Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-09-17

been next to impossible to carry on bust
ness in the State. Thanks to thei
failure to agree and to vetoes by the Gov
ernor the worst of these measures failed
but enough remain in force to deter CAPT
tai from coming here; to cause with
drawal of capital already invested, thereby
reducing the amount of manufacture,
trade and employment for labor; and,
finally, Kentucky capital is driven to
seek investment in factories i'll other
States, giving employment to labor there,
while Kentucky labor goes without In
this instance, though the tax was in
tended for capital and the object to
increase the State revenue, it is evident
that capital escapes and labor loses em-
ployment, and is left to bear the burden
of additional taxes which must be levied
to make up the deficit. The city of
Louisville, in order to avoid becoming a
mere trading post, as an offset to unjust
State taxation, is offering bonus of ex-
emption from city taxes to induce capital
to come here, or rather to remain here,
and invest in manufactures, thereby in
creasing the burden of every other tax
payer.
Organized labor protested against
such unjust legislation, but only
met with rebuff and insult by these So
called representatives of the people, who
denounced organized labor as being a
monopoly, banded together to keep up
wages, thereby increasing prices of its
products to the people-and they were
dead set agin it,"
The poor farmer" seemed to be the
sole object of their solicitude, and his
condition was 10 be bettered by antago-
nism to every interest of commerce,
trade, manufactures, labor-utterly blind
to the fact that, as the result does not
relieve but increases the tax burden of
the people, does not increase but reduces
the State revenues, so the farmer, like
labor, will lose, as it is to the people en-
gagged in commerce, trade and manu-
features that the farmer must sell his
produce, and that, upon their prosperity
depends his only hope of fair returns for
his crops.
1t is manifest that, instead of joining
in this war OH our home capital which
retards the development and progress
of the industries of our city and State,
to the detriment of the people, and TO
labor most of all, our duty as citizens
and our interests as workmen dictate a
directly opposite course-not of conflict,
but of cooperation of capital and labor.
Let there be closer relations, more con-
fidence and harmony of action with our
Board of Trade and Commercial Club,
and unity of purpose of the commercial,
manufacturing aud labor interests, all
putting their shoulders to the wheel in a
long pull, a strong pull and a pull
all together, to relieve our city of the bur-
dens which retard her advancement,
and to lift the old Commonwealth
out of the rut at the tail end of the pro
cession, start her forward in the march of
progress to position nearer the 'front.'
which, by reason of her resources and
seniority, she ought to occupy.
The failure of the Legislature to grant
anything to labor, except to restrict con-
vict labor was referred to, and the evils
of child labor, its injustice to the child,
injury to labor, business and the commu-
nifty discussed.
Mr. Jacques concluded. Let us look
more upon the bright side for, after all,
life is what we make it; to the cheerful
there is ever ray of hope; to the mo-
rose all is gloom, and in dependency we
forget the blessings and opportunities we
enjoy and magnify our misfortunes.
Let us give less of our time, thought and
effort to the study of theories and attain
ment of ideals which may be possible
with the millennium, and devote more to
the present conditions-to the study OF
our government, laws, policy, history,
people, resources, opportunities, that we
may appreciate and enjoy them; and as
citizens aid in further developing and
adding to the progress and glory of the
best and most liberal government, the
grandest and richest country, the most
generous and bravest people in all the
earth.