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

""' AhNtuby
WHO IS IN THE SOUP?
We are crclitably informed that there
are many workingmcn in this country
who positively decline To look upon this
paper rs friend. We have, IL appears.
forfeited all claim 10 be considered friend.
~ or well-disposed by our persistence in
saying unpleasan, things; and we must
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 30 hear. We have Ind TO say that
many Of the leaders in whom the work
ingman puts his faith are incompetent,
insinccrc. dishonest and mischicvOus. We
have had To say that the laws of this coun.
try were made 10 project all citizens alike,
and that all citizens alike should respect
and obey them. We have had 10 say that
one wrong was not the best corrective Of
another, and that cvcn an rxaspcratcl
striker owed certain respect 10 the com
muniiy IN which he struck. And we have
had Ia say wha, seems 10 have been hard.
est Of all 10 hear. that so long as the ma.
jori,y ot workingmcn preferred from I'M.
skilled Ia skilled labor, so long would
both branches OF the labor suilcr-bccausc
there would he too many unskillcd labor.
crs for the natural demand, and too few
skilled laborcrs to make il safe for manu-.
facturcrs 10 risk capital in employing
them.
HOW GOES IT WITH you, BROTHER!
Having thus forfeited all claim TO the
title Of friend ofthc workingman, II would
be indclicatc for ms to argue the matter,
or Try prove that there is more friend
ship in u bitter wholesome truth than
there is in sugarc,l hut innutritious lie
In truth. from what we have seen Of the
profccscd friend of the workingman," :"
we should prefer TO be the workingman's
friend without either making the proics.
sion or getting the credit. But. II We re-.
n0uncc ali prcicntions to the honor, we
are certainly at liberty 10 inquire of the
worl;ingman how much good he is getting
ont of the friends he has chosen of late,
especially out of those whom he grapplcl
io his soul with hooks of steel last NOvcm.
her. How goes il with you, brother. You
heard them then; you heard how they
loved you and how they yearned for the
opportunity of serving you how icalousl,
they guarded your interests; how unset.
lishly they sou,'ht 10 protect you against
your Toes. how little they thought Of
themselves and how much they thought
ofyou. How fairs il with you aud your
interests now-now that the mists of No.
vembcr have cleared away and the fresh
spring sunshine is bringing In the dull
summer season!
HOW 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, if Mr. Cleveland was elected, per
iod Of depression was to come upon the
business of the country--faciorics were
to close, wages were 10 bc rcluccd--whcrc.
~ Mr.. Harrison's election was To bring
you good business good wages, good
market for your labor. and prosperity gen
orally. Well Mr., Cleveland has been de.
iraicd aud Mr.. Harrison has bccn elected
And where are you: Aud how are your
wagcsg Have they been increased or re.
luccd? Are the factories running full
time, or are they shutting down. Is the
labor market booming, or is il true that
never in years your strikes so hopeless
the power and influence Of your unions
aud knighthoods and iedcrations 80 Grip.
pied aud weakcnedg Looking nj the mat
ter in the light of common sense, how
fares il with you, brnlhcr: Or. il We may
put comprehensive question in the Ian
guage OF those same friends of yours:
WHO Is ~ TnE soury'
ioa are in the soup, just where youI
friends, the politicians leil you when they
were done with you last November You
are ia the soup, and there you will stay
for four years, and there you will go again
ut the end Of those four years. unless. in
the meantime, you learn the wisdom ofc
crcising common sense. Six months aga
you let these men lead you by the nose
You marched around shrieking 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
aud are likely To have more of it-yOu
have no free trade-and none too much
of amy kind-and you have your home
market-what there Is Of II. And, right
and lefi, 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 81 the soup satisfy
your II Is likely TO he 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 yss pay for.
WHAT DID You ExrEcrf
Aud what did you expeci. brother Have
you not known these friends" for years
and yeang Chief among them was Mr.