Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-31
wage.Earners Appeal to Farmers
for Concerted Action Against
Coercion and McKinIeyism.
The SAME INTERESTS.
The Hope of Good Government Rests
Largely with the Independent
and Patriotic Farmer.
The Interests Of All Producers Wrapped
Up in the Election Of Bryan and the
Success of Free silver-Protee-
tion Against Coercion and
Intimidation.

The following stirring and patriotic
appeal has been addressed to the pro-
ducers of the Mississippi valley by the
organized workEen of Chicago:
CHICAGO, Oct. q, 1925.
To THE FARMERS AND AGRICULTURAL La
DoRERs OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND OF
TIE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY-GREETING:
AS representing the interests and
having at heart the welfare of the
wage-earning classes of our cities and
great centers CT industy. We address
you, as we APPROACH the close of this
momentous campaign, upon a question
that we believe to be of vital interest
to all those who are engaged in the
productive industries of the country.
1t is a fact conceded by all intelligent
persons, that the wealth of the coun-
try is the result Of its productive en-
ergy; that the toiling masses, those
who work with their hands in the in
dustries of life, in fact produce all of
the material wealth of the world. We
do not propose to underestimate the
value of intelligence in the directing of
industry; nor do we ignore the impor-
lance of intellectual labor; but we re-
peat, that the material wealth of the
world is the result of its manual toll.
applied to natural resources. In view
of this truism we insist that the condi-
ton of any country is utterly deplor-
able when. as in our land. more than
IS per cent. Of the wealth of the nation
is in the hands of less than 10 per cent.
of its population, as shown by the sta
tistics of the last census report: this 10
per cent. embracing not a single pro-
ducer. but only the men who grow rich
and powerful by the manipulation OF
money and of property. When. as in
this country. we find that the toiling
Masses, as representing more than So
per cent. of the population, pos
sess. as shown by the same statis-
tics. less than 16 per cent. of the wealth
of the country, we submit that these
facts indicate deplorable state of So
ciety, particularly when II will be ad-
mitted that the great majority of our
wage-earning poulaton are men and
women who are at once industrious and
honest, capable ard the most intelli-
gent wage-earners in the world.
It is a truism in finance that they
who control the money of a nation
control its life. The more you reduce
the volume of money by so much you
increase it's purchasing power. and
give to those who hold il an advantage
which is the mere result of legislation
favorable to their interests. and not
the result of any honest endeavor or
genuine merit upon their part.
1t is also true beyond question-as It
has always been in the history of the
world so is it now-that the interest of
the wage-earning and wealth-produc-
ing classes are identical. Whatever
financial policy will result in raising
the price of the products of labor. will
in like manner result inevitably in adj
vancing the wages of labor.
In the present campaign a studied
effort has been made. and is now be-
ing pushed. to bring about dissension
between the great bodies of the labor
ing people of the United States, the
agricultural laborers as a class. and
the industrial wage-earners. Now. as
always. the privileged classes act u,or
the motto, Divide and conquer" They
know that in any form of representa-
tive government labor united can con-
troll the administration and direct its
legislation. except so far as those who
are elected may prove recreant to the
trust imposed upon them. and vulner-
able to the approach of the profession
oil lobbyist.
Every effort has been made in the pres
ent campaign to array the wage-earners
Of the cities, and of the great manu-
featuring industries of the country,
against the agricultural producers and
laborers, upon the theory diligently
pressed everywhere that the increased
prices of agricultural products, which
would inevitably result upon the re-
monetization of silver, would be pre-
judicial to the industrial wage-earn.
ers, by increasing the cost to them OF
the necessities of life.
1t has been the policy OF the present
campaign conducted under the direc-
ton of Mark Hanna. aptly designated
as AN Industrial Cannibal," to en-
deavor to secure the purchaseable vote
which always exists in great centres o,
population. by the lavish and corrupt
use OF money, and to array that vote
against the interest OF the agricultur-
lists. But he and his associates have
not stopped with this; they have in
addition resorted to every conceivable
form of coercion, with a view to com.
pelling incompatible wage-earners In
the city to join in this crusade against
agricultural industry under tbs
pressure of a threat Of the loss of posi-.
ton and employment IN the event OF
the triumph of the free silver cause
The pressure that has been brought
to bear in this direction. typihed by tbs
brutal conduct of Mr.. Crawford in st
Louis. who discharged from his employ
ment every free silver man in his es.
Enlistment. simply because Of his atti
| tude upon the financial issue, has beer
very great, and hard to be resisted
| That by the processes thus resortec
| to unscruplous managers of the Re
! publican campaign expect to succeed
| in controlling in a large measure th'
| purchasable vote of the great cities
| and also through terror to cause man,
| a well intentioned workman to vot,
| against his own earnest convictions
| cannot be doubted. We believe, how
| ever. that the appeal which has beer
| made to the manhood of the American
| citizen. TO assert MS Nights in tn
| exercise OF the franchise under tn
! Australian ballot viii be success<r,