The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-09

around and literally drove away those
men who toll with their hands.
''In the spring Of 1898, President Cleve-
land was urged to convene congress at
once for the purpose Of considering the
tariff question. At that time a fair tariff
reform bill could have been passed in
SIX weeks. The country had spoke en-
upon the subject The sentiment Of the
American people was nearly unanimous
and even the corrupting agents Of mon
Opolies were ready to surrender.
Had this course been taken the great
business and manufacturing interests
of the country would have at once ad-
justed themselves to the new conditions
and gone to work. The country would
have again settled down and there would
have been no tariff discussion this cam
paign. But instead of listening to the
voice of the American people Cleveland
was accessible only to foreign and east
ern money manipulators. The result
that the conditions growing out Of
the panic were intens fed, and the bu5i-
ness and manufacturing interests Of the
country were practically kept al a stand
still for eighteen months, during which
time thousands of laborers we're COM
PEELED to beg bread
s. he result was not only dissatisfac-
ton but disgust Never before in The
history of the republic has such a gigan-
tic blunber been committed by presi-
dent
"While these causes did not produce
the conditions which gave rise TO the
great coal and great railroad strikes
last summer, they did intensity these
conditions.
"In fact there is doubt whether we
would have had either strike If the tariff
question had been settled in the spring
of 1898. After having helped to produce
these great distur Dances, the federal
administration turned its face against
the great mass of laboring forces
of the country and placed all the powers
of government under the control Of cor
pOrAtiOns- In Chicago during the rail-
road strike before any riOting or de-
strucrion Of property. aud before any
thing happened to indicate that the local
authorities could not maintain law and
order, and before the state authorities
we're asked for assistance, the federal
government. violating the constitution
and principles of local self government
which the Democratic party had advo-
Gated for hundred years, interfered,
both through the federal judiciary and
by the use of federal troops bv the di-
rectiOn of the attorney general and pres
ident.
The country then discovered that it
had q corporation lawyer for attorney
general. and although there was in Chi
cago complete machinery for the admin
istration Of justice, yet SO eager were
the federal authorities to serve corpora
JlOnS th&l the usual stnacnlnery OF justice
IN Chicago was not trusted.
"A special representative was appointed
to directly represent the government as
prosecutor and the country was amazed
at the selection made. The administration
selected not only a Republican, but one
of the most prominent corporation law
yers Of the country. and who was the at
torney for some Of the railroads involved
IN the strike. and had, therefore, direct
personal interest in the outcome
~ YeI he WAS put in charge Of the ma
chinery Of justice and brought to the
service of his clients. without any ex-
pense to them, United States marshals,
grand juries, courts and army. All this
under administration that had
been placed in power by the Democrat c
party. Hundreds of honest and indus
trious men who had violated no statute
and transgressed no law were thrown
into prison, on the mere charge of being
guilty of contempt Of court and the toll
ing masses became alarmed not simply
for their material welfare, but for the