Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-09-17

es, no distinction between union AM
non union men. They put in lon,
hours, many Of them seven days in th'
week, and their wages are seldom in
creased. True there are no strikes, TO
the man who is not suited with his posi-
ton has only to step down and ont
That is his only remedy. Carnegie'
men, employed in the Homestead mills
the scene Of the recent trouble are paiC
wages that will average more than thos,
paid the employees in the postoffice de
partment of the United States, and ye
who ever heard of one of the lattei
arming himself with gun and ordering
Uncle Sam to pay him what he wanted
or else shut up shop?p Mr. Kelley ad
vocated putting the railroads OF the
country under one head, in the contro
Of the government, in order that the
people might travel cheaper and tha
freight rates might be decreased. Ye
in the next breath he denounced the
Standard Oil Company, Armour & Co
and the National Union Mercantile Co.
because they were concentrating bust
ness and selling their products to the
individual consumer at prices which the
small merchant could not compete with
If the facts are as stated by Mr.. Kelley
the latter institutions are doing far
more for the consumer than the
government could by assuming
control Of the railroads, and yet he and
his party favor one and object to the
latter. Despite the fact that the federal
patronage Of the present day is believed
by many honest and thoughtful men to
be source of evil, the speaker was
willing to increase il a hundred fold, and
had no fear of the results. Evidently
be expected to be in with the govern
ment when the change in the owner
ship OF the railroads is effected. The
free coinage OF silver. Mr.. Kelley be-
lieved, would be the greatest blessing OF
all. He believed that it would put more
money in the laboring mans pocket,
increase his wages, lessen his expenses
and brace the country up generally, but
why it would have that effect he neg
leeted TO state. He denied the existence
Of the possibility that foreigners would
load us with silver and relieve us Of our
gold in case We put the two on parity and
yet he admitted that Great Britain was
Away ready to buy cheap silver and ex
change it for gold when the opportunity
presented. He stated that the amount
of money in circulation per capita was
only about $500. and yet the Chicago
Daily News, an independent newspaper,
in its statistical almanac, says 1t is S23. 40,
."ii'~ .Ra total amount of the
circulating medium, including that in
the United States treasury, is S32.SS.
He called Secretary Foster a liar, and
charged him with making erroneous re-
ports, though every sensible man knows
that it would be practically impossible.
He closed his harangue with an attack
on the National Banking system, and
Notwithstanding the fact that any ma
tional bank in the country will pay six
or seven per cent interest on deposits,
he asserted that the government was
lending them unlimited quantities at
per cent.
Such was the character ofhis talk, not
a fair, unbiased discussion Of things as
they are, but partisan argument, mis-
representing numberless things, and
leaving half the facts concerning others
untold. Mr.. Kelley was evidently not
in touch with his audience. Even the
independents seemed disappointed, for
they only applauded him twice during
a speech that occupied almost two hours.
There was pervading atmosphere Of
depression, and even the master OF
ceremonies appeared relieved when he
thanked the audience for its patience
and dismissed it. Mr.. Kelley is one Of
the down trodden farmers of South Pa
kota, and next time he visits the Hills
il would be well for him to don suit of
sboddy, put his watch and chain out of
sight, travel with an OK team, and Just
forget to mention his half section of
land in eastern South Dakota. Then he
might howl calamity with clear con-
science and to some purpose.
THE REPUBLIcANs.
The people OF Custer, who, bv the
way, enjoy good talk as we'll as those
of any town, had been looking forward
with eagerness to Capt. Lucas visit ever
since his date was announced. Tuesday
evening, at 7:30 o'clock the Tin City Re-
publican club, fifty strong, assembled at
the court house and marched down to
the KIeemann Hotel. from whence,
headed by the Cornet band. they es-
corted Capt. Lucas back TO the court
house, where an audience Of two hum
dred and 6fty or three hundred people
was awaiting him. The court room was
brilliantly lighted and handsomely de-
corated with the national colors, while
facing the audience was suspended q
picture Of the great republican standard
bearer, Benjamin Harrison. The meet
ing was under the auspices of the re-
publican club, and ID. w. McFadden.
president of that organization, called 1t
to order, stating that ". q. Porter would
introduce the orator Of the evening.
Mr.. Porter suited the object Of the
meeting. referred briefly to the issues to
be discussed and then introduced Capt
w. v. Lucas. ~ our next member ol
congress. Mr.. Lucas took the doer
gracefully acknowledging the storm ol
cheers which his appearance called
firth. He has those physical qualities