Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-01-13
PROSPERITY.

people on the face of the earth. The big pa
pers and the little ones have generally taught
that the past year was one of great prosperity.
We had almost reached the point of believing
it ourselves, just from hearing the story re-
peated. 1t has so happened that oui bump of
reason is fully as large as our bump of creduli-
ty, and in trying to reason out prosperity, we
sat hard on our credulty. We could not see
prosperity for the farmer when cotton was never
so low; wheat down i'll the sixties hogs below
cost, and cattle only reinunerative. We could
not see prosperity for the laborer when the gen
eral tendency was in the direction of lower
wages.
Who was prosperous is the question we
tried to solve. Recently, we caught on 1t
is the money-lendev who is prosperous 1t is
the army contractor. 1t is the man who obtains
the gift of valuable franchise through brib-
cry. 1t is the big trust and the little one. 1t
is the man who has corner on the necessaries
of life. 1t is the manufacturer who, owing to
protection, sold goods to Americans away above
cost, and to foreigners away below CD cost.
In proof of our assertion, we find, in the
Chicago Record, that the grand total Of interest
paid at the close Of the year, OH bonds, amounts
to $1lo, 1000, 900, and that interest payments
have risen, during the year, over $1,000, ooo
The rate of interest has not risen, therefore, we
reason, that debt has increased No reference
is here had to individual debt, and if facts were
obtainable, it would probably be found that in
dividual debt had increased rather than dimin,
ished and, if SO, it follows that there is no
truth in the cry of "prosperity."
A sick man may be better to-day than yes
terday, and not be out of danger He may
seem TO be better and yet be worse; or, he may
be under the influence of stimulaut, which,
when the effect ceases, may leave the patient
in collapsed condition
We partook of war stimulant.
Farmers in some localities are better off than
last year; in others, worse off. Coal-niners, as
whole, are certainly worse off than year
ago. So of the people in cotton factories. 1t
is true, perhaps, that laborers have been more
generally employed, but we must consider that
Uncle San wanted, and took, one hundred
and fifty thousand men, all able-bodied and free
from blemish, and paid them very fair gold
standard wage, and did not forget to tax the
rest of the people to foot the bill. There does
not seem to be any prosperity in this field OF
since one part OF the family was
burdened to aid another part.
1t is truth that is incontrovertibe that war
has never brought prosperity to the masses.
The many suffer in thesprosperity of the few
It was so in the war of the rebellion. Ii IS
clearly so i'll the late war.
1t IS readily admitted hat the men who re-
ceived the $IIo, 900, 900 were prospe-ous-very
For whole yer they had not
toied; neither had they spun; but to them the
year of providence had filled their
horn of plenty to the brim.
But from whence was this large interest sum
drawn? 1t will be generally conceded that it
was drawn from productive labor 1t was
drawn from the people who labor, in taxes, d.
rect or indirect; through freights, through cuts
in wages in advance in prices. Always, the
interest was shifted from the shoulders OF the
men VIII appear to be the debtors, aud always
fell upon the shoulders OF the men who toll for
the barest necessities of life.
No people are prosperous who are in debt
The masses foot the bill, but if there is any
profit in the deal, it is the creditor and the ap.
parent debtor who reaps the profit. The $IIo-
900 900 is paid on little less than 5000 ,ooo,-
300. Look at it from our view, and the masses
owe So, ooo, 900, ooo-pay $IIo, ooo,ooo interest
Der anu1n- are never able to reduce the principal
never receive cents worth in RETURN
struggle hard for bare existence, and if not
,x1l ,,o +n hodec when h, dies