The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-07-29


sumed at the close of the rainy season if
the war of subjugation is to be con-
tinued.
STANDING ARMY OF MONOPOLY,
The year 1890 will be remembered in
American history as the year of the big
trusts. In his celebrated speech against
the ratification OF the Paris treaty, SEN
ator Hoar declared that the downfall of
the republic would date from the admin
lstration OF William Mckinley if his
policy of imperialism was sustained
lhe trusts of the United States are be-
hind Mckinley in his foreign policy and
are ready to spend millions in re-elect-
ing him. They have never been so
audacious as at the present time. If the
American people do not awake from
their lethargy and safeguard their liber-
ties by busting Mckinley from the pres
ldential chair, what Senator Hoar pre-
dlcted may come to pass. The repub-
llcan party has fostered the trusts for
many years and they now assume for
midable proportions. The people are at
their mercy. II left uncontrolled thew
will prey on the consumers of the coun-
try and ultimately pauperize them. The
following article from the New York
Journal will give an idea of their power
for evil:
When 1gratius Donnelly, in Caesars
Column" looked into the next century
and described state of things in which
a group of capitalists, with its own pri-
vate armies and aerial navies, had be-
come the ruling power of the world, re-
ducing the nominal governments to the
position of rudimentary survivals, and
when H. G. Wells, in when the
Sleeper Wakes" foresaw similar con-
dition of things, with a council of ad-
ministrators of worldwide private es-
tate as the power above presidents and
kings, they were not wandering very far
from the limits of the practicable.
Suppose, for instance, that the recent
railroad consultations should go on to
their logical conclusion, and bring the
whole transportation system of the
United States into the hands of one cor
poration. That corporation would then
have in its direct employ at least mil
lion men-the. strongest, hardest, most
resourceful and self-reliant men in
America.
The wages of railroad employees in
1897 ran down from an average of So. 81
per day for the 4,8oo general officers to
an average OF $r.16 for the 171,752 track
men. Suppose the men in control OF
the new combination should resolve
upon change of policy. Suppose they
should determine, instead of grinding
down their employees, to identify their
interests with their own, and turn them
into mercenary army devoted to its
leaders. Suppose they should say:
Hereafter the minimum rate of pay on
our roads shall be five dollars day, and
the public can foot the BILL
What could the unorganized public do
then? Where would "anti-monopo-
lists" in office be when, instead of deal
ing with few unpopular nlillionaires,
they had to deal with disciplined and
enthusiastic voting, and, if need be,
fighting, force OF million railroad re-
tainers? Who would be the govern
ment of the United States, the president
and congress, or the Vanderbilts and
Rockefellers?
And it must be remembered that the
same power that would control the rail-
roads would also control the principal
industries OF the country, with their
hudreds OF thousands of employees. The
Standard Oil interests, which are so
deep in the Pennsylvania and other rail-
ways, control. in whole or in part, the
American and Red Star steamship lines,
the Cramp shipbuilding yard, the prin-
cipal shipbuilding establishments and
steamer lines on the lakes, the iron
mines OF Minnesota, great steel works at
Cleveland, copper mines in Montana,
gold, silver and lead mines in Idaho,
winter. hotels in Florida and universe
ties in Chicago, Syracuse and elsewhere
These enterprises, with the scores Of
others OF which they are samples, would
doubtless add another million hands to
the million marshalled by the Railroad
Trust Where would the national stand
ing army CT 10000, $4,000 or even 1oo,
600 men be against such force as that?
Did Pisistratus, Caesar or the Medic
ever have such advantages for the over
throw of republic?
THE. CANADIANS ARE BELLICOSE. /.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the premier OF