The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-03-11
WHITTIER DRIFTING.
There Is NO Excuse for the Oppression Of
the American Laborers.

ton, )" as Chauncey NJ. Depew calls it,
into which the American people have
been irresistibly crowded. is supremely
doubtful. The avenues of escape
have been cunningly blocked by the
chosen few" delegation which has
been doing duty over the American
sheepfold for several years back.
The laborer has been blindly entering
barren pasture; he has been too
eagerly lured with fruitiess promises
and nice strings of rhetoric and fact
assembling speech. The bars are
now closing behind him, and in the
full realization of his position. at last
he stands aghast at the sterile end of
his political path. Lo! Ashes for
gold despair for plenty, and the grim
prospect now confronting the Ameri-
can farmer and wage-earner in place of
glowing pictures of prosperity deftly
painted by silver tongued policy
builders.
Whittier are we drifting? asks a
writer in the National Economist
When the French revolution burst
from thousand social craters, the
clergy of France owned one fifth of,
the land the nobility one-ffth, and
the king one-ffth, leaving two-ffths
of French soil in possession of the,
third estate, the g. 000 900 people of
the stricken land. Thee two-ffths
consisted in the hills highlands,
valueless and unpreductive lands,
while noble. and clergy, and king
owned the chosen tracts, the vine
yards, the wheat lands, the rich and
productive fields and luxuriant orch
ards the villas cathedrals, temples,
the ancient households of state rich
and magnificent laden with treasure
and jewels--all these the upper class
owned; but did the volumes of wealth
represented by church and nobility
support the burden of government?
Let the French peasantry and laborer
answer. No! The 26, 0OO 900 peo-
pie of France, with two -ffths of the
soil. supported the government and
held up the 100, 900 church and no
bles, with their two-fifths of ali the
prosperity, and land-what result?
From the barren cornfelds and from
the outskirts OF every city and town
came the irresistible host of artisans
demanding justice at the hands of
their profligate rulers, and claiming
rights the church and nobility and
king had denied common people
rights that belong to flesh and blood
despite the device of mammon-ful)
reward of toll.
Whittier are we drifting?
The statistician of the United States
brings forth some amazing figures in
regard to the condition (the superb
condition. - as Mr. Depew called it in
England when questioned in regard to
the situation in America) of our peo-
pie. Notwithstanding the misleading
statesmen's suggestions and report
and above the reports of radical party
organs throughout the length and
breadth of our lands, there exists a
condition of affairs in America that is
appalling when considered from a
right standpoint; 200. 600 individuals
in the United States own 70 per cent of
the entire wealth of the nation. leay-
ing "a. 800, 600 of the third estate in
possession OF 80 per cent of the
national wealth. Superb " indeed!
OF the upper class 100 would have a
yearly income of $120 O0o 900, while
of the third class. comprising rs per
cent of our entire population (property
owners). 100 would have an income
of $50, 900. Superb for the upper
ones, indeed! No wonder the social
mountain of America is smoking from
million craters. No wonder the
third estate is reused from its thral-
dom.
1t has come to point in the pro-
gress of fortune making when there
is actual oppression and want follow
ing closely upon the heels of Dives
chariot The people have borne the
burden SO long that the virtue of for
litude has become blank. There is
no excuse for the oppression now bear
ing down so heavily upon the Ameri-
can laporer's shoulders. It is born of
wanton and wilful greed and false
teaching at the hands of men and
leaders who had the influence and
power and who had the meanness of
heart and thirst for gain that actuated
the evil motives. 1t is impossible to
receive PREPARATION or reform &: the
hands of the old regime. 1t is the
tolls of Mammon. The latter day
progress and the needs of the people
are not on it's list. It had its day.
full of high rewards and fair laurels
and now comes the third estate the
UNDECIDED and unvoiced millions, to
rule their own household.
The oppression of the farmer Is op-
preston to every laborer in the land
hard times on the farm shut off sup
plies, and the decreased demand at the
factory and mine lessons the labor and
lowers the wages of those there en-
ployed. 1t touches every nerve of la
Dor in the1and. Cypress the farmer
and you take bread from laborers'
childrens mouths Let him yield up
to oppressors and extortioners more
than full payment for work done, or
let him give up his products at less
than actual value and you stop the
wheels of factories and the hungry
wage worker feels the shock a thous.
and miles away.
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