New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-04-29
An Inevitable Process of Evolution.

Reports from Ohio that Mayor s. NJ.
Jones. of Telodo, may be nominated for
Governor on the republican ticket, and
that Senator Foraker and late Mayor Ne
arc likely TO support him for tho nomina
ton, have made him an interesting politi
cal figure. Should he become the Governor
of Ohio the radical views which he has
advocated with such earnestness az Mayor
would attain significance Of national i'm
poitancc.
in social conditions is inevitable, and that
it is already in progress. He advocates
a system which he thinks would give each
man an opportunity to work and tho right
to enjoy tho fruits of his labors. As the
first step in this direction he advocates
public ship of municipal, state and
national franchises.
He has put his ideas in practice by
paying his employees an annual dividend
of five per cent on the amount Of their wa
ges, and by forcing toledo to buy and
conduct it's street railroads. I asked him
at the Hotel st. Denis yesterday about his
possible candidacy for the Governorship.
III am not u candidate said Mr.. Jones
'though there has been much talk in Ohio
about nominating me. have had n loud
call to be Mayor Of Toledo. Nearly 1900
Of the $4,000 citizens who voted there at
the last election cast their votes for the
independent ticket on which ran, though
both the political machines, al the news
papers and corporations in the city
and a few Of the emincntly respectable
people were against me.
am not opposed TO tax eaters, fran
ohise grabbers, political bosses and mo
nopolists. They are the outgrswth Of tho
conditions under which we live. II
should pick half dozen men out of the
way for bread every night and give them
the same opportunities, they would do the
same thing. II il the system that is
wrong. Instead Of every man trying TO
grab all the money he can get for himself
ut the expense Of others, we must adopt
plan under which We can work for the
good Of all.
Municipal ownership of public utilities
is the first step. This public ownership
will extend to the State and nation, and
believe that in 1860 II will be hardly pos
sible to find railrond In the country In
private hands. The telegraph will be first
to pass into public control. The taxation
of franchises is merely makeshift prom
ise.
Development Of trusts is the most re
markable feature, in my opinion, of the
closing years Of the century. / do not
regard them as bad In 90 far as they do
away with labor, which they make useless,
so that all can benefit but they benefit
only few. Their or ganixation and the
introduction Of labor saving machinery
have not made the hours of labor any
shorter, nor have they increased wages,
and they have made II harder for men TO
find work
"Do you think the issues you have mon.
toned will fgnre in the next Presidential
campaignf' | asked.
'"They are bound TO figure sooner or
later" said Mayor Jones. '"There is
process Of evolution going on which Ii in.
evitsble. There is no moral issue be-
tween the two great parties. They must
have something more serious TO contend
for than who shall have the Offices.
That good can be done with private
fortunes does not obscure the fact that
these fortunes were obtained through
dishonest system no matter how honest tho
individuals who own them may be. They
were gathered at the cost Of millions OF
wrecked and ruined lives"