The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-09-16
VIEWS OF ALTGELD.
EX-GOVERNOR TALKS TO PHILA.
DELPHlA WORKlNGMEN.
Federal Judiciary Aiding Corpora
tions to Destroy the Republic-Gov-
ernment Ownership and Control of
MopOpolies Desired.
Address to Labor.

1
Address to Labor.
Ey-Gov. John Z. Altgeld of Illinois ad-
dressed an audience of several thousand
people ut 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 celebra-
ton by the United Labor League. Pes
ident Ernest Kreft occupied the chair and
made the opening address. EN-Gov. 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 Fed
eral Government, including the Federal JUDI
| ciary, from absolute control of corporate
citizen In the government of his country,
| ana how to put an end to those proceedings
In some of the higher courts which are farce
| anu mockery on one side and criminal usur
pat1on and oppression on the other
corporations that were to be servants, ana
| begged the privilege Of supplying cities with
conNeniences, or of serving the country at
large, nave become masters.
we nave had thirty years of colorless poll
Tics, In which both of the political parties
were simply cOnvenences for organized
greed. There was nothing to arouse tue
deep, slumbering patriotism of the masses,
and race Of politicians came to the front,
many OF whom had no convictions, but strau-
dled every proposition and then waited TO De
seuuced. They were men who made every
promise to the 1abOrer, and then betrayed
hlm Then men became instruments through
wnlch the corporations worked.
Having learned that vast sums can be eN-
torted from the American people, the mo-
nopolies used part of the wealth they got
from this source to corrupt the peoples rep,
resentatives, and thus obtained unlimited
privileges of plundcr, until almost every
great city In this country Is tied and gagged,
robbed.
All Of this falls with crushing force on the
iaborer, 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 a city council or
buy legislature. But the corporations have
both. and as the money all comes on The
public they offer temptations that are too
strong for the average man to resist
inasmuch as 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
l believe will prevail here.
Even II private corporations were to serve
Us cheaper and better than we could serve
ourselves we will be forced to take the cor
porations in order to prevent free institu-
tons 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
the corporations because of this rottennesS,
hnf a Av,A hat In Tpn
relates to legislatures, city councils. etc, as
well as to the higher officials, the most Of 1t
Is due to the temptations offered by the cor
pOratiOns, and it will continue just as long
as the corporations exist, while the rotten
ness In departments Is mostly due to the alb
sence of proper civil service system. With
the gradual introduction of an improved civil
service system most Of the little peculations
will end. But let us suppose that municipal
governments will not improve.
As things are now, the people have to bear
have to fatten ,ot Of politicians and have
to I'LL 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-
feated In their purpose by horde Of rotten
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 1t regulate everything,
but competition Is being entirely wiped out
by pools and trusts and our people will he
devOured by yultures unless the government
comes to their rescue.
In Great Britain and in many Of the con-
tlnental countries the governments maintain
postal savings banks in which the poor can
deposit their little savings from time to time
and get a low rate of interest on them. In
England this postal savings department, run
In connection with the postotfice. performs u
variety Of service that is of the greatest ben
eft to the people.
In our country the poor people are left at
the mercy of private individuals and private
companies. The history of both, In banking
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 a savings bank Is not large, and |
consequently 1t 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 It's 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 |
between S25. 900. 600 and $50 OOO, 900, vet it |
has issued stocks and bonds amounting to |
over S97.OOO000. and 1t 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 /
1t, 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, IL 1t |
should decide to do as Great Britain has
bring the service within the reach of all the |
people, the charges could be cut in two and /
the system still be self-sustaining.
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 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
Df desperation, only three years after the
last destructive strike, the miners of this |
country struck again-struck against hunger |
md struck against nakedness-and they have
igain made an honorable and heroic struggle |
20 improve their condition.
But these things are now matter of history |
rbe only question of interest to-day is how |
ong shall this go on and where will 1t end?
Hyenas are sometimes satiated and lie down
20 rest, leaving the world to others; but re- |
.ent years have demonstrated that the hun
,er of corporations grows fiercer with the
'eeding, and that If left to have their way
he contest must become fiercer and the pub- |
ic will at all times be in danger of fuel
anime suG Il general disturbance Of Its in
lustrles.
On the other hand, if the miners are to be
educed to such state of helplessness and
degradation that they will not have the spirit |
o strike. IL hunger and nakedness are to be-
Ome natural conditions among the adults, |
md ignorance and crime are to be the en- |
'irOnment of the children, then we will soon |
AVE in our country large population that
nent and republican institutions
Mr.. Altgeld advocated Government
of the mines and also of all the
ailroads