The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-08-17
A DARK PICTURE.

DARK PICTURE.
The New York Verdict is remarka-
BILE paper. It is published by million
aires, apparently in the interest Of
Populism. Whatever the motive behind
it, it is a strong journal, and tells an
awful lot of truth.
Here is one of It's recent articles:
picture? 1t Is black. black. black with a
prurient Republicanism. Money IL above
Merit and the Dollar more important than
the Man. Corruption and Snobbishness are
In conjunction. And they set the fashion.
Slowly yet surely Money Is shifting our
theories. whether of business, society or
state. 1t Is digging at the base of every
American thing. One sees 1t in White
House. pawned and pledged to q Hanna
headed syndicate who loaned" on 1t. One
notes 1t with the Doanes and the Rains
fords in the pulpit: or hears it pipingly
says his slight and narrow prayers and
burns to 1t the musty incense of his allowed
hattery. Money Is King and Labor is cup
bearer. Money is mounted and rides down
Labor as it plods. What is a review of the
past three years at Washington, save re-
House-by Money. Twenty millions paid to
Spain-for Money; and to profit Spanish
bOndholders. Three millions paid to Cuba
for Money; and to be subsequently sopped
up by invading American corporations who
suggested and urged Its payment war
In the Orient; war all blood and un-
Americanfsm, waged-for Money, and to
make fat list of contractors. plot to
disgrace an Admiration Money. con-
spiracy to degrade a Generator Money.
There isn't one act of Government that
fails to find it's last foot on Money. Man.
hood Is nothing; Dollars go for all. Whether
it be Abner Mckinley as a spectacle div
ing into contracts; or Oberlin Carter, con-
victed. sentenced and dismissed the army
for the embezzlement of two millions, and
still wearing his uniform and still drawing
his pay. its-for Money. AS late as
worth $65O.O0O; the richest man in the
land. AS this century closes We have such
as Rockefeller. Of a fortune to equal $780,
900. Also we have half a million tramps
And wherefore no. when Money doesn't
leave these tramps a destiny worth work.
ing out? Coal-miners 5000 a year: Lake
sailors $25 month for eight months! Why
man! it's premium on mendicancy; your
beggar would find as much in his palm at
the end OF twelve-mOnth! He would be a
lax, poor tramp. indeed. who, on henroost
and hillside, with crops and harvests all
about. couldn't match 5000 a year! He'd
find as much in the road But for that
great body of us It's unpleasant; we. who
are neither Trusts nor Tramps And we
should go about Its remedy even though
1t engaged an axe. Abe Lincoln saw this
reign of Money coming, and here's what,
in 1861, he said:
"Monorachy itself Is sometimes limited
at as a possible refuge from the power of
the people. In my present position
could scarcely be justified were to omit
LOTT
proach OF returning despotism. It is not
needed or fitting here that a general argu-
ment should be made in favor of popular
institutions. but there Is one point with
Its connection not so hackneyed as most
others to which I ask a brief attention.
equal footing with. II not above, labor
In the structure of the government 1t
Is assumed that labor is available only in
connection with capital, but nobody fabors
unless somebody else owning capital some
how, by the use of 1t, induces him to
labor. Labor Is prior to and independent
of capital. Capital is only the fruit of
labor and could never have existed il labor
had not first existed. Labor is superior
to capital and deserves much the higher con-
sideration." That's what Lincoln told the
people. Were he here today he'd see that
his fear was realized. AS companion piece
let the Verdict quote from an editor who
conversed with this paper the other day
This editor-and he's of national celebration
told of visit he paid Cleveland while
that person-whose rule was worse than
revolution and the fruit of whose iniquities
of government will be eaten for two CEN
turtles to come-was in the White House.
The editor had just come in from st. Louis.
What follows will be in the editors ex-
act words: I'VE were in Clevelands private
room He drew the whisky bottle towards
him and poured out half a tumblerful. What
are they saying of me in Missouri asked
Cleveland. Well I replied they are find
ing good deal of fault with you for ap-
pointing Priest to the United States bench
Personally they don't find much fault
corporation lawyer and has for years been
the attorney Of the Missouri Pacific road.
They don't like 1t. And, besides, they
can't understand your methods You
named Priest at the suggestion Of ex-GOv
Dave Francis and never consulted with
Cockrell or Vest, the two senator's. Many
of them are disturbed about this last They
think you should discuss these matters with
Vest and COckrell rather than with Francis,
who holds no Office and Is bearing no pub
lie responsibilities l concluded. oh! they
find fault do they!' responded Cleveland,
throwing of his whisky with one jerk, like
the comedian in the Black Sheep they
find fault, Ell! Do you know one thing? Do
you know that Cockrell, for instance isn't
worth a dollar, even IL he is a senator,
and that Dave Francis Is worth two mil
lions? Do you know that? I said 1 did.
Then went on Cleveland, whacking the
table SO as to start the bottle and the
glasses into a jump of two inches. I'll tell
you another thing. A man who, like Dave
Francis, Is worth $4,000. 900. is just two mil
lion times as much interested in the well
fare of this government as a man like
Cockrell, who isn't worth 81, and should
be listened to by a president just two
million times as much And as 1t was
in the day of Cleveland. SO 1t is in that of
Mckinley! Money is listened to and moth
ing but money. And manhoOd-mere man
Is as feathers to anvils compared there
unto.
This is strong stuff, but it is true,
every word of it. The West, and not
the Central West, but the West West
(the Northwest and the Southwest),
alone keep the country near the stand
ard of 1776. The East is rotten-dead
and sinking. It Is land of banks and
corporations and man is bowed and
shrinking and speechless.
1t is Europe over again. I'D.