The Irish standard., 1899-09-23
WHEN BABYLON FELL.
Signs Of the Political Times.
Reform Press Bureau,
St. Paul. Sept. IS. 1900.

a man OF the best OF parts, one who loves
his country, who is patriotic enough to
vote whenever the election comes
round, but who with all his intelligence,
education and refinement, because he is
himself in comfortable circumstances
whether the country is really prosper
Gus or not, will not investigate or has
not investigated the financial question
as it is presented in politics. Such a
God-fearing and well-meaning man, a
Republican, wrote to us the other day:
Il agree with you in some things po-
litical, especially numbers $50 and SO,
referring to the platform on which Gov
crnor Lind was elected), but I should
disagree with you if you advocated free
coinage OF silver at IS to I, or il you
proposed to Interfere with Our protect
i've tariff"
On the one point, we have sent the
friend documents by which, if he will
religiously read, he will be convinced
that free coinage is absolutely the only
road by which our producers can be re-
lieved from the ruinous competition OF
silver using countries, and which will
aid at least, in checking that absorption
OF the wealth of the country in the hands
OF the few, which is rapidly impoverish-
ing the masses and destroying the small
dealers, rapidly producing the two class
es Of the Old Country, the very rich
and the very poor; that this ruinous
foreign policy OF the past two decades is
the cause OF trusts and combines, against
which warning after warning is given
daily by our ablest public men, as
threatening the very bosom Of destruc-
ton.
As to the cherished tariff, it is not
wholly responsible for the threatening
conditions, as witness the fact that the
trust exists in free trade England. Bu>
mark this point, that the trust tlourishcs
only or best in the lands of the gold
standard and absolute sway OF the
money power. Still it means much that
old-time extreme protectionists like ex-
Senator Washburn recognize that those
trusts flourish most where most "pro-
tected," hence his recent earnest appeal
TO his party to prepare to attack the
monster evil so portentous OF disaster,
the congress meets. his
remedy being to remove the tariff from
those trusts controlled articles!
What means it that the pulpit tllun-
ders that sin, insanity, suicide, poverty,
crime and all forms OF wretcfedncss,
are constantly on the increase in beloved
America, where with Our intelligence
and opportunity we should be the hap
piest and most prosperous people Of the
world? 1t means that we are reaping
the fruits Of the wicked financial system,
the chief feature OF which is concentra-
ton OF wealth in the hands OF the few,
while degradation and enslavement are
the inevitable portion for the masses.
Senator Washburn has shown this in
his own individual case, in the changes
he has seen. Gas young man," said
he, call the world was open to me for a
fair field, for fair fight" Now such
avenues to individual success are closed,
being in the grip of monopoly, trusts
and gold!
1t is impossible to express the enor
nous concentration, under the special
privileges due to wicked legislation and
acknowledgements OF law. In 1860, when
our population was 100000, and our
wealth $4,000 100000, Our producers
owned 46 per cent Of the total wealth,
and the non-produccrs 81 per cent. Five
years later, when no great increase in
relative ownership had occurred, Lin
coin delivered his famous warning OF
the danger OF concentration OF wealth
and political power. The danger in
creased faster than Lincoln ever
dreamed might be the case. By the CEN
sus OF 1890, when Our population had
grown to 12,5oo,ooo families, and our
wealth to $6o,ooo,ooo,ooo, two per
cent Of the total population owned
hr C e-i ourths Of all our wealth.
But in 1893 the non-producers OF the
country, who are only per cent OF
our $4,000, 900 population, owned 80 per
cent Of all our wealth, while the pro-
ducers of wealth, who are 90 per cent
of all the population, owned but IL per
cent OF the total wealth.
When Babylon fell, per cent OF her
people owned practically all her wealth.
When old Egypt fell, similar conditions
obtained, and when Persia fell, per
cent OF her people owned all her lands.
Relatively we are making giant strides
toward the fate OF Babylon, Egypt and
Rome. And yet well-mcaning country
loving men say do not touch the system,
either the financial or the tariff, under
which this condition has been produced.
There is every prospect that the Thir-
teenth's reception will be successful
and happy affair, except for the apparent
determination OF partisan cliques in both
the Twin Cities to reap Republican adj
vantage through the presence OF Presi-
dent Mckinley. The president can com
dent Mckinley. The president can come
without the slightest improperly, pro-