The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-10-24
The 0raspine Money Power.

Forty years ago but one man in
the United States was supposed to be
worth g. 1000, 600. He was John Jacob
Astor. Now there are thousands
worth more that that sum; large
number worth more than $50, 00O, 900
and many worth more than 800, OOO,-
600. The owners Of these vast for
tunes do no physical work; they con-
trive, they scheme, they plan. they
legislate all the work on to You. You
labor, toll, sweat and groan. You
eat your bread in the sweat OF your
faces, but the trouble is that the mil
lionaires eat their bread also in the
sweat Of your faces, not in the sweat
Of their own. 1t is from your sweat
and toll also that they build their
gilded and more than royal palaces,
and furnish them with more than
Oriental splendor, luxury, and magni-
ficence. You pay for all. 1t is the
old, old story which has been enact
ed in every age and CLINE by caste,
privilege and protected aristocracy
feeding and fiourishing at the hands
Of the weary, toiling masses. 1t is
the old and infamous claim that in
all countries and amongst all races
from the beginning Of human history
titled and privileged few are right
fully born, booted and spurred to
mount and ride the bridled and sad
died, burden-bearing, tax-paying,
sunburnt, homespun millions.
THAT claim is here In our midst
now with all its worst and most bru-
tai arrogance. A little while ago it
was like the storm cloud when it first
appears-no larger than man 8 hand.
Now it darkens the whole heavens
and brings gloom and terror to the
impoverished firesides Of laboring
men. women and children from one
ocean to the other. You have heard
Of the perilous edge Of battle. The
free institutions Of this government,
and all your rights to equality and
protection from spoilation and plum
der by law, are this hour on the peril
GUS edge. where line is drawn be-
tween a government of the people
and an open, avowed plutocracy, a
government by the naked power of
money, a government by the dukes,
earls and lords of enormous estates
and vast millions. The hour has al
most struck for such q government
to be proclaimed. The signs Of its
near approach are on all sides, and
as plain to the thinking mind as the
stars Of a clear night to the naked eye
The money power has crept into the
ballot-box, and it's leprous faint is
rapidly spreading through every
branch Of the public service. An APP
pie may look fair and enticing on its
stem In the orchard, but if there is q
canker worm at its core it is only a
question of time when it will shrivel,
wilt and fall to the ground in decay
and rottenness. There Is no outward
change in the form and structure oil
our beautiful and glorious govern.
ment as yet, but when the largest
contributors to corruption funds get
the highest official positions, when
men advocate and urge the purchase
of votere in blocks Of five,' and lose
no caste in the councils:of their party;
and when partisan reasons dictate
dishonest rulings in the courts, you
may be sure that q canker worm is at
its core, and that the fruit brought
forth by the wisdom and blood OF
your fathers is perishing in your very
sight. SENATOR Voorhees, Of Indiana,
in a recent speech.