The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-08-03

Railroad company deplored the necess'
ity Of the recent reduction made IN the
wages of their employees. This is true
of large manufacturing concerns. BE-
tween the demand of cheap products on
the part of the people, and fierce compe-
tition of producers, the employer is com
pelled to reduce the price OF labor. YET
it is a remarkable fact that the wage
earners have been demanding and voting
for these cheap products-the farmers
have been voting for cheaper goods,
while deploring at the same time their
inability to get living ,crice tor farm
products-labor organizing and striking
for higher wages, and yet voting for
cheaper products-farners organizing
against higher wages, but agitAting and
voting for higher prices for their pro-
ducts.
| 1t is gross mistake, then, that wage
earners are laboring under, that a mon
eyed class in this country are system
atically scheming to reduce the wages
Of labor and oppress the poor. This is
a miserable lie, being taught by the
political agitator and demagogue, who
hope to reap some benefit by creating a
| fight between these two important
classes Of the community.
Reason teaches and common sense
makes plain the truth, that community
| interests-and that means the interest OF
everybody, rich and poor-demand good
wages for labor. 1t could not be other
wise, for all men are bound together in
one bundle of life. The more money the
mechanic earns, the more he will have
te spend in the interests OF his commun
| ity-the more money the laborer earns
the larger are the earnings OF the capital
lst. These things JOIN TO make what we
call good times, when everybody has
work at good wages-than the income
OF the capitalists is safer and better.
1t is safe to say that the entire CON.
munity sympathizes with the desire o
the laboring men for good wages, and
yet this same community would not sym
pathize with strikers and boycotters
Now what about the agitators and dem.
ogogues that teach that there is great
war between capital and labor, and
strive by every endeavor 10 tomen,
trouble between these two classes? The.
are enemies to the community ty-they are
enemies to their country. These are
times that try mems souls-times full
OF trouble and hardship to every body
the rich, the middle and the poor IL an
We are passing through the greatest
| financial panic ever experienced by this
country Laboring men by the thou>-
ands are out Of work-the value of al
real estate has deprecated -industrla
stocks have shrunk in value until The,
are nearly worthless. Men that were
earning good living a few months ago
are now begging bread, and men tina
were rich are numbered among bank
rupts. Financial ruin has come t.
thousands of homes People diffe. as
to the cause that led UP to this state O
affairs. 1t is no place 10 discuss that
here--it is enough to know that these
times are upon us.
Let II be repeated then-tbat under al
the excitement and bitterness, will
which great panic like this is assocat
ed, it IS no time, and no place, for men
TO agltate and increase the bitterne IS be
tween what they call the classes. They
should be branded as enemies Of the
comm unity. these political agi,ators
are dong the workingmen's cause, which
they profess to espouse, an infinite
! amount Of harm. Every time they agi-
tate for strikes and boycotts, or for radl.
cal legislation, they jar aud unse,tle the
finances OF the country. drive money out
OF circulation, and render still more diff
ficult tor capital to lind profitable en-.
ployment, and the wage earne.s to pe,
| work.
s. I. SATTERTHWAITE.
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