Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-22


practically the normal condition of our
system, and it is estimated that during the
year that Is just closed in consequence OF
these disorders. in consequence of this hos
tility and this warfare, the actual loss In
labor, in wages, in the destruction of perish
able commodities by the Interruption OF
railroad traffic has not been less than $780,
OOO, 900. Mr.. President, this is serious prob
lem. 1t may well engage the attention OF
the Representatives Of the States and OF the
American people. have no sympathy with
that school of political economists which
teaches that there is an inreconcilable con
aict between labor and capital, and which
demands indiscriminate, hostile and repres
slve legislation against men because they
are rich, and corporations because they are
strong
LABOR AND CAPITAL
Labor and capital should not be Antago-
nists but allies rather. They should not be
opponents and enemies, but colleagues and
auxIliaries, whose cooperating rivalry IS
essential to National prosperity. But can
not forbear TO affirm that political system
under such despotic power can be wrested
from the people and vested in the few is
democracy only in name. A financial sys-
TEN under which more than one-halt OF the
enormous wealth of the country derived from
the bounty of nature, and the labor OF all Is
owned by a little more than $4,000 people,
while 100000 American citizens, able and
willing to toll, are homeless tramps, starv-
ing for bread, requires adjustment. social
system which offers to tender, virtuous and
Independent women the alternative be-
tween prostitution and suicide as an escape
from beggary Is organized crime, for
which some day unrelenting justice will de-
mand atonement and explanation Mr..
President, the man who loves his country
and the man who studies her history Will
search in vain for any National cause for this
appalling condition. The earth has not for
gotten to yield her increase. There has been
no general failure of harvests. We have had
benignant skies and the early and the late
rain. Neither famine nor pestilence has
decimated our population nor wasted its
energies. immigration is flowing in from
every land, and we are in the lusty prime OF
National youth and strength, with unex-
ampled resources and every stimulus to
their development; but, sir, the great body
of the American people are engaged to-day
in studying these problems that have sug-
gested in this morning hour They are dis
heartened with misfortune. They are tired
OF the exactions of the spectators. They
desire peace and rest They are turning
their attention to the great Industrial ques-
tions which underlie their material pros
perity. They are indifferent to
party. They care nothing for
Repubicanism nor for Democracy as such.
They are ready to say: "a plague on both
President to hail and to welcome any or
ganzation, any measure, any leader that
promises them relief from the proftless
strife of politicians and this turbulent and
distracting agitation which has already
eliminated in violence and may end in
blood. Such, sir, is the verdict which read
in the elections from which we have just
emerged, verdict that was unexpected by
the leaders of both parties, and which sur
prsed alike the victors and the vanqulshed
1t was a spontaneous, unpremeditated pro-
test of the people against existing conditions
1t was a revolt of the National conscience
against injustice, movement that is full OF
pathos and also full of danger, because such
movements sometimes make victims of those
who are guiltless 1t was not a Republican
defeat. 1t was not a Democratic victory. 1t
was a great upheaval and uprising, inde-
pendent of and superior to both. 1t was a
crisis that may become a catastrophe filled
with terrible admonition, but not without
encouragement to those who understand and
| are ready to CO. operate with it.
PEACEFUL REVOLUTIONS.
1t was peaceful revolution, an attempt to
| resume rights that seemed to have been In
| frnged. 1t is many years, MI. President,
since predicted this inevitable result. In
speech delivered in this chamber on the 18th
of February, 1873, from the seat that is now
| adorned by my honorable friend from Texas,
who sits before me [Mr. Reagan1. said:
I'VE can not disguise the truth that we are
/ on the verge of an impending revolution.
| The old issues are dead. The people are ar
/ raging themselves upon one side or the other
of pOrtentious contest On one side is cap
| itaI, formidably intrenched in privilege, ar
rogant from continued triumph, cOnserva-
| tive, tenacious of old theories, demanding
! new concessions, enriched by domestic levy
and foreign commerce, and struggling to
adjust all values to its own standard.
On the other is labor, asking for en-
| ploy.uent, striving TO develop domes-
| tic industries, battling with the forces
of nature and subduing the wilderness;
| labor, starving and sullen, resolutely deter
| mined to overthrow system under which
| the rich are growing richer and the poor are
| growing poorer; a system which gives to
Vanderbilt the possession of wealth beyond
| the dreams of avarlce, and condemns the
| poor to a poverty which has no refuge from
| starvation but the prison or the grave Our
demands for relief, for justice, have been
/ met with indifference or disdain. The Ia
| borers of the country asking for employ
ment are treated like impudent mendicants
| begging for bread"
Mr.. President, 1t may be cause It may be
| coincidence, it may be effect, it may be post
hoe or it may be propter hoe, but it is his
/ torically true that this great blight that has
| fallen upon our industries, this paralysis
| that has overtaken our financial system,
| coincided in point of time with the dimlnu-
| tion of the circulating medium of the coun-
! try. The public debt was declared payable
/ in coin and the power of silv6E was de;
/ stroyed. The value of property diminished
| In proportion, wages fell, and the value OF
| every thing was deprecated except debts
/ and gold. The mortgage, the bond, the
coupon and the tax have retained immortal
| youth and vigor. They have not depre-
| ciated. The debt remains, but the capa-
| city to pay has been destroyed. The aceu-
/ mutation of years disappears under the
| hammer Of the sheriff and the debtor IS
homeless, while the creditor obtains the
! security for his debt for fraction OF what It
was actually worth when the debt was con-
/ tracted.
| There is, Mr.. President, a deep seated con-
| victIon among the people, which 1 fully
| share, that the demonetiZation OF silver IN
| 1873 was one element of a great conspiracy 70
| deliver the fiscal system Of this country over
| to those by whom 1t has, In my opinion,
/ finally been captured 1 see no proof OF the
assertion that the demonstration act OF 1878
/ was fraudulently or corruptly procured Dut
it Is impossible to avoid the conviction that
! it was part of deliberate plan and conspr-
| acy formed by those who have been called
| spectators to still further increase the value
| Of the standard by which their accumula-
tions were to be measured.
AN ANOMALY.
The attention of the ueople was not called
| to the subject IL Is one OF the anomallSs anu
phenomena of legislation. That bill was
| pending In its various stages for four years
| In both houses of Congress. 1t passed both
bodies by decided majorities. 1t was read
| and reread and reprinted thirteen times, as
| appears by the records. 1t was commented
| upon in newspapers; it was the subject OF
| discussion in financial bodies and over the
| country and vet we have the concurrent tes-
ov,A maj