Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-02-24
|SWILL FOR WORKERS.
PROPOSED BY A NEW YORK
ALDERMAN.
Tho New York Journals True Words and
False Position-Timely Suggestion OF
the Hon. Mr.. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Is Prosporlty?.

IL frObp0rltyFs
The past year has been such q prof
liable one to trusts, monopolies and all
devices for robbing producers that
some of the favored plutocrats
are proposing to divide their profits
with less fortunate people who work
for living. The proposition is thus
explained and commented upon by the
New York Journal:
There is a grand philanthropic move
ment in this town to help the poor.
number of serious minded citizens
considering that many willing to work
hard for food can get no work and no
food, are convinced that something
should be DONE"
Now, what do you suppose Is their
idea?
To find work for the willing?
To undertake public Improvements
that shall provide employment?
No. nothing of that sort.
The brilliant thought that lights up
the minds of the charitable is this:
They propose to have the prosperous
save from their tables the scraps which
ordinarily are thrown away-and feed
those scraps to the deserving poor.
A beautiful. democratic idea, isn't it?
After splendid experiment in re-
publican government, after much talk
of the rights of man and the grand
equality of all American citizens-af-
ter one hundred and twenty-three
years of this government. we wind up
a century with this grand suggestion:
THAT MEN WILLING TO WORK
HONESTLY FOR A MERE LIVING
SHALL TAKE FOR THEMSELVES
AND FAMILIES THE REFUSE
FROM THE TABLES OF OTHERS?-
What picture in republic? Fam
lilies willing to work-as honest, as
good and deserving as any, although
less fortunate-sitting down day after
day to scraps!
A mangled carcass OF chicken or
duck for the mother. for the children
a sticky slab of leftover pat de fol
gras.
Very nice American idea. is 1t not!
The worthy head of the Board of AL
dermen Endorses this project. He
seems not to understand the American
people very well.
His people suffered want and perse-
cution through the ages. For CEN
turtles. with will to work, they could
find no work. Honest and industri-
Gus, they were confined to the ghetto
Their lot was almost as sad as is the
lot of the out-of-work man to-day.
But, dear Mr.. Guggenheimer, your
prosecuted ancestors would not have
welcomed swill, poor as they were.
They would not have accepted the ref
use of the Russian or Spanish noble
mans table.
A crust of their own they demanded
and got, and if it was meat. it was not
swill. but kosher" food, fit for men
decent and of firm convictions.
The American workman, Mr.. Gug-
genheimer, Irish, Yankee, German or
Jew-the American workman has his
idea of food. a strictly "kosher" idea,
and this is it:
HE WANTS TO EAT WHAT HE
HAS EARNED.
You will find him dangerous subject
if you continue too long to offer him
swill instead of the work to which he
is entitled The Declaration Of lnde-
pendence is declaration in favor of
work for the willing-whether those
exact words are in it or no. Use your
brains and prosperity to find or create
the work.
Your brains will be full of worry,
and your prosperity will fall off if you
continue in the midst Of plenty to let
the willing need.
The foregoing, from the editorial page
of the New York Journal, the daily
newspaper having the largest circula-
ton in America, is good straight talk;
and much of the same sort may al
WAYS be found in that paper. But
the Journal is itself, in its own way,
as inconsistent as Mr. Guggenheimer.
The Journal processes to be on the
side of the people-desirous of aiding
them in their political battles and
what political measures is the Journal
championing? Why, the forcible an
nexation of the Philippines, inhabited
by millions of cheaper and more de-
graded laborers than the Chinese, and
the maintenance of huge army and
navy. The Journal is willing also to
see the free silver issue retired.
The New York Journals present po-
litical platform is about as palatable to
the workingmen-all of whose organi-
cations have declared against imperi-
alism and large army and for silver
at 16 to las Mr.. Guggenheimer's
swill. And, what makes the Journals