Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1894-09-12

he intends to be his own poss, lhoss
who assembled to listen to the political
speeches of Labor day were few IN mum
Der and mostly those who think that the
organization OF labor is a means TO q
political rather than to an economic
end. The vast body of working people
took their holiday quietly, enjoyed
themselves in their own way and LETT
the political orators to their own de-
vices. The time has not come in this
country when the laborer will accept
anybody's dictation as to the disposition
of his vote. The average laborer, more
over, at least in Minnesota, is intelll-
gent enough to know that the most
suicidal use which he could make OF
that vote is to bestow it on the Populist
candidates.
Populist Strength Is Rapidly Decreasing.
1t is the unanimous opinion of those
best situated for observing the course
of public opinion and the shifting OF
political feeling among the masses, that
the Popuist strength is already dechn-
ing rapidly from day to day. The only
hope of that party lay in fusion. But
the Democrats have had enough OF that
Dose Fusion has gone out OF fashion
everywhere. In Minnesota, In the Da-
kotas, everywhere throughout the
Northwest, the party has put up a
straight ticket of its own, and left the
Populists to founder in the nire. This
is the part of wise party policy and OF
true public spirit. Any decent Demo-
crat prefers Republican and any de-
cent Republican prefers Democrat in
Office to crazy, law-defying, anarch-
istic Populist. The day Of fusion is
over; and as for the Populists carrying
any state this year outside of the
Rocky Mountain tier, where patriotism
and even love of liberty have been sac
rifced to the interests of the mine own
ers, it is out of the question. In Mime
sofa the party is badly torn up. The
fight between the representatives OF
rival candidates for the senatorship and
rival aspirants to the position of news
paper representative of the organization
grows more bitter instead of becoming
composed. The latest issue of Donnelly's
Representative is full of the foul
mouthed abuse for which he is noted;
but turned this time with as much
energy against his Populist associates
as against the members of either of the
other parties. He roasts Tom Lucas
and j. L. Macdonald in good shape, re-
gardless of the fact that the latter is
chairman of the Populist committee,
and entitled therefore to titular respect.
1t is impossible, in the nature of
things, that the hoped for alliance be-
tween the farmers vote in the country
and the labor vote in the great cities
can be brought about. Either of these
for moment to see that it's interests
are Numerically opposed to those of
the other. What the farmer wants is
cheap labor and high prices for
agricultural products What the city
workingman wants is high wages and
low prices for the necessaries Of
life. 1t is as useless to try to harmonic
these elements as to bring the American
Association of Bankers and free silver
convention into line on the money
question. Every farmer in the State of
Minnesota knows that the most serious
expense to which he is put is that for
the labor required to help him put in
and gather his crops. The wages of his
help have been rising constantly for the
last twenty to thirty years. They must
be paid in cash On the other hand,
the only source from which he can get
cash is the sale of his farm products;
and these have been bringing him in
less money year after year. Anything
that would increase this tendency must
be simply ruinous to him.
The aim of the labor unions, on the
other side, is to raise wages steadily in
all employments. Their work reflects
powerfully upon farm labor. For,
while the unions themselves do not in
clude farm workers, they establish
scale to which the farmer must conform.
II q man feels that, by going to one of
the cities, he can command certain
daily wage, even as a common daily
laborer, he will not remain upon the
farm unless at least an equal amount is
offered to him. In the fact of the in
creased wages in cities lies the explana-
ton Of the growing scarcity Of farm
labor aud the decreased profits of the
farmer. But the mechanic and artisan
is bent upon accelerating this tendency;
while any increase in the price of -four
or beef or pork or anything that the
g 10
fortune to lin. No thoughtful man
can fail to preceive shab all the antag-
onisms that have been pointed out be-
tween capital and labor are less serious
than those existing between the man
who tills the farm and the man who
works in the shop Or factory. it is
these irreconcileable eiements that the
Peoples party hopes to unite by appeal
ing to ignorance and prejudice. But
the result could be only to make one
faction cats paw to pull chestnuts
out of the fire for the other The legis-
lation that either asks would be ruinous
to the other. And as the city element
is the stronger, the better organized
and the more determined, it is that
which would prevail in the end. Every
farmer who votes for the Peoples party
under present conditions may rest as.
sured that he is voting for cheaper
farm products and higher prices for
labor Of Fl kinds; not only farm labor,
but the labor employed il producing
the articles which he has to buy, l1eees-
stating higher prices for them. Let
him ask any Populist how these con-
1icting principles are to be reconciled,
and siye 70 this branch of the question
;ome hours Of serious thought before
election day comes around.
Catarrh Cannot be Cured
With local applications, rs they can
lot reach the seat Of the disease.