-21

ton. The slaves Of the South were fed,
clothed and cared for in old age.
The slaves Of money power are paid
pittance for their daily labor, out Of
which they are expected to feed, clothe.
warm and care for themselves and fami-
lies.
When the day laborer foots up his ac-
count at the end 81 the year it will make
about the following showing:
Days worked. Soo
Total credits for ono year ............. ..s4s0OO
TO board Of himself, wife and three children,
TO clothing i @ for sscs member oi i. family,
For ~ rent 4 otsan.s: loves. rnt Is psi 80.
For % fuel p.r vssi, ,ii............... s2oo
Total. .s5O6.OO
So the laborer finds himself at the end
Of the year $50 in debt.
And TO this Indebtedness We should
add for contingent expenses, for medi-
cine and medical treatment SO, and for
the replacing Of worn out and broken
furniture, stoves, dishes, ETC., $40.
No wonder. indeed, that the future
looks unpromising 70 the laborer.
Yes We are confronted every day with
the remark that We are having period
Of unparalleled prosperity. We are also
told that the reason that 80 many labor
ers fail to pay their debts i because Of
extravagance. We are cautioned to be
more economical by the men who are
reveling in the luxuries Of life. which
they procure BY extorting from the
laborer . portion Of his hard-earned
wagea
All wealth is produced BY labor, and
without labor no wealth Is produced.
But In the above account have We a.
lowed anything for extravaganza Out
Of the 81 per week for board, how often
can each member Of the family have .
dish Of ice-cream, lemonade, . piece Of
pie Or cake, even il their regular diet be
corn bread and buttermilk.
But IN the eyes of the money lords
corn bread and buttermilk Is extrava-
gance. They say that good bread and
good water il good enough for the labor
er. for breakfast, dinner and supper.
Out OF the 80 allowed the wife for
clothing. how many pairs Of shoes, how
many spring, fall and winter hats could
she buy, even though she would dress in
calico the whole year round?
Twenty dollars will not buy single
outfit for the wife, and must she wear
that the whole year round?
This great period Of prosperity de-
mands it.
After having bought the necessary
clothing for the children. for the year,
to keep them warm, how much
would you have left with which tO
buy white dress and . balmoral pair
Of stockings to wear on extra occa-
sionsf
do not think that / have overdrawn
the picture. Look around and see
Americas emaciated sons, with starva-
ton on the one hand and the old-party
howl Of prosperity ON the other they
90 to their ill-provided homes to carry
to their children only communion 81
wretcheiness. Look at the crimes, the
suicides, homes deserted, firesides desc
lated and the many graves OF the
unfortunates, and ask yourself # il
should be SO in period Of great pros
perity.
And vet it is not strange that 90 many
laborers are barely eking out subsist'
ence when we take into consideration
| the fact that four men in the city OF New
| York alone have accumulated the vast
sum Of $3.50, 600, 900, within the last fif
]! teen years. We ask ourselves who pro
duced this great amount Of wealth, and
the answer Is ready, for without labol
NO wealth - produced.
We next inquire by what means hav,
those men been able TO accumulate, il
one-half Of . generation, larger fort
une than was ever before acquired dur
ing the lifetime Of any one man. ans
the answer il ready, that never in tn,
history of the world has the laborer ha.
SO large percentage Of bis daily earn
ings flched from him as in this perio'
Of great prosperity.
Il u one of the necessary laws OF pc
Gticai economy that Il the rich gro,
richer the poor grow poorer.
! In this great period Of prosperity, Til
rich arc permitted TO grow richer an
the poor ara compelled to grow poore
by vicious legislation.
| The laborer who calmly examines thi
picture and finds in il facts portrayed q
true @ tho needle Is to the pole, an
: then votes with either Of the old partie
who have had control Of this Goverr
ment for tho Last half d century an
have legislated IN favor Of capital IN
against labor, should suffer an ignomil
ious death for being untrue to himse
and his family.
The man who would thus knowingl
be untrue TO those whom he should hol
dearer than life itself should after dealt
instead OF being allowed to sleep in
panper's grave, have his body ca
into the raging waters, the elemen
thereof 10 be carried TO the four qua
ters Of the globe, and his bones shoul
lie and bleach ON the sands Of the 81
shore. And each bone thus bleachir
should be . living monument to succee'
ing generations Of the infidelity Of q
j laboring man, during time in Il
worlds history called . period Of gre
prosperity.
"Constitational' bat irresponsible
We have al the above combined, al
, At every election arc painfully reminds
Of the fact. Do the people want fina
clal reform or civil-service reform
Then give them stump oratory on de-
issues, and deseant learnedly on wheth