The Monticellonian., 1894-12-28
JOHN BURNS, M. p.


 the Watehword of the Money Kings
 Unite and Conquer the Watchword of
 Socislism-English Bluntness on Ameri-
 can Errors.
 ST. LOUIS, Dec. 22.-At s:30 o'clock last evening, an hour later than the advertised time, John Burns, NJ. P, was introduced to an audience of 4,000 at the exposition. The stage was dec orated with British and American flags and a brass band contributed it's lusty share of the "Conquering Hero. :"
 Without preliminaries other than a few words of introduction Mr Burns plunged into the subject of Trades Unions and Social and Municipal Re- forms"
 Conditions in this country surprised him, and he saw the beginning of great problems, involving the best means by which social and industrial intcrcets of the producers can be subserved. He argued in favor of the participat tion of trades unions in all social and political questions.
 In citing some of the causes that have produced the great and growing di- sparity between the rich and the poor, he said: Underconsumption overproduction and the Satanic selfishness of greedy monopoly have produced the vagrants and the Vanderbilts. The one is an enormity and the other is a monstrosity. As the percentage of the share of the laborer in his product has decreased that of the capitalist has increased. Just now the currency conjurers are kicking up a dust to blind you to the situation, at the same time increasing the great disparity"
 As remedy for this MT. Burns sug- gested socialism, pure and simple. He dealt out caustic criticisms to Ameri- can municipal government, and thought socialism the panacea.
 ''Thomas Carlyle, the keenest critic and the greatest scold of his age, has warned the world that a catastrophe to aggrandized wealth Is approaching than cannot be avoided, when human nature, like everything else in nature, will find an equilibrium.
 Nature has been more bountiful to you than any people in the world. You have not the burden of inilitarism, unless I except the pension list ap- piausel !, that we have in Europe. One fifth of the ablebodied population of Europe is armed and schooled in kill ing. But you have a greater burden LOGO millionaircs and 100, GOO tramps, You have the mania of speculation and the curse of commercial gambling Here the big fish cat the little fish, and the little fish eat mud. It is time for state interference when greed and sel- iishness control the country.
 America is also responsible for con dition that can not now be remedicd- I speak of the disappearance of the in ventive capacity of Americans. Fac tory work is now subdivided SO that every operative is merely q part of the machinery, Il cog in one of the wheels In factories men have been displaced by women and children and the two latter displaced by machinery.
 l appeal to you to stand by the trade unions. There is your only salvation But for trade unions wages would be- come the pittance of charity doled out by the masters. But even trades unions are only means to the end. am n socialist. Applause. While keep one eye on the millennium, focus the other on the stumbling blocks and pitfalls in the industrial pathway. Norkmen must hang to- gether or they will hang separately. Divide the enemy and conquer" is the watchword of the money kings and unite and conquer is the watch word of socialism
 Pardon my British bluntness, for l am going to deseerate one of your idols When Napoleon wanted few thousand men to die for his glory he gave them, to use a comprehensive Amercanism. taffy. Soldiers of France, forty centuries look down upon you Every soldier may be carry ing in his knapsack n marShal's ba- ton Americans have also jingling and senseless toys flung to them. You are told that every office is attaina ble; that the boy born in a cabin may be- come president. If this were ever true it is not true now. The honors and emoluments are reserved for class.
 Again urge you to organize and warn you against the cons scquenccs of of apathy. There is no stopping point in nature-no place where matters are good enough. lou must either go up or down, and believe you are not now travelling fast enough in the right direction.
 Mir. Burns leaves tonight for h.