The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-09-16
VIEWS OF ALTGELD.
EX-GOVERNOR TALKS TO PHiLA-
DELPHiA WORKINGMEN.
Federal judiciary Aiding Corpora
tions to Destroy the Republic-Gov-
ernment Ownership and Control of
Monopo1ies Desired.
Address to Labor.

dressed an audience of several thousand
people mt Washington Park, Philadelphia.
Monday afternoon. His subject was
Municipal and Government Ownership
and Government by Injunction" The
event which brought the Ex-Governor to
Philadelphia was the Labor Day cele5ra-
ton by the United Labor League. Pes
ident Ernest Kreft occupied the chair and
made the opening address. EN-GoN. Alt
geld spoke in part as follows:
The most serious problem that confronts
the people of America to-day is that or res
cuing their cities, their States and the teu-
eral Government including the Federal judi
ciary, from absolute control OF corporate
monopoly. How to restore the voice OF the
citizen in the government of his country
and how to put end to those proceedings
in some of the higher courts which are farce
and mockery one side and Il criminal usur-
patton and oppression on the other.
Corporations that were to be servants, and
begged the privilege of supplying cities with
conveniences, or Of serving the country at
large, have become masters
We have had thirty years of colorless poll
tics, in which both of the political parties
were simply cOnvenienceS for organized
greed. There was nothing to arouse the
deep, slumbering patriotism of the masses
and race of politicians came to the 'front.'
many of whom had no convictions, but Strad-
died every proposition and then waited to be
seduced They were men who made every
promise to the laborer, and then betrayed
him. Then men became instruments through
which the corporations worked.
Having learned that vast sums can be eX-
tOrted from the American people. the mo-
nopolies used Il part of the wealth they got
from this source to corrupt the peoples rep,
reSentativeS, and thus obtained unlimited
privileges of plunder until almost every
great city in this country is tied and gagged
and cannot even enter protest while being
robbed.
All of this falls with crushing force on the
laborer, for his hands must earn the taxes
the landlord payS-he is forced to depend on
the public cOnveniences, and always suffers
under bad government.
An individual rarely has interest enough,
or money enough, to bribe city council or
buy 4 Legislature. But the corporations have
BOTH and as the money all comes off the
public they offer temptations that are TOO
strong for the average man to resist.
lnaSmuch no government can endure IN
which corrupt greed not only makes the law,
but decides who shall cOnstrue them, many
of our best citizens are beginning to despair
of the republic
Every one of the great reforms carried out
in England and on the continent met with
fierce opposition from the same classes that
oppose them here, but the business sense and
patriotic impulse of the people prevailed, and
l believe will prevail here.
Even if private corporations were to serve
us cheaper and better than we could serve
porations in order to prevent free institu-
tions from being overthrown by corruption.
This reason did not exist in Great Britain,
yet the people took the corporations.
People Too Corrupt.
1t is objected that the cities dare not take
but we find that in so far as this condition
relates TO legislatures, city councils. etc, as
well as TO the higher officials. the most OF it
is due to the temptations offered by the cor
NOR tiIrt md will nnt
as the corporations exist while the rotten
ness in departments is mostly due to the alb
Sence of 4 proper civil service system. With
the gradual Introduction of an improved civil
service system most of the little pecuatiOnS
will end. But let us suppose that municipal
governments will not improve.
AS things are now, the people have to bear
the burden of corruption among officials.
have to fatten lot of politicians, and have
to fill the Golfers of Unsuitable corporations
besides, while, if these corporations were
wiped out, the sums which they now get
could go into the public treasury, and the
people themselves would again get control of
their government. and they would no longer
be sold by their own representatives. nor de-
lobbyists. hired by corporations with money
which has been eXtorted from the people
themselves.
SO long as there was competition our peo-
pie preferred to let it regulate everything.
but competition is being entirely wiped out
by pools and trusts and our people will be
devoured by vultures unless the government
comes to their rescue.
In Great Britain and in many of the con-
tinental countries the governments maintain
postal savings banks in which the poor can
deposit their little savings from time to time
and get q low rate of interest on them. In
England this postal savings department, run
in connection with the pOstoftice. performs
variety of service that is of the greatest ben
eft to the people.
In our country the poor people are left at
+ ,a m pf nriyotp jn6iy-i6ua1S and privatp
The history of both, in banking
as well as insurance, has been tainted with
failures, bankruptcy. and even frauds. and,
owing to the high charges, our poor people
are deprived of the benefit of life insurance.
The total amount which any individual can
deposit in savings bank is not large. and
it does not interfere with the
general business of the country, and instead
of paying interest on bonds held by the rich
of foreign countries, the government pays
interest to its own people.
Nearly every government in the world. eX-
cept ours. owns and operates its own tele-
graph and telephone lines. to the great ad-
vantage of its people. But we still give all
the benefit to corporations
An examination shows that the total cost
of the construction and equipment of the
Western Union telegraph line has been only
between S25, 100000 and 3O.OOO.O0O, yet it
has issued stocks and bonds amounting to
over S97, 100000, and it is paying interest
on this sum.
If the government were to take the tele-
graph at fair price and make it part of the
postal system, and issue per cent bonds for
it. and were to maintain the present charges,
the net earnings, after paying interest on the
bonds, would pay for the entire system in
about five years On the other hand if it
should decide to do as Great Britain has
done. that is, reduce the charges so as to
bring the service within the reach of all the
people. the charges could be cut in two and
the system still be selfsustainins;.
Great Coal Strike.
In the spring of 1894 there was strike on
the part of the coal miners which extended
nearly all over the United States and which
was so protracted that a coal famine ensued
and many of the largest industrial establish
ments were obliged to shut down; and labor
ing men, who had no connection with that
industry, were thrown out of employment
and there was much arrangement of the
business of the country.
Since that time the conditions have been
getting steadily worse, and finally in a spirit
Of desperation. only three years after the
last destructive strike, the miners of this
struck again-struck against hunger
and struck against nakedness-and they have
again made an honorable and heroic struggle
to improve their condition.
But these things are now matter of history
The only question of interest to-day is how
long shall this 20 on and where will it end
Hyenas are sometimes satiated and lie down
to rest, leaving the world to others; but re-
cent years have demonstrated that the hun
ger of corporations grows fiercer with the
feeding, and that if left to have their way
the contest must become fiercer and the pub
lie will at all times be in danger of a fuel
famine and u general disturbance of it's in