The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-05
A BARErFACED FRAUD

\ n ASI1O
Some thirty-five years ago four stall
wart brothers formed partnership to
conduct Il blacksmith shop in northern
| Indiana. They We're the sons of poor
but respectable parents, and knowing
| of no legitimate way to gain 4 liveli-
| hood than to earn it, they selected this
rather arduous calling because it seem
ed to offer the greatest inducements
at that time and place. 1t was before
| the day of strikes and walking dele
gates, and the trade chosen admitted
| of no conditions save that which was
most congenial to these brawny
brothers. The hours constituting i
days work were regulated by the
orders which came in. If there was
extra work the forge was lighted, and
the sound of the hammers was heard
long after the stores and shops were
closed, but every stroke of the heavy
sledge was so much toward the con-
version of labor into cash capital This
was the humble beginning OF the Stu
debaker wagon works. The growth OF
this great industry is so much a part
of the history Of western development
that history would not be complete
without it. If the example teaches any
thing it teaches that permanent success
is only hammered out upon some anvil,
or wrought at the bench which was
built for woodwork of kind which
has never failed to bring its reward
since the tiller of the soil found his
bread by delving in the rich valley Of
the Nile. Surely these men, by means
that are at once legitimate and COM
mendable, have solved the problem Of
building a private fortune through
their own efforts, combined with labor
of well-paid laboring people. The
wage-earner was no less factor in the
splendid achievement than the work,
the capital and the brains of these
practical men. This fact they have
fully recognized, and so it has been by
all similar concerns in the country.
yet there was one man last July so
blinded to the fearful consequences of
sands Of laboring people, and thus cut
off their only means of sustaining life.
This act of cruelty is almost without a
parallel in the annals of crime, yet we
beheld in st. Louis last week the sick
ening spectacle of a so-called national
political party adopting resolutions as
surfing the culprit Debs of their zap
probation of his heroism shown in de-
Tending the rights of American work
men," The scene of Mr.. Debs' exploits
is scarcely an hours ride from the great
wagon works, established by means
exactly the opposite of those adopted
by this soft-handed, evil-minded agi-
tatOr, yet within the lifetime of its
founders here is national convention
of voters and citizens passing resOlu- !
tons, in effect, condemning the prin-
ciples adopted by these brothers with
such grand results. Not only this, but
there was not a member of that con-
ventioD who was not loaded TO the |
muzzle with denunciation of all similar |
prosperous institutions as "monopo- !
lies" and ''usurpers upon the rights of |
workingmen."
There is no miStaking the sentiment |
and purpose of these .eSolTtions |
Debs. the Anarchist, languishes in Jail, |
suffering but fractional part of the |
penalty of outra ged law. The hunger |
OF thousands and death of hundreds |
have not been taken into account in |
the preliminary proceedings which !,
sent him TO jail, yet he has the sym |
pathy of Il convention for his hero |
ism" Such sympathy and such reso- |
lutions are revolutionary, and will be |
so regarded by all sensible. laboring |
people. There was not a man, or Il |
quartet, of that convention who may |
not, by the same process. duplicate the |
of the StudebakerS, yet |
they deliberately choose to incite the |
army of operatives in the employ of |
such enterprises to acts of violence.
Let it be understood by the real |
working men that these jawSmithS and |
resolution builders are not wage-earn- |
ers. nor have they an atom of SYM
pathy for, or interest in them save to |
influence their votes. While they pose |
as the benefactorS of labor. the real |
purpose is TO secure q following upon |
which they expect to ride into Office |
1t were pity that any man can be |
blinded TO the real motive of such peo- |
pie.