The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-07-16
WINDOWS ADDRESS,

Which, u "ISc number Oh people from aii
portions of the State gathered, Hon.
VIM. Window made an address, which,
FOR valuable recommendations and neat
ness of composition, as well as good COM
mon sense rs model We have space
for only liberal extract of the speech,
but the portion given will be found full
of interest:
This shall be my subject to-day. Brief
ly discussing il, shall embrace, on the
one side, all who earn livelihood by
the labor of brain or muscles, and on the
other individuals and corporations,
whose profits and incomes are derived
mainly from the use or manipulation of
capital. The industrial problems of our
day are not ofeasy solution. lapprOach
them with great diilidence, knowing
that they involve some of the gravest
and most difficult questions that have
ever puzzled the brains of statesmen or
philosopher. No nation is so favorably
situated rs ours To solve these problems.
In Europe they are complicated with
political Embarrassment, class distinc-
tons and hereditary prejudices. With
us, political enfranchisement Is COM
plete, class distinctions are unknown,
hereditary prejudiccs have not had time
To mature. Our workingmen are more
intelligent and stable, and have a greater
interest IN their government than those
of any other country.
The relative dignity of labor and capt.
tai is not generally recognized. Labor
is the creator, capital the creature. "Not
by silver and gold, but by labor was the
wealth of the world purchased" Labor
.nta Il
Each is dependent upon the other. Our
industrial system, modified and inn
proved by our Christian civilization,
was inherited from the early ages of
ignorance and barbarism, when Knight
makes right" was the supreme law of
society. Under that law, wealth was
the natural result of power. Ignorance
IL weakness. The masses were ignorant.
Hence the few ruled the many, and
| fixed the conditions under which they
might live. Human slavery was the ma
tural product of this law, i'm its most
hateful and hideous forms of expression.
The increase and diffusion of knowl-
edge based upon the principles of
Christianity, have made actual slavery
impossible among the more advanced
nations. With shame il must be admit
ted that our own was almost the last
Christian civilized nation to give up,
and like the demons of old, its exorclsm
cost unutterable agony.
The key note of the declaration of
independence is, TODAY, the k0y note
of industrial reform. Great changes are
impending. Many contemplate these
changes with grave apprehension. They
remember the terrible cost of blood and
sorrow il required To confirm the polite
al equality of all men, and they look
with unspeakable dread upon an adjust
ment of our greater industrial problems
| by other than peaceable means. real
ize and appreciate the magnitude of this
peril, but i firmly believe there is
moderation, wisdom and craftsmanship
enough among the American people,
not only to avert the Threatened danger,
but To evoke from the present condi-
tons of unrest and discomfort, better
and happier relations between labor and
capital than has ever existed. To ac-
complish this will require Cancellation,
moderation, and spirit of justice on
both sides. The capitalist must learn
that an enlightened self-interest requires
him to treat his employees with justice
that division of profits with the work
men will secure better work and more
of it, and in the long run prove more
| tlt SyStcul ol
get all you can, and keep all you get"
lie must remember that in this country
labor is not fairly remunerated when an
honest, industrious and sober man is not
able by his earnings To feed, clothe and
comfortably house himself and family
and To lay by something for his future
wants.
Ii is said that much of poverty and
suffering Is due to improvidence of in.
temperance. 1t is said, with truth be
lieve, that the use of Intoxicating drinks
i'll this country costs annually over nine
hundred millions of dollars-a sum in
excess of the aggregate annual railroad
earnings of the United States. This
means IN aggregate of poverty, wretch
edness and crime which words cannot
express. No industrial reform can cure
it that does not embrace radical re-
form of those vicious practices (which
curse alike the rich and the poor, which
paupeyiZe the people by millions, and
which produce more crime than all
other causes combined. While all this
may be true, il is no excuse for denying
To honest labor its just rewards, and its
fair participation in the profits it ere
ateS.
The wOrkingman must also learn, If ht
does not already know, that the remedy
for the existing evils can only be founo
through lawful and peaceable methods
that relief will not come through violence
nor in any of the forms by which agrar
ianIsm, socialism, and communism are
generally understood; and that the right:
of property, and the legitimate means o.
acquiring it, must always be respected
In this country, where all may partlci
pate in making the laws, there is less
excuse for lawbreaking than in any
other. There is also better Opportuni
ty for correcting anything that may ht
wrong in the laws than elsewhere.
1t will not be denied, think, that the
, laborers of this country have rights
which have not always been respected
They have suffered wrongs which SHOULD
be redressed. Doubtless much of thii
poverty and suffering is due to improvi
, dence or intemperance. The labo
movement, so called. may not always bt
wisely conducted. Mistakes and seri
Gus wrongs may be committed. I'm
, scrupulous men often obtain control o
Il good cause, and seek to use it for thei
selfish ends.
do not imagine myself competent t.
suggest a solution of problems which
have bailled the efforts of wise men o
all ages and countries, but believing /
To be the duty of every good citizen t.
contribute what he may and hOpin.
that, from the united wisdom of all
satisfactory results may be reached.
shall venture to state IA few things, which
i'm my opinion, would be II step in tn,
night direction.
, The corrupt use of money must b'
suppressed and punished.
name this first, because, i'll my judg
l.l
most dangerous evil which to-day men
aces the peace of society, and the perpe
tuity of the Republic. 1t is the wicked
est and most effective method employed
by capital to rob, Cypress, and degrade
labor. 1t is the biighting, fosterin,
source of many of the other evils o
which we complain. 1t Is sapping tin,
very foundations of public confidence
by corrupting the ballot and pollutin,
the sources of political power. 1t stalks
with braZen face, into our Legislative
halls, and, with scarcely a pretense o
concealment, dictates our laws and some
times even elects our United States
Senators. 1t too often cOrrupts the
press and changes truth INTO lie. 1t il
the ready and well known instrument
by WHICH the will of the people il
thwarted i'm II thousand ways. 1t Is tn,
efficient means ny which individual
wealth and corporate power aggrandizt
themselves at the expense Of the peO
pie.
The discouraging feature of the stua
ton is, that the public is so little shock
ed by the prevalence of these practices
and that no more effort is made to sup
press and punish them. 1t is well known
that elections are often carried by brib
cry of the most shameless kind, yet the
winning party does not hesitate TO re-
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