The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-08-26

VINO would IKE ~ pay no WHY'S \hp
plause) Here is the real root OF thls
Conspiracy. Here is the explanation OF
this popuist movement. Mr.. Bryan
did not create it. No man can create
movement like this. The forces that
created it are active and have been
working in a thousand different direC-
tons. Mr.. Bryan, representing this
theory, is but like drop OF water on
the crest of wave, more conspicuous |
but no more important than the mill
lions of drops that form its base. The |
populstic movement is the attempt OF |
these professional farmers, of these |
men who are unwilling to share with
the lahore % appeal to their greed in
support VI their movement. He is an |
enemy of public order, he is an obstacle
to progress, he is conspirator against |
the peace and prosperity of the indus
trial masses Of the country.
We believe that the very essence of
civilization is mutual interest, mutual
forbearance, mutual cooperation. We
believe the world has got past the time
when mems hands are at each others
throats. We believe to-day that men
stand shoulder to shoulder, working
together for common purpose bene-
fetal to all (applause), and we believe
that this attempt to assail wages, which
means an attempt to attack the pros
perity of all, will be resisted not by
class but by the whole nation. Gap
plause.) What labor has gained, that
it shall keep. The rate of wages that
is paid to it to-day is the lowest rate we
will ever willingly accept. (Applause.)
nun, IuOpUNtANr'c 1rrrrrrpr
We look forward to further and
further increase in the prosperity of
workingmen, not merely by an increase
in the daily wage but by further H.
crease in the purchasing power of
wages. Men who tell us that the
prices of farm products have fallen, and
that the farmer for that reason is a suf-
ferer, forget that while the price of
wages has risen Oh the farm the eff
cheney of labor has increased; that the
cost of production has been reduced
through the aid OF machinery, while
the wages of the individual laborer
may have risen.
While wages remain at their present
rate hope there will be a further and
further and continuous decrease in the
cost of living. (Applause) There is
no way in which | can be admitted to a
share of Gods bounty except through a
fall in the prices of the necessarles of
life. While we have in existence
system of mutual cooperation, which is
but another name for civil society, all
men are admitted to a share in every
bounty which Providence showers upon
the earth. The dweler in the tenement
house, stopping over his bench, who
never sees field of waving corn, who
has never inhaled the perfume of
grasses and of flowers, is yet made the
participator iu all the bounties Of
Providence in the purifying influence
of the atmosphere, in the ripening rays
of the sun, when the product of the
soil is made cheaper to him every day
by the abundance of the harvest. APP.
plause.
1t is from his share in this bounty
that the populist wants to exclude the
American workingman. To him we
, soy, in the name of humanity, in the
= name of progress, you shall neither
press a crown of thOrns upon the brow
of labor nor place a sccurge upon his
back. (Applause) You shall not rob
him of any one advantage which he
has gained by long years of study, of
| progress in the skill of his craft and by
the careful organization of the mem
bers who work with him at the same
. bench. You shall not obscure the COL
: den prospect of further improvement
of the cost of living, as well as by a
I further depreciation of the dollar which
l is paid to him. (Applause.)
There can be no distress, there can
/ be no hard times, while labor is well
, paid. The man who raises his hand
4 against the progress of the working
man raises his hand against prosperity.
D He seeks TO restrict the volume of pro-
0 duction. He seeks 10 degrade the cor.
t dition of the man who is steadily i'm
$ proving himself, and in his own i'm.
0 provement is accomplishing the i'm
0 provement of all mankind.
, The attempt will fail. | do not re.
& cret this campaign. l am glad this
g issue has arisen. The time has come
d when the people of this country will
e show their capacity for self-govern'
ment. They will prove that the mer
: who have led the world in the path
s way of progress will be the jealous
: guardians of liberty and order. Gap
y plause.) They are not to be seduceC
: by appeals 10 their cupidity or moveC
} by threats Of injury. They will for
d ever jealousy guard and trim the
/ lamp of enlig htenment, of progress
c They will ever relentlessy press ant
l. crush under their heels the flaming
e torch of populist discomfort, populis
= agitation and populist destruction
r (Applause.)
When this tide of agitation shall have
y rece ded-this tide Of populist agitation
u this assault upon common honesty ant
d upon industry shall have been abate(
!, foIever-the foundations of this repub
/ lie will remain undisturbed. This gov
r. eminent will still shelter people in
d dissoluhly welded to liberty and order
= jealousy forbidding any distinction o
g burden or of privilege, conserving prop
/ erty, mai ntaining morality, restin
,, forever upon the broad basis of Amer
II lean patriotism and American intelli