The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1897-08-18
For The CLIMAX
THE WAVE OF PROSPERITY.

day ana deposit their Dallots ior Mchlh-
ley and the gold basis.
Caught by the glowing descriptions
then poured into their ears, contrasting
them with the condition which pre-
vailed around them, they voted for the
wave of prosperity. The air was filled
with their shouts of exultant rejoicing
when the news of the election came in.
Smiles wreathed the mouth of the sha-
ven, while the boards of those who wore
whiskers shook like ball grass in wind
storm.
Oh! yes, everything was going to be
prosperous, everybody happy. Yes, ev-
erything was going TO be lovely. But
the loneliness has not appeared. Bleak
blew the winds of adversely, and before
them have to;tered many Of the banks
which contain the bard-earned cash Of
mechanics and artisans. Shows of OBJ
livinn lie upon the promises Of politicians
while the working men stand out in the
cold, longing for that wave OF prosperity,
that, like "chinoc" wind, is to temper
the industrial atmosphere and start the
bud of hope swelling. They wait in
vain.
Since the election held last fall, and the
triumph of the ''honest" mOneyites,
banks containing hundreds of thousands
of dollars of poor peoples earnings, have
suspended 10y the score. Wages have
been reduced. Hours of labor have
been shortened, and various industries
closed down. Thousands of people were
frozen TO death for the want of fuel,
and deaths from starvation are too
shockingly numerous for contemplation.
4 condition OF universal unrest, despair
and pallid want maintains throughout
the land, and everyday witnesses
scenes that would make angels weep, if
such things existed, and jacobs ladder
was still stretched from earth to
heaven.
Elegant ball rooms giisten in the light
of a thousand incandescent lamps. Soft
music, swelling TO volumptuous fu.ness,
and again dying down SO as to most pow
erfully affect the emotions, fill the room
AS gay maidcns and matrons and gallant
guests display their jewels and costly
drapings. Sports grow more numerous
aud more costly. Lavish expenditure
for public and private entertainments
are heralded in the newspapers, and the
various members Of snobocracy vie
with each other in their efforts to make
the greatest display of their wealth.
Keen ears catch the wall of agODiZing
mothers mingled with the strains oi
high music, and the means of those WI no
die of want commingle with its echoes.
Each diamond sparkles with the luster
OF a million tears while the rubies glow
with the likelihood wrung from the bod
les of those who toll from years end to
years end with no hope but the grave.
The heaven of the rich is built on the
hell of the poor"
Side by side We see the most abject
squalOr, and the greatest display of lux
ury. If the wave of prosperity has
swept across the continent no one has
found it out. The coal miner, smeared
over with the black from the mines, has
not been lifted one inch out of his pre-
vious condition OF Privation, and, in
fact, has had to stand reduction in wa,
ges. Those who run the trains, man
the ships, till the soil, card, spin, weave
bake, saw and hammer, find it as hard
AS eyer to supply themselves with the
necessities and comforts of life, and the
vast army of the unemployed constantly
increases. This army of idle people ell
dangers the security OF those who have
work, causing the man with job &c
hate and dread the man who has no job
while the one who has no work hates
and envies the one who is so fortunate
as TO have employment The smile thai
wreathed the face of the gullible vote
when McKinley's election was an
nounced, has turned into look OF dis
appointment and of rage.
And they need not expect anything
better while We are crowned with golt
standard; while monopolization of nat
ural sources of wealth remain; Will,
politicians squander the peoples money
in appropriation; while special privilege
last, and working men are fools enougl
to uphold them by their votes, and b.
force OF arms, SO long will all the horror
of our present day life continue AM
grow more pronounced. The disease o
poverty and want gnaws its way towar'
the yitals of society, and must eat oil
like a cancerous affection until society
destroyed unless the cause such OF pow
erty is removed.
No presidential election, the success @
no political party, nor yet the act c
Congress or the legislative bodies of tn
State, can cure the disease OF a goI,
standard that is killing all that is gran
and noble in humanity, and slowly, bu
surely undermining the very constitu
y ton of civilized society. 1t is despel
ate disease and requires heroic treatment
Ignorance, prejudice, folly; these thre
= foul spirits of the dark past hold th
minds of the people in bondage and If
only by driving them forth, and forbit
ding their further influence that tn
people NAV hope to rid themselves {
the oppression of gold standard that
. crushing out their lives and blasting a
hone OF future betterment.
Learn the cause of your sufferings. a
who complain. and laying aside all Sc
:. tional, national or religious prejudic
join yoar efforts in trying to oyercon
. the difficulties that beset your path.
Your present evils are upon you I
reason OF an unjust financial polio
which you should strive to throw @
as yoke of bondage. Heaven hell
those who help themselves. Let !
unite for protection from this ill-balanct
law of the land. Vote it out!
I'll ORR DEE SEE.