The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-08-02
Extract From Mrs. Cougars Speech at
Glyndon Park.

81 want to call your attention tonight to
one OF the most threatening phases of the
liquor question.
Zone thing which you workingmen are all
interested in, is, how to secure higher COM
pensation for laber skillfully aud properly
performed. Upon this remuneration de-
ponds the comfort of your home, and the
welfare of your wife and children. Nay
more-whether you shall be man or a
slave?
"Social scientists tell us that ninety-two
per cent. of the vast army of criminals that
are in this country at this time are made
such by the liquor traffic. They are because
the saloon is They are the legitimate
graduates of these training schools of vice,
empowered and protected by the govern
ment of these United States Crime is in
creasing in this country twenty-seven per
cent. more rapidly than the population. In
1860 there was only one criminal to every
3,41O inhabitants, in 1890 there is one Grim
inal 20 every 500 inhabitants.
eve have more criminals In our peniten-
tiaries today than we ought to have if our
country were 500 years old instead of 100,
"Prisons being multiplied and questions
being complicated by these prisons. These
things bear directly and seriously upon the
wage-earner. Take the state of New York,
one of the Oldest states in the Union, and
what is the problem that there confront.
the Knights of Labor?
"WAat was brought to the front during
the last session of the Legislature of Penn
svlvanih where the workman feels the in
justice of competition and monopoly both
i'll the railroad and mining branch OF indus
try as probably no other state does?
"What was the discussion in the Illinois
Legislature, and will within the next five
years be brought to the attention of every
legislature where you have organized labor,
and men are banded together to discuss and
agitate the social questions?
1T was this subject of convict labor com.
petition which was introduced into the New
York Legislature under the whip of the Or
ganized voting power of the Knights of La
Dor of that State. 1t was because those men
contracted at lower rates Of employment
than any self respecting man could live
upon and support his family.
"This is one of the grand things that or
ganized labor can do 1t makes itself felt
and it can compel legislatures to consider
its behests.
"They asked, How can the working peo-
pie compete with the army of criminals
whose labor is given out IN contracts
THE law was passed making compulsory
idleness reign throughout the penitentiaries
of New York.
Compulsory idleness is now dethroning
reason and filling our prison houses with
insane criminals. Prohibit the licensed
rum traffic and you will lessen the crirS inal
class. 90 per cent. in five years time. You
will then be able to settle the question of
competitor of criminals with honest labor.
We must have a new combination of men
and women around the new issues of the
hour One that will let the dead past bury
their dead issues. Settle the liquor question
and we purify politics aud exalt public
honor. 1t will settle the labor problem,
strike anarchsm to death, depopulate our
prisons, jails and almshouses. In the place
of distress will be comfort, rags will be
changed to robes, hunger to plenty, tears to
sober instead OF nation drunk"