The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-05-25

Anu cApitnl m tho n1ilirAcit0 coal IN.
dnstry Of Pennsylvania.
Going from tho light 81 day miles
down into tho bowels Of the earth,
facing falling rocks, all Of the natural
elements of death, fire, water, explosive
gases, dampness aud snffocntion, men
take their lives in their hands, 20 down
into these coal beds, dig out the coal,
send IL miles to the surface, put IL in the
rollers, crush IL, screen IL and load il on
the chr, md, on the ear, II will not fetch
any more than the price 81 transporting
IL a little more than ninety miles.
What does this mcan2 What Ii the
cause Of iti II means that tho Reading
Railroad Company and other compan-
les Of thu region have debt which il is
desired To pay, and on every dollar Of it's
gross receipts II must pay 10 per cent.
interest alonc--not cont for dividends.
II IL only the interest on the funded
floating debt, and the condition Of these
companies il no worse than that Of the
carrying companies in my section Mt
least. Interest robs the miner Of his
share OF tho product. Give ns lower In
tcrcst give us system Of finance which
shall create rate Of interest that will
reduce that exhaustive rats which those
companies are now paying and bring it
down 10 \ comparison with that Of En-
gland, then you frcc.traders may have
some reason for urging tariff for revenue
only.
Mr.. Chairman, the South IL specially
cursed by cheap labor and dear money.
II there Ii spot on earth that ought TO
know what the damning curse Of cheap
labor il, the South, Of all others, when
compared with the rest Of this country,
ought to know by this time what II
means. Cheap labor withers the body
and poisons the mind Of the employer
and employed. Cheap labor and slavery
ARE synonymous. Cheap labor breeds
ignorance and vice on the one hand, in
science, prejudice and inhumanity on
the other, and wretchedness, death and
damnation on both. With all your ad-
vantages in the South, your advantages
Of climate, your advantages Of mineral
wealth and all natural resources, why u
II that with all Of this immense immigrA.
ton 70 this country Won get none Of il :
Sir, these immigrants have no bitter
feelings rs to the lato war. They are
not poisoned with sectional hatred.
They come from foreign country seek
ing to better their condition, and il you
would give them the opportunities tho
South would receive these immigrants
instead Of the West,
The trouble with you men Of the
South is that ever since the invention a
the cotton. gin yon have stuck to the old
rotten hulk Of Democracy. You have
stood by that party through all its ca
reer and ever since that invention that
party has been the special advocate Of
cheap labor, of slave labor. You stand
by them to-day. You are to-day urging
the necessity Of cheap labor, not only
for yourselves, but yon attempt to force
il upon the North. You have to-day
that system which You inaugurated
years ago-a system which would classify
society; a system which would have the
laborer, ON the one hand, degraded,
wretched, ignorant. damned, while, on
the other hand, you yourselves alone
would be the ''lords Of creation :" and
then wonder why il Is that the balmy
South il not as successful and prosper
GUS as the cold and barren States Of
New England.
Why not start in the right direction I
That which degrades your labor makes
yourselves unit for any freeraen to live
among. / speak this in kindness.
have no hard feelings toward you. /
am Of those who wish Godspeed to the
South. am of those who desire to ex-
tend oil the assistance, nil the charity or
protection which may be required. I
would lift il mp, elevate 1t. wipe out Sec
tional lines, eradicate al class prcin-
dice, gather all under the broad wing 81
The national Government without refer
ence to race or class, poverty or riches,
section or locality. But you must be
told the truth, and until you carry it
out you must submit TO the curse that
has been and still is upon You. Do not
stand in the light of your own progress.
What good will your schools do you
down Southg You are coming here and
asking for certain taxes or the proceeds
Of the sale Of certain public lands in or
der that You may get m educational
fund for the benefit Of your unesucated
people. ! shall favor ANYTHING that
helps to educate the South but sirs,
until YOU iherate your labor your
schools will do no good. Your laborers
will he too poor to 60 TO school; and too
poor 10 allow their children to 60. I'm
der your system Of degrading labor, in
stead 1t dignifying il, YOU fetter tho
mind rs well as the body. You might
m well throw your school books 10 the
winds, for they can I've II no service to
You until you have altered the system.
First, start out in the right direction,
help 10 elevate your own labor; then
you may not only secure foreign emil
grafton. but have your pub 10 schools rs
well. aud secure the aid If Northern
labor and Northern capital to build up
your country and develop your re-
sources.
You must guarantee the free exercise
of the elective franchise To the lahnring
element, white or black elevate the Ia.
hor VI the South get rid Of the preju-
dice that prevents Northern men and
immigrants from going among YOU.
When yon are ready to do justice. grant
equal rights to all men, and let the
negro and the white man, whatever may
he their occupation, have the full hene.
fits and the full fruits Of their linerty.
then You will receive the blessings along
with them, and the South will h.oom
like . rose.
Let me say here that the creation oi
wealth without proper distribution il
nursing the viper that will sting Won Il
the heart To create wealth You must
| with il create the viaducts, the means ol
distributing among the people, through
q proper medium III exchange. To cTe
ate wealth and have il in the hands d
the few to lord il over the many will h
curse rather than . blessing. There
fore. its distribationp by means Of high
wages and cheap transportation . vel
as low interest Is necessary to secnr,
commercial prosperity. political stahi!i
ty, social progress and moral improve
ment.
Take the history Of every empire, O
every republic that has existed. II ros.
rs the masses rose with il. It's fall he
came imminent as wealth centered il
the hands Of the few. and the masses
we're impoverished. just Is You divid,
Il n n =