St. Paul daily globe., 1886-10-29
ALL FALSE AND HOLLOW.
Working man Exposes the GIarirg
Ssra ddIes OF the Republican Fiat

form.
To the Editor of the Globe:
l wish, through the medium of your
paper, to say few things to the working
men and farmers in regard to the Republi-
can platform. l wish every laboring man
would get the papers of Sept. "a and read
carefully their platform. They claim to
have indorsed the labor resolutions pre-
sented them at their state convention by the
joint labor conference committee. Have
they? Let us see. We find in the second
plank these words; ''And pledges itself to a
continuation of the same policy in the fu-
ture." Now, what do they mean by that?
They mean that heretofore they have robbed
the laboring man and farmer, and pledge
themselves TO continue their work in the
future. Shall we give them the chance to
do so? Now, what is their fourth plank?
What do they promise the farmer? THAT
the present railroad and warehouse law
should be so amended, in the light of ex-
perience gained by its practical operation" !"
Here they tell us that they have been struck
Dy the all-powerful light of eXpe-
rience, and are satisfied that these
bad railroad and warehouse laws
should be amended. but they fail to pledge
themselves or their nominees TO see that
these laws are so amended. They try to
dodge the issue by reiterating what the
farmer has told them for years. What do
they say about watered stock? That it
cannot be too strongly reprimanded." They
do not say it shall be prohibited or even
that it shall be reprimanded. and more, they
dare not say so. They derive too much in
ierest on theil own watered stock to wish
to do away with the scheme. They tell us
hat the legal rate of interest should be re-
duced. Why do not they pledge their can
ddates to reduction OF the legal rate of
interest to minimum of per cent? Be-
cause they would then have the National
banks to fight. and they dare not go back on
an old friend. They say the state should
supply free text books to pupils actually at
tending to their privilege, and in another
place should insist Oh the education of the
children in the schools" Here. too. they
fail to make any promises. but content
themselves by telling what should be done,
and don't even hint at what should be done
with the little children whose parents are
too poor to send them to school,
Now, why not insist on the
education of the little ones who are out of
school AS well as those in the schools. They
acknowledge that it is unworthy civilized
state that there should exist any inequality
in the condition of capital and labor, but
fail to say that the wrongs which exist shall
be righted. They tell us that the state leg
iSlature should establish state bureau of
labor statistics; forbid the employment OF
young children in labOriOuS occupations in
furious to health and strength; should COM
pei employers to provide safeguards
against danger to wOrkingmen, and compel
employers to pay indemnity to those injured
by reason of the absence of the same. Now
we workingnen have been advocating these
measures Tor years and don't need to be
told that such things should be. Bnt we
wish for pledges that such things shall be.
They have nice little arbitration plank,
but when arbitration was needed in the re-
cent switchmen's strike these same men
refused it. Consistency, thou art a
jewel" They tell us that the producers
| of the great Northwest demand lower rate
of taxation upon the necesSaries of lite than
that of the war period. Why did not they
say in behalf of the producers of the Great
Northwest we demand so and so? Because
| they dare not. They saw they favor high
| license, but even in this their actions belle
their tongue, because they patronize their
own club rooms and drug stores which pay
no license, thereby proving that they are in
favor of no license. But then they look tC
these places for Doodle and are. suppose,
excusable. On, ringster! l say unto thee
better that thou had never been born. OIL
that there was milestone tied to thy neck
and thou cast into the sea, OF rather thai
you had your just deserts and were work
| ing in Saltwater in competition with honest
toll. What a sleek-haired animal you are
to be sure! G. L. LOCKE.
Minneapolis, Oct. %.