Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-12
Party and Labor.

i script has been induced to believe that
democratic orators are travelling through
this district telling the people that democ-
racy is the only true friend of tine labor
ing man. While it is not true that any
men are publicly engaged in such work it
is nevertheless true that the only hope of
the workingman will be found in the
democratic party. He need not take the
word of any man for that statement. The
facts will speak plainly enough. The
paper just mentioned. however states
that while this is going on in this dis
trict, our representative. Mr.. Gest, is
making a gallant fight in congress for the
eight>hour law. A gallant fight indeed
| The struggle has been made and the work
hope held out In promise that if they
will continue to wait something may yet
turn up by which they may be benefited.
And in this connection 1T may he asked
| why did a republican in congress oppose
| the payment of the workmenP Among
its strongest advocates were democrats
advocates who asked that something be
done for these men and done at once
and plainly stated that the bill which has
since passed was an injury rather than u
| benefit. In what way did the re-
publicans help the wOrkin9men by this
bill or any other bill? This should not
be difficult to answer if they have been
the friend 10 labor that they claim they
| have. The alien bill. whereby cOmpeti.
| ton against American labor was sought
to be ameliorated. is equally bad
and practically amounts To nothing
The only way in which the
farmer and the laboring man gener-
ally have felt the influence of the repub>
licsn psrty has been through taxation.
They know there is f milestone about The
neck of each and struggle as he will, he
cannot save himself from drowning
What else is this universal cry through
Out the land for reduction of the tariff
but a national denunciation of the schem-
ing and heartless methods of the republi-
can party for the bent fit of the few as
against the many. There are good men
in the republican party-men of honest
ways and sterling character, but they are
not at the head of the government. They
would disdain to purchase power BY
means of deceit and the use of money and
consequently their efforts for better
state of affairs have had little effect But
there is an INSCRIPTIONS gang controlling
the nations affairs gang that cares
nothing for the toiling masses. They
make the laws to suit the trusts, the mo-
nopolies the syndicates, the msnufactnr-
ers of certain classes of goods, and these
wealthy and their friends in Washington
who made them so are not forgotten.
They reap n handsome benefit.
1t is not attempted TO argue here that
all the members of the democratic
party are any better than they should
be. individuals are much alike
everywhere and in every section.
1t is to the theory of government
and the principles OF the democratic par
ty that attention is here directed 1t is
TO the principle that all men shall stand
equal in the eyes Of the law; that all men
shall have an equal share in the benefits
of the social compact. 1t is that no man
shall be oppressed for the benefit of an
other, and that justice shall reign
Yes, this is an old story, and il may
sound somewhat familiar, but after all il
cannot be too oftenErepeated, no more
than the texts of scripture. Old and IA
miliar as the story IS the people seem to
sometimes forget it's existence, and 60
blindly ahead placing men in power for
the purpose of their own destruction
At every election the republican party
has pulled the wool over the eyes of the
people or a large number of them They
always find it out little later, but new
promises are made. and new hope
springs up. And the people trust once
more and are again deceived. 1t is al.
ways with the hope that a reform will
take place. And hope deferred make,h
the heart sick.