Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-03-15

that il can not meet and burdens that il can
not bear. The worlds tOller> the creators
Of, all wealth. the lahurtT. the artisan. the
farmer. the merchant. the manufacturer
IN a word. those who by brain oI muscle
contribute Ia human comfort and enjoyment,
want tu know why the hands that produce
all wealth are the empticSt hands and the
hands that produce the least grab all. This
i the great oyerShadOwing question: IN our
land TODAY. Ii will not down. 1t cannot
hr deferred 1t must bc met and solved
and 1t Is our duty to meet it calmly and
wisely. and solve ii in a spirit of truth
and justice.
rHE ONWARD MARCH OF MONOPOLY
Threatens the existence of our republic
cur public domain the heritage uf the
people. Is almost gone. 1t has passed into
the hands of vast corporations and indiv-
idual> who are building up landlord
and tenant system fashioned
after the systems which have
converted the old world into nabobs and
pauprrS The speaker here referred To
Lord >cully'S estates in Illinois, Kansas md
Nebraska. showing how that noted alien
who lives in a palace in London, draws
nearly half a million dollars annually from
the American farmers for the privilege of
cu!tivating American soil. He then quoted
from the American Review tu show the
startling increase of American tenant farm
rrs and the decline of real land owners
The monopoly Of franchises was next
taken up. little over a quarter of
a century ago the Western Union
Telegraph company started with 4
capital of half million dollars. With
ont further Investment they today own
actual property worth twenty millions of
dollars. and pay interest on eighty millions
As compared with the profits Of the railroad
kings this is mere trie. man turns up
in New York few years ago with a new
tangled mouse trap, and today he is worth
one hundred millions of dOllarS. if his wealth
can be counted at all.
Bonanza kings on the Pacific slope, who
a t,.W Years ago were not worth a dollar.
can live in million dollar resi-
denceS. give million dollars of
United States bonds as Christmas
gift and maintain palaces in Paris that rival
the homes Of royalty. their wives and
daughters laden with diamonds aS an Indian
chief drcurate> his Squaw with beads
This wealth i the result of labor Every
dollar of II represents hard days work of
somebody Who is it Behold industry
in rags. and energy in despair. Behold the.
iaburcr. not thirty DAYS from want should
he lose his job, supporting family Of SiN
or eight or ten oH an average of one dollar
day. Thirty meals for one dollar. and
nothing for rent clothing &c.
These things make men stop and think.
This can not 20 on forever. 1t never did
and it never will. 1t must and shall he
rrmeditd. Some say ''peacPably if We can
4 !.
way of putting il The Knights of Labor
don't put il that way. They say that the
growth Of these monupOles will result in
the sure and hopeless degradation and eu-
>lavemcnt of the great producing classes.
They say in the sweat Of thy face shalt
thou eat bread. and he who will not work
shall not live off those who toll Every one
is entitled to the products of
his toll. whether that product be-
great OF small. But the worlds tuilerS.
from manufacturer and merchant down to
the humbleNl lahOrer. shall not be- compelled
tu pay the ''liUn> share" of all they pro
duce. Ia some monUpoliSt for the bare oppur-
tunity 10 produce and distribute. The alien
landlord. the ~peculator in the natural
agencies from which ali must live, the
manipulation OF watered stocks. the gambler
in the Hece>SarieS of life. the wall street
shylock. and their trained. culared pam
pered miniunS, each and all must 20.
We don't propose to kill them.
to intimidate them, or To destroy their
property, or compel them To divide up
with Us. Men who talk about physical
force, dynamite. the torch, or the dagger
of the assassin. have no place in the ranks
of the Knights of Labor. They are Un-
wise cOunselOTS, and We advise the work
ingmen to have nothing 10 do with them oI
their organizations.
The wise. conservative. honest. indus
tTIOUs element of the American people
are 10 all Others combined a. ten Is tu one.
We say to them industrial and moral
worth. not wealth. shall be the true stand,
ard of individual and national great
ness. We recognize no trade, mc
nationality. no creed. no color;
we simply say. are you honest? Do you
earn an honest living? Do YOU believe that
every honest toiler is entitled TO the pro
ducts of his labor? II 50. come with Us.
I You belong to the brotherhood of t0ilerS.
the army of peace and prosperity.
We don't fight individual monUpoliStS.
hut We dc night the systems that make mo
mupoly possible and prosperous, and when
the systems are established the results of
the system will disappear.
+ We advocate final remedies. Rene
dies based upon equal rights, equal
privileges. equal opportunities, and
burden. A strike is not final remedy. II
i no remedy al all ~ far as the removal OF
primary cause> Is concerned. II is tenn
porary eNpe, mt, and a costly one. In
such a land as ours. with such a variety of
interests: such a diversified and complex
industrial system. differences will arise and
we believe they should be- settled by arbi-
tration. The executive board of the
Knights of Labor by this means alone has
prevented over $50 strikes within the past
three months. We hope in the near future
10 be able to prevent strikes altogether.
Applause.
But, you say. we Use the boycott.
That iS true But the boycott is a great
Improvement Oh the strike. 1t costs II,
nothing 10 Use the buycott. The cost i all
taxed on the firm We boycott, but We only
uSs' il when absolutely necessary.
The speaker closed with an appeal to the
knights to maintain the order and do'orum
that has 81 far characterized their course
Let no violence or overt act mar the
glorious shield of the order The only
reference made Ia the Champion difficulty
was IAN expression of regret that an Ameri-
can citizen of the Intelligence and standing
of Mr.. Whitley should attempt Ia abridee
the constitutional rights of citizens 10 as
Selnbe and discuss public measures in the
interest Of the whole people. No intelIi,
gent or patriotic man can indorSe Mr.
Whitley in this. and | am sorry for The
good name OF Springfield that ii has been
attempted by one of her citizens"
GENERAL KENNEDY.