The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-03-01
BLOOD OR BREAD.
The Condition to Which the White slaves
Of America Are Rcduced-Is All This
- End In Revolution ?

about like q drowning man catching at
straws for some way out Of the predica-
ment in which it finds itself BY its own
volition. A fit Of pure desperation com
pels il to take up the Democratic de-
mand for reform in the civil service.
There is no evidence Of change Of
heart. It Is only change OF chin
We have had . multitude Of promises
in the last fifteen years, but how much
genuine reformation have we got for our
The great curse Of twenty years OF
Republican reign has been class legis-
lation. Glass legislation is that intri-
cate system of laws and the administra-
tion Of laws which have but one tenden-
cy--to make the rich richer and the
poor poorer--to create millionaires and
beggnrs. When I am told by an emf
nent protectionist Of Pennsylvania
that IL is proposed to establish
n protectionist club i'm that leg
islative body known as the American
Congress for the purpose Of more com
pletely furthering this legislation, am
left to wonder how much further such
men dare go and not bring laundering
down upon them the wrath and violence
of the plundered people. The brazen
audacity Of the moneyel power often
carries It over dangerous ground where
to falter would be to sink l can think
of no more brazen impmdence than that
which claims special Legislation for
millionaire manufacturers as protec-
tion for American labor. When l was
on political tour in Pennsylvania, last
summer, l had occasion to pass through
the coal regions Of the northeastern
portion of the State. met very in
telligent workman on the cars one day
who pointed out the objects Of interest
along the valley with which he was ia
miliar. He had lived among the coal
miners Of Pittston and Carbondale, and
among the iron-workers Of Pittsburgh
for twenty years. The story he re-
counted Of the gradual degradation Of
American labor during that time was
something pitiable and astonishing He
pointed ont the company stores" that
loomed up whenever We passed Il
breaker, and described with the minute
distinctness born Of personal and bitter
experience the indignities and hard
ships to which the laborers were sub
jected. He showed how the rich mine
owners with quarter Of a million in a
single shaft screwed down the miners
year by year, lower and lower, and
raked in their slender earnings by their
"store order" system. / asked him
about the relative prosperity Of owners
and workers. He replied bitterly that
capital was always strong enough t.
take care Of itself, and no one ever
dreamed Of Legislation for labor.
went down among the mines with this
man and saw that he had not overrated
the hardships Of the miner or charac
terized too strongly their unfortunat.
condition. 1t is the popular idea tha'
American slavery WAS abolished Will
the proclamation OF Abraham Lincoln
There never WAS q worse system of slav
erv than that prevailing in Pennsvlvani,
and in the great manufacturing centers
These are white slaves. too, born I,
toil for millionaires and to die in hov
els and warehouses;. On every hand
In Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh t,
Scranton, the palaces of the protected
rise grandly by the myriad tenement
Of fpauperized labor. There is no theory
however delnonstrable on paper. tina
can refnte the cold logic of these facts
Labor is going down hill all over thi,
country and the millionaire maste
lords it over race Of white slaves.
thought Of this when beheld the mag
nificent residence of Mr.. Henry Oliver
near Pittsburgh, and saw his iron-work
ers gathered moodily about the street
because their wages had been reduce,
below the cost OF decent living. Olive
Is the maker Of the tariff on metals. il
which he speculates. Oliver grew rich
with hundreds of other iron makers, OF
. protective tariff, and his laborers an,
theirs have become poorer and poore
until the old are carried 10 pauper,
graves, and the young fill the dens q
vice or are dying by inches like thei
sires. There is something horribl
In all this, for what is i'll til
future? shall never shake 81
the vision Of Pennsylvania poor
house in the mining region wher
out under the orchard trees men wer
chained up--thev were now ravin
maniacs, miners covered with their ow
filth, manacled and chained to til
| trees! A little further on stood tn
white slaves yet in possession of thei
reason, chained to cars, in rags, blac
and grimy with the carbon sweat :
the shaft and the level. asked m
pilot how long such men lived. No
many years" said he. These men fo
! the most part do not taste meat NOR
/ than once . week. You see that in
mense mountain OF refuse slate and coa
from the breakers? It used to be tina
every miner going home was welcom
to his lump OF coal, such As he coul
carry. Men could be seen going I
their homes, each with his lump OF coz
on his shoulder. Now they must pa
for their own fuel. They would be al
rested by the company's watchman IN,
tried and convicted before the con
pany's court should they even pick II
Q little refuse from the bottom OF tbs
mountain. They used to save littl
money, but now the life Of miner I
coal or iron in this State is hopsles
slavery. On the other hand, the me
who own these properties are GROWN
richer every year.
what will be the end Of all this?'
asked, curious to see what was in tn
mans mind.
"There can be but one end.
And what is that
Revolution"
@There, is then, in your opinion, II
remedy short OF this?'
-There is remedy. hut it will not !
applied was the quick response. I'll
men who make the laws, the men VII
administer the laws, also represent Il
men who own these mines and wor
these slaves The masters drive the
voters to the polls in droyes. III
servants of those masters are i'll Coz
gress, are always III political power
the State and nation. M man, !
newspaper in this State dare even pr
claim tho facts and hope 10 continue
,,,,l,l... Hfa nlli..an and naulDcr,