The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-07
A NATIONAL CALUMNIAToR.

John p. -Altgeld, in his speech at the
Cooper Union meeting in New York few
nights ago. said: LAS matters stand to-day
the American people seem to exist only for
the sake of being despoiled" 1t is a great
thing for people 10 know when they are be-
ing maltreated, misgoverned and robbed. It
is bad enough for a people to be despoiled,
but to be despoiled without knowing II is far
worse. Therefore, perhaps the American
people ought to be grateful TO Germany for
having contributed Altgeld to the list of
statesmen and prophets who are able to tell
them how badly off they are. But for Alt
geld the Chicago Anarchists might never
have been pardoned, and the American peo-
pie might not have known that they exist
only to be despoiled.
But Mr.. Altgeld should not have stopped
with the general statement; he should have
particularized. OF course. not all of the peo-
pie are being despoiled because some must
be despolers, and in the nature of things
the despoilers must be pretty nearly as
numerous as their victims. or, IL not as
numerous they must have some means Of
holding up the victims, or holding them
down, otherwise the work of spoliation
could not go on AS Mr.. Altgeld did not
specify what class or classes of people are
being despoiled it may be worth while to
inquire. 1t cannot be the farmers, the most
numerous single class in the country, ana
outnumbering any other class many times
over. All authorities. including the farmers
themselves, agree that they never were as
prosperous before as they are now. Men
who are paying OFF debts. wiping out mort
cages. making betterments on their farms
ard carrying bank accounts are not being
despoiled. The several million farmers in
the United States can testify that Altgeld's
statement does not apply to them. The next
largest single industry to agriculture is
manufacturing. Does the statement apply to
those engaged in that industry? Are manu-
facturers or their employees being despoiled?
Let the current news of the day answer.
Never before in the history of the country
were SO many manufacturing establishments
SO proftably employed or so many persons
earning good wages as now. During the last
year wages have been voluntarily raised in
all the leading industries Of the country. the
advances ranging from 10 to 25 and 30 per
cent. over two years ago. State Labor Com
missioner Mccormack. of this State. says
there is not a man in Indiana who cannot
get work Of some kind if he wants 1t, and
that the opportunities for steady employ
ment have Increased incredibly" Nowhere
Is there complaint of lack of employment.
but In many places there is complaint OF
lack Of labor. Nobody connected with the
manufacturing industries of the country is
being despoiled. The same is true of the
transportation business which gives en-
ployment to nearly 100000 men. All the
railroads report enormous business and
steadily increasing. Their earnings are
larger than ever before, and they are giving
employment to more men at better wages.
In mileage, in equipment, in receipts, in
number of passengers carried, In amount of
freight handled ia number of persons en-
ployed and aggregate salaries and wages
paid the latest reports of the railroads show
great advance over any previous one. They
and their employees are not being despoiled.
And one might go through the whole
list Of gainful and productive occupations,
mechanical, industries. all branches of bust
ness and trade-all are sharing In the gen.
eral prosperity Mr. Altgeld says the whole
American people are being despoiled, but he
cannot name a single class that is. He is a
common scold and national calumniator.