Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-07-26
John A. MOrtOn,s Letter.

John A. MOrtOn'S Letter.
1.-THE writer Of the following letter to tho 0sborn
GouIty He,C' has been heretofore . republican, Il
the head OF the mercantile arm Of Morton Par
bons, Of osborne, Kas has been three times elected
mayor Of the city and is now serving his third
term. Like many another good republican, he Il
very weary Of republican rule, as VIII appear from
his letter-ED.l
In an editorial pointing out the danger
exieting from mob law az exemplihed IN
the actions of the "oOmmonwealers," the
coal strikers, and "tramps" generally, the
Farmer of last week has this to say in
conclusion:
sour deliberate Judgment is, that the
people should send to Washington Con
gress with the patriotism and courage "a
grapple with these alarming conditions
a Congress that will hurl back into the
ocean of expired devils the cursed doc
trine Of state rights, where the results OF
the late war logically placed itj Congress
that will make every anarchist In this cOun.
try wearer of rope neoktie, an inmate
Of prison, or a resident Of another Ooun.
tryj q Congress with brains enough to
detect existing frailties In our government.
tai system and to supply national legisla.
ton along various lines where II 10 needed
Better by far it is to adopt this plan, In.
sure the public tranquility, and maintain
at their minimum strength our small army
and navy, than to let thrive the venOmoue
viper Of treason until every state shall be,
come the homo of division or corps OF
! national troops, and oppressive taxation
and vice unrestrsined become the rule Of
action"
The Farmer speaks we'll In saying "OuI
deliberate judgment is, that the people
should send to Warrington a Congress
with the patriotism and courage to grapplS
with these alarming conditions" Be-
fore proceeding further in the oonsidera.
ton Of the cure, let us stop and inquire
when this trouble originated, and, II pos.
sible, notice some of the causes. The
Farmer no doubt would argue that the
troubleE do not date further back than
A. d. 1898, and that they are caused
by democratic supremacy and populist
idiOoy. The asoendenoy of the demo.
cratic party elected on platform pledged
to "tarif REFORM" which means an I'M
settling of values In the commercial
world, no doubt precipitated the acute
form of hard times which has been the
country's portion for the last IL months;
but to say that that alone is the cause is
to ignore the facts of history during the
last quarter of century. We're there NO
strikes prior to 1892 No tramps prior
to 1897 No sweating shops" prior to
1891 No thousands of toiling people
working on starvation wages prior to
1897 If not, then, indeed, it must be
true that democratic incompetency and
populist rRnting are the causes. If, on
the contrary, these things existed, though
In lesser degree, we must look elsewhere
for the cause. A careful investigation
discloses the fact that within a decade
from the close Of the war "hard times
began to be felt, and along in the '70's the
tramp nuisance assumed alarming pro-
portions. Strikes and lookouts were
numerous. Since that time the general
tendency has been an increase rather
than diminution of labor troubles. The
situation is now serious.
II would not be possible within the lin
its of single newspaper article TO attempt
to trace the various causes which have COM
bined to produce the conditions which now
confront us. 1t may be said in general
way, however, that all legislation which
tended to contract the volume of the cur
renoy and increase the value of securities
Is, in some measure, responsible for IL; for
an appreciation of money means depre-
citation Of that which is used to obtain
money-labor and the products of labor.
Intemperance and extravaganza are fruit
full sources of hard times; but they are
secondary causes, and have little or no CON
neOtion with the great strikes now in prog
ress or the gathering together of Coxeyites.
A great many of our newspapers, the
Farmer among the number, seem to mis-
take the symptoms for the malady, the
manifestations of disease for the disease
itself. The physician who would pay no
attention to anything but symptoms would
soon be pronounced a quack. No matter
how serious the strikes now in progress
are, the causes which produce them are
more serious still. No matter how serious
Tor ridiculous) the Coxey movement may
become, the causes which make such
possible are more serious still.
Judge Albion W. Tourgee, recognized
the country as one Of the best
of true republican principles,
in recent letter, replies as follows to the
charge that he Is in sympathy with the
" commOnwealers "He ia glad TO be REQ
ognized as one who has sympathy with
anyone who suffers wrong or hardships,
no matter who or what may be the cause
He even sympRthizes sometimes with those
who think they suffer wrong, whether they
really do or not" And says further, "the
weak are not those who create conditions;
they are only the first tosuffer from them"
He further indOrses the following from |
another republican: ~ fully agree with
you that there Is another 'irrepressible
,onAict' before us, unless those who have
theparty policy and governmental
tendency give US breathing spell. Pop.
llism Is, in purpose, only protest against
oossism and corporate control Of the
party and legislation. That is what II is
aere In the West, at least. Its wild ideas
Is to the remedy are the result of hnan-
'ial depression and apprehension for the
'utuEe.
"The national carbuncle, as l call II,
which Is the core Of all our troubles, has
,een fictitious capitalization, stock job
ping, and combination In restrai1 Of COM