Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-01-12
IRONTON, MO. THURSDAY. j.
The Mistakes of ]. Wyman Jones.

BILE gentleman: one who stands high in
financial circles, and whose opinion
about political and other matters en-
title him to as much consideration as
any other gentlemen who sport an
Abbreviated front name Notwithstand-
ing the fact that he is the autOcrat OF
a territory large enough TO make feu-
daI baron of the Middle Ages green with
envy, and that he is clothed with pow
er so ample that no man may breathe
the air of his domains except with his
consent, he has not been liberated from
the human infrmity of making mis-
takes. one Of which We kindly volun-
teer to point out to him at the risk of
incurring not only his own displeasure,
but the censure of every one Of his
Photographs who happen to see this
article. It is, perhaps, superfuous TO
say that Mr.. Jones is a politician That
goes without saying. No president of
a great protected industry could be
otherwise than a politician Every
monopoly in this country owes its ex-
is.ence to political system that must
be upheld If they are to be perpetual
ed. and that system is looked after
quite as closely by corporation manag-
ers as any department under their con-
troll. 1t is in the management of his
political interests that the President OF
the ST. Joe Lead Company seems to Us
to have been short-sighted. Had he
been a mere private citizen, it would
perhaps have been well enough for him
TO have lighted his domain by electric
ity, or to furnish the community with
virtually free baths. free libraries, or
free music by a brass band: but. as the
custodian of vast political responsible
ties, he should have thought twice be-
fore entering upon such course.
From his standpoint it was edueat-
ing his workingmen in the right diree-
ton 1t was teaching them to depend
upon the Company for the comforts.
pleasures and conveniences of life, as
they were already dependent to very
great degree upon the Company for
food. clothing and shelter. 1t was
teaching them to depend more and
more upon the Company for the graft
fcation of their desires. and less and
less upon their individual exertion.
The ideal workingman, in the mind OF
the manager of a great protected indus
try, is one who depends upon the COM
pany for every thing. and who permits
the company to 90 his voting and think
ing for him. 1t is because the Hun
and Italian come so near to meeting
these requirements that they have so
largely supplanted American working
men. but even the brain of Hun or a
Dago is not entirely devoid of gray
matter. There is remnant" in ev-
cry body of working men who think.
and. 10 greater or less extent, dominate
the thought of their fellows
1t was this class that Mr.. Jones over
looked in making his calculation. II
he had given the matter a half hours
serious thought, he would have seen
that every one of this class who en-
loved the convenience of his electric
lights and lounged in his pleasant, free
reading room: listened TO his band, or
refreshed himself in his natatoriu M
would ask himself, ..where does the
get money to do all this?
What is It for2 Is this done for sweet !
charity's sake, or is it done to make |
me better contented with my condition |
to bind me more and more to the !
company by making me dependent up
On it for these things? Is my condi- |
lion what it ought to be? Has it not |
been by my labor and the labor of men |!
ike me that this vast wealth has been |
amassed2 Have l received my fair |
share? Ought not these supurfuities |
TO have gone into my wages that
might dispose OF it in my own way
either to lay by for the rainy day. Or to |
spend in riotous living. If wanted to? |
Who pays for this, any way? Am ! /
and men like me not taxed for it, so |
that. after all, it comes out of my own |
pocket? Where am really benefited |
OF the system that makes such vast /
aecumulations Of wealth possible? Af-
.er all. Is it right?" Perhaps Mr.. |
Jones never thought that such ques-s
ions would arise in the minds of his /
men. but they have arisen It never /
occurred to him that his men would |
-egard his uuniicence in the light of a /
oribe to them to lie still. /
Mr.. Jones perhaps never contem- /
plated the arrival of the day when the /
people of all classes In this country
would lay aside tables of statistics and /
propose to themselves this simple ques-
ion: lis it right to use taxing power
% take the money out of the pocket OF /
,ne man in this country without his /
consent and against his viii, and place !
t in the pocket of another. on any pre-
.exts- But this is exactly what has