New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-09
THE INCENDI4RY AT WORK.

Mr. Bryan stated Il few days ago that his
Labor Day address at Chicago would be one
of the most important he would deliver in the
campaign Therefore it must be- assumed that
he thoroughly prepared it. and every state
mcnt therein must be taken as deliberately
made. The whole performance shows clab-
crate planning between the Democratic Ma
tional Committee and the heads Of Labor
Unions who invited Chairman Jones and his
associates of the Democratic National Commit
tee to sit upon the platform at IA professcdly
non-parisan gathering but extended no invi-
Hition To other political leaders. All know. of
course that such abuse of the nature and pur
pose of labor organizations tends powerfully
10 destroy thenl-to deprive them Of member
ship support and influence. The great body OF
trades-union members who have deliberately
resolved to vote against Organism and the
swindling dollar and Free Trade Which he adj
vocatcs will have neither respect nor attach
mcnt for Il labor organization whose managers
violate the fundamental principle Of its exist
encc hv prpstituting il 10 the Use of a party.
The men who do this are therefore the worst
enemies the organization can have.
Speaking under such conditions Mr.. Bryan
began at once with his customary attempt TO
Influence the Door against the rich. the en-
ployed against the employer Thus he talked
of 'the warfare" of laboring men against
banks railroads and "all wealthy corpora
tions" But what warfare has the laborinG
man with the bank which holds his savings. or
which saves the employer from closing his
works and discharging his hands by making
him loan: or with the railroad which brings
him cheaper bread from Dakota or cheaper
meat from Texas than he could otherwise get!
What "warfare' has he with the WealthY
corporations which insure his life for the bene-
fit of his wife and children or with the cor
porations which give him cheaper clothes,
cheaper shoes and cheaper tools than he could
otherwise get: or with the building and loan
corporations which give him opportunity to ac-
Qure q home?
Mr.. BRYAN is not so stupid 10 be igno-
rant of these things. He is simply dcma-
goguc who tries 10 play upon the passions
and preiudices of workingmen, knowing that
it is to their own infinite harm. in order to
steal their votes. So he talks of the "Strug-
Cling masses who produce the wealth and pay
the taxes of the country" but the man well
knows that wealth is not produced without
combination of capital with labor, and that by
far the greatest share of all taxes Is pald by
property and not by labor. Probably he does
not know yet it is true. that the present Demo
cratic tariff which he defends compels the
workingman 10 pay AT least SJOOO0OO more
| in taxes on sugar and liquor than the Mckin-
| ley tariff levied on them. but takes off large
| part of the taxes paid by foreign manufact-
| urers and importers under the Republican tariff
/ for the privilege of dealing in this market, and
takes off also a large part of the taxes paid
/ by the wealthy on fine imported goods and ar
ticlcs of luxury.
Mr. Bryans account of arbitration let out
another Of his most dangerous and seditiOus
suggestions lie talked Of differences between
employers and employees" and favored IAN I'M
partial tribunal before which a man may
'comc TO settle his differences instead of resort
ing TO violence to settle them If this means
ANYTHING, it means that the cmpoyc may
rightly and must be expected TO resort TO VIC
lence" when an employer does not desire to en-
ploy him longer unless there is an impartial
tribunal which can compel the employer TO
hire and pay that particular man. If an en-
ployer announces that he cannot pay more than
certain named wages. and the employed do not
wish to accept them they have unquestioncd
right to cease work But what possible right
have they to resort TO violence about the
question:
From beginning to end. the spirit Of the law
breaker and the Anarchist appears in every
! speech of this incendiary. His whole effort is
TO sci the worker against those who must be
both able and willing 70 employ him before he
can get a living. and this man Bryan does not
care that the workers suffer infinitely more
than the employer in 1.-THE warfare which
demagOgues insiigate for their selfish ends.