The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-10-23
PUBLIC OPINION.
Josiah Beck Has a Few Time
ly Words of Advice For
WOrkingmen Before They
Go to the Polls to Vote,
Edited by Sam, a. King.

To the Editor of PUBLIC OPINION,
The great republic of America and
what is repu5liC2 The answer to this
may seem very easy and ought to be so,
yet how few take enough interest t.
answer the question in its relation to
an absolute or monarchical form of gov
eminent. In this short article we do
not propose and have not space to enter
into the subject in its many varied
forms of difference from absolutism,
but would endeavor to point out some
of its many advantages over a govern
ment as we know it in England and
Germany.
A republican form of government
should give to ali it's citizens the great
est possible amount of religious and
civil liberty. Legislation should he
such that the poorest member of the
commonwealth should have guaranteed
to him rights and Justice equal to that
of the richest and most powerful citi-
zen.
Can we truShfully say that is th con-
dition OF things in America today? As
honest men we must confess it is not SO,
for we see millions of our wOrkingmeu
seeking work wi hout success. Men
whose greatest ambition is to provide
Literally for their wives and children
but who have to become the recipients
of charity to keep the gaVnt wolf hun
ger from their doors.
Is this resulting from lack of wealth
in our republic? Certainly not, for we
see manufacturers and spectators be-
coming richer than ever individuals
became in the history of the world.
Is it possible that such terrible mis-
takes are being made by our Legislators
that the toilers Of this or America,
are being cast aside as though they had
no part only as workers for the rich
and powerful of this republic? If this
be the fact. is it not time to call halt
and inquire the reason for this condi-
ton of things and endeavor to find
remedy?
We have in America today two great
dominating parties who are making
general laws and directing the course
of the affairs of the nation, one is the
democratic party the other called the
republican. Now which of these
two parties can we look with hope of |
relief from our present burdens, and
what can we take as practical illustra-
tions of what the principles of either
has done in the past for the well being
of humanity
If we turn to England we see it has
become the greatest nation commerce.
ally on the globe, but what of the rank !
and file, of the wage Garner? We see
men in the agricultural districts of |
that country working year in and year
out for 300 or u shillings per week,
with no prospects for old age but the
poorhouse. On the other hand we see
the merchant princes building man
sions, amassing wealth to an extent
never before seen in any age of the
world. Is the fault in the law or in the
people? Any one may answer as he
chooses, but the wage worker makes
none of the laws, The rich make the
laws and are such that any thinking
man may justly call class legislation,
AMI there believe lies the evil, and if
not checked tie wage worker will be-
come as the pariah of India, or the
poorest Russian peasant. Class legis-
lation in this country we call republic
canism. 1t has been tried in the bal
ances of time and found wanting and
we have to seek relief elsewhere, hut
where shall we find it? Can it be found
in the democratic party and its prin-
ciples? l answer unqualifiedly, yes.
The principles OF the democratic party
are those on which true republic is
founded. Equal justice to all being
one of its cardinal virtues, with that
principle standing out foremost in its
belief. The working man, who is the
Of all country's prosper
ity, must and will be cared for, legis
lated for and protected, and in the
coming struggle for supremacy at the
polls every wage-earner who has
bis own and famliy's well-being
al heart, or any man who has.seen the
sncroachmenJ that wealth has made
in the past century Of the worlds his
tory and how it is securing for itself
Rll the benefits of legislation, must, in
all reason and protection to himself
and future generations of working men,
vote for the adoption of democratic
that the gold bugs of the
country must be stayed in their evil
of all the good that is in
life and let their fellows who are poor
have the protection from the ills of
ife that they are justly entitled to,
both mans laws and that of our Great
Creator.
In conclusionj l would say to all
men, decide before the chains
Of republican rule are so fastened
about you that you have no escape.
Be true to yourselves and spurn the
goldite rule that will make you bonds
men forever. Yours truly,
]. BECK.
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