The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-09-13

for using the power we have needless
y, 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 q vast republican experiment. These
wrongs will be righted through the
laws or under the authority we now
possess, or our civilization will go
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 strug-
Cling to possess its own vineyard, and
the plutocratic usurpers defending their
plumber with their lives, to be followed
by the gloom of q stormy, starless
night.
The 10000 millionaires of the coun-
try are largely a result of official IA
voriteism; of corporate and plutocratic
control of government policy and COM
mercial channels; of schedules of taxa
ton that have been imposed for the
purpose of making them.
The bankers have dictated the fnan-
cial policy of the government. Is it
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 two to three 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
SIC, 900, 600, 900 property on six or
seven billion dollar investment; and
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 benifcent, but of
just legislation.
So our merchant marine, that did
Is cent of our foreign carrying trade
in 1856, 33 per cent. in 1876, and Is 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 ID
per cent. of it's capital in the year 1879
for the purpose of giving extortionate
profits to the bankers, manu- facturers
and railroads, and this industry, the
basis of our prosperity and the founda-
ton of our institutions, is fast going to
the wall from the same discriminating,
oppressive and pernicious legislation,
as not only the profits but a part of the
capital of this Industrious class has
been going for the past ten or twenty
years to make up the two or three per
cent a month profit for the manufact-
urer, 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 a ''fair share of the mu-
tual profits, not only gets none of the
profits, but he does not get fair pay for
his labor.
Mr.. Speaker: A majority of the hon
orable body over which you preside
would promptly and cheerfully indorse
the assertion that the party which in
| 1872 publicly promised for labor the
creator of capital, the largest oppor-
tunity and fair share of the mutual
profits,'' had made no effort to redeem
their pledge; and your predecessor,
with his political friends on the floor
of the house, would as readily and
! gladly subscribe to the statement that
the party which in 1884 publicly de-
clared that "labor has a right to de-
mand a just share of the profits of it's
own production" has been equally sue
cessfully in violating their promise.
No truthful man who is acquainted
with our recent history, and can read
the signs of the times, will deny the
accuracy of either of these charges
In behalf of those whom the would
be builders rejected;
In behalf of 500, 900 American citizens
who, in the language of a noted west
ern ex-senator, liable and willing to
work, are homeless tramps, starving
for bread;"
In behalf of million idle laborers
whose Fundamental right to labor the
EARTH" as stated by jefferson 1O7 years
ago, has never been rescinded:
In behalf of an army of paupers, esti-
mated by one of our wisest and best
economists at 10000 900;
In behalf of the plundered farmers
whose efforts and industry have been
the basis of our greatness, and whose
courage and wisdom have been the
source of our progress and standing;
In behalf of the loyal soldiers of the
late war, that they may have not only
the pension that they deserve but that
they may receive that which the gov
eminent owes them on account of the
deprecated money in which they were
paid, with interest on this balance at 6
per cent. from January 1, 1866;
In behalf of the rank and file of our
industrial 1epiOnS who arc hainr driven