Democratic messenger., 1889-05-25
WHO is IN THE SOUP

the owner Ot the "l'lalns. Her maiden
name was Thorndykc.
WHO is IN THE SOUPp
We are crcditably informed that there
are many workingmcn in this country
who positively decline To look upon this
paper as a friend. We have. il appears.
forfeited all claim To be considered friend.
~ or wcll-disposcd by our persistence in
saying unpleasant things; and we mus,
sadly acknowledge that. we have had to
say great many unpleasant things within
the las, few years-ihings unpleasant for
Us 10 say, and unpleasant, for the working
men io hear. We have had 10 say that
many Of the leaders in whom the work.
ingman puts his faith are incompetent,
insinccrc. dishonest and mischicyous. We
have had To say that the laws Of this coun.
try were made To protect all citizens alike.
and that all citizens alike should respect
and obey them. We have had To say that
one wrong was not the best corrective Of
anoihcr. and that even an cxaspcratcd
striker owed certain respect 10 the com.
munily in which he struck. And we have
had To say wha, seems To have been hard
est Of all 10 hear, that so long ms the ma.
jority oi workingmcn preferred from I'M.
skilled 10 skilled labor, so long would
both branches Of the labor suiIcr--bccausc
there would bc too many unskillcd labor.
crs for the natural demand. and too few
skilled lahorcrs to make i, safe for manu-.
iac,urers 10 risk capital in employing
them.
HOW GOES IT WITH Yor, BROTHER!
Having thus forfeited all claim 10 the
title of friend ofihc work,ngman, 1t would
hc indclicatc for us to argue the matter,
or try tn prove that there is more friend
ship in bitter wholesome truth than
there is in sugarcd but innuiritious lie.
In truth, from what we have seen of the
profccscd "fricnd Of the w0rkingman,"
we should prefer to be the workingman's
friend without either making the profcs.
sion ar getting the credit. But. II We re-.
nouncc ah preien,ions to the honor, we
are certainly u, liberty TO inquire of the
worl;ingnan how much good he is getting
out OF the friends he has chosen of late,
especially ont of those whom he gmpplcd
in his soul with hooks of steel last Novcm.
her, How goes il with yod, brother? You
heard them then; you heard how they
loved you and how they ycarned for the
opportunity ofscrTing you how jealousy
they guarded your interests how unset.
liShly they sou,'hi 10 protect you against
Your Toes. how little they thought Of
themselves and how much they thought
ofyou. How fairs i, with you aud your
interests now-now that the mists of No
vcmbcr have cleared away and the fresh
spring sunshine is bringing in the duh
summer season.
now ARE yoUR WAGES:
You remember the terrible things that
they told you would happen II you did
not let them save you: You remember
how. II Mr.. Cleveland was elected, n per.
iod Of depression was TO come upon the
business Of the coun,ry-fact0rcs were
Ia close. wages were TO bc rc,luccdl-wlcre.
~ Mr.. Harrison's election was Ia bring
you good business good wages, good
maike, for your labor, and prosperity gen
orally. Well Mr.. Cleveland has been de
fca,ed and Mr.. Harrison has hccn elected.
And where are you: Aud how are Your
wages Have they been increased or re.
ducedg Are the factories running full
time, or are they shutting down. Is the
labor market booming. ar is II true that
never in years your strikes so hopeless,
the power and influence Of your unions
and knighthOods and fedcrations 50 Grip.
Piled aud weakenedg Looking at the mat.
ter In the light Of common sense, how
fares il with you, brother: Or, II We may
put a comprehensive question In the lan'
guagc uf those same friends of yours:
"wmo Is ~ rmE souPg'
lou are In the soup, just where your
friends the politicians left you when they
were done with you last November. You
are In the soup, and there you will stay
for four years, AMI there you will go again
nj the end OF those four years, unless, In
the meantime. you learn the wisdom Of fex.
ercising common sense. Six months aga
you let these men lead you by the nose.
You marched around shricking for pro.
lection, proclaiming that you did not
want British free trade - which nobody
had offered you-and asserting that a
home market was good enough for you.
Well. then you have your protection
and are likely 20 have more Of it-you
have no free trade--and none too much
of any kind-and you have your home
market--what there Is Of Il. And, right
and left, mills and factories are shutting
down, your wages are reduced, and bust
ness Is bad all over, with no signs Of bet.
tering Does the flavor Of the soup satisfy
your II Is likely TO bc your diet while
you support these same expensive friends.
For while you drink the thin "skIlly" Of
hard times. they live comfortably on the
turtle soup Of protected prosperity
which you pay for.
wIAr DIo roo ExrEcri
And What did YOU expcci. .broihers Have
you not known these ''friends" for years
and yearsi Chief among them was Mr.
Andrew CarneRie. who can manage n