The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-09-15


robber has left the plumber seized from
all the rest.
By this process the occupant of the
palace has been lifted into position
where state and national legislatures
hasten to do his bidding, and his de-
mands are ever the same. He has been
enabled to bring the channels of com
MERGE to Serve his one idolatrous pur-
pose, and the current is stayed or a
flood turned loose as the calls of his
service require. And, lastly, the sup
plies of a people have been made the
servant of his boundless greed.
We grumble at the impositions of
these men, but we do not refuse to an
swer their demands; and so this pro
cess Of robbery has been permitted to
grow until the condition Of all labor in
this country has become q critical one.
It is not only receiving very low wages.
but of what it receives 10 per cent is
returned as a bonus to its employers,
the capitalists, through the channels
that are kept open by adverse legisla-
ton and the hostile combinations of
commerce and trade. The power to do
this has been acquired by unholy
means. It is held because we are con
doning the crime. We are to blame fol-
permitting the vicious practices and
the corrupt legislation that has result
ed in these vast acumulations; anG
hence, while we may not blame Croesus
for using the power we have needless
ly, carelessly, criminally put in his
hands, our duty will be evaded so long
as we fail to lead him away from his
great temptation.
These wrongs must be righted or the
unerring pen of the historian will soon
write ''finis" at the end of his scroll
and add the word failure to the records
of a vast Republican experiment
These wrongs will be righted through
the laws or under the authority we
now possess, or our civilization will &c
down before our barbarian usurpers as
the culture and glory of Rome were
lost before the serried ranks of the
sturdy but savage invaders; and the
setting sun of Republicanism will dis
appear behind the lurid, somber clouds
above a battlefield where labor is
struggling to possess its own vineyard
and the plutocratic usurpers defend
ing their plumber with their lives, to
be followed by the gloom of stormy
starless night.
The 10000 millionaires of the coun-
try are largely a result of official ia
voritism; of corporate and plutocratic
control of government policy and com
mercial channels; of schedules of tax
alton that have been imposed for the
purpose of making them.
The bankers have dictated the fnan-
cial policy of the government. Is il
any wonder the bonds were changed
from currency to coin? Is it any won
der that silver is demonetized or that
the currency is reduced? The manu-
facturers have dictated the tariff rates.
Is it any wonder that the census re-
turns show from to per cent q
month profit?
The railroads have said what laws
should be passed to compel the public
TO pay such rates as would give them a
5l0,0O0,O00O00 property on six OF
seven billion dollar investment; an6
they have prescribed what part of the
states right of eminent domain SHOULD
be turned over TO them, buying legisla-
lures when necessary, to enable them
TO override individual rights and pub
lie welfare. In yielding to the impor-
tunities of these interests commerce.
agriculture and labor have been de
prived, not only of benificent, but of
just legislation
So our merchant marine, that did 70
per cent of our foreign carrying trade
in 1856, 80 per cent in 1876, and 15 per
cent in 1886, only got 10 per cent of
the profits of our immense traffic in
1888. So our agriculture was robbed
of one and one-half billion dollars, or
Is per cent Of its capital in the year
1879 for the purpose of giving extortio-
nate profits to the bankers, manufac-
turers and railroads, and this industry
the basis of our prosperity and the
foundation of our institutions, is fast
going to the wall from the same dis
eliminating, oppressive and pernicious
legislation, as not only the profits but
part of the capital of this industri-
Gus class has been going for the past
10 or 20 years to make up the 2 or
per cent month profit for the manu-
facturer, and to meet interest on the
watered railroad stock, and pay divi-
dends on the trust certificates. And
the laborer, whose vote has been
bought by promises of ''fair share of
the mutual profits" not only gets none
of the profits, but he does not get fair
pay for his labor.
A majority of the honorable body
over which you preside would prompt
ly and cheerfully indorse the assertion
that the party which in 1872 publicly
promised ''for labor, the creator of
capital, the largest opportunity and a
fair share of the mutual profits . had
made no effort to redeem their pledge: