The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-04-29
OUR YOUNG MEN.

What has the future in store for the
young men of the country? This is
serious question and one that should
appeal to every father and mother in
this fair land. If parents can view
with Indifference the changed con-
dition that is coming upon the country,
a change that if left TO be wrought out
by the money kings and monopolies
will condemn their offspring to life
of humble servitude with all the
avenues to advancementcl closed against
them, it is conclusive evidence OF
mental weakness. Parental loye and
solicitude for the welfare of offspring
is not wanting among our people. and
such insensibility as fails to cause
parents to entertain serious misgiyings
concerning the future of her children
under the changes that are rapidly
taking place. can only be accounted
for through dullness of PERCEPTION and
defective reasoning powers.
The self-made man who started in
life poor and through his own efforts
acquired either fame or wealth has
been the pride and boast of the
country from the foundation :of the
government. We have admired such
men as Jackson, Lincoln and Garfield
who rose from Obscurity to the highest
positions in the land, unaided by in
q 1xf. lo mi
their ability, industry and real mental
worth to advance them. And among
our greatest financiers are thuse who
started in life with nothing but
healthy bodies and active minds, yet
they won their way to fortune by the
practice of industry aud frugality.
Such men, however, were surrounded
by different conditions than those sur
rounding the young men of today. In
tellect was not hampered because of
its poverty, nor was industry shackled
by trusts.
Half century ago poor man with
ability could attain prominence in
politics, could secure high positions
without buying his way into office.
Now the young man who aspires to
be United States senator must either
possess fortune or stultify himself by
forming alliances with concerns that
would own him and control his actions
after he shall alta an official posi-
tion. Half century ago the CONNER.
cial field was open to the young man
who had business ability and energy.
Now it is controlled by trusts and COM
binesthat may make him their servant,
on salary, because of his ability, but
exclude from him the opportunity
to branch out in business for himself.
The population of this country is
less than seventy-five millions, while
it has room and resources sufficient for
three hundred million. Therefore
there is no necessary or natural reason
why the opportunities to advancement
should be closed against the young
men of this age The development of
our resources has but fairly begun, and
with an open field and fair chance
the opportunities of the young men
ought to be as favorable duning the
century to come as they have been
during the past century. But mon
opolios are usurpine the rights of the
people and preparing an uninviting g
future for those who are to follow rs,
unless the people rise to the situation
and crush out the monsters that are
crushing them down to condition of
seryitude. Those who seek to mon
opoize financial transactions not only
close the avenues for financial ad-
vancement to the many by making
competition impossible. but seek to
control the government through the
legislative branch, so that the oppOr-
tunites TO the young man of moral
worth and high sense of honor are
closed.
Without change of conditions, the
future of the young men of this country
is a life of servitude, for com mbines and
trusts are taking from them the opbor-
tunities to which they are justly en-
titled. 1t Ia indeed high time people
awake to the gravity of the situa-
tion, and check this advance of
monopoly by their ballots before the
get such firm grasp
upon the government that it will be
too late.