The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-10-04

an unprOm1Sed increase IN the SOlu
supply gives any respite from finan-
cial stringency can the Republican
party claim credit? The question is
not whether the laboring man is able
to exist under present conditions, but
whether he is enjoying his share of
the blessings of the country and the
protection of the government Com
pare the laboring man with the trust
magnate, and see which fares the best
at the hands of the Republican party.
! Inquire also whether the laboring
mans income has increased as rapid
ly as his living expenses.
But even if every laboring man was
prosperous, even if that prosperity
could be traced to Republican legisla-
ton, still the laboring man is a citi-
zen, and must look at political ques-
tons from the citizens standpoint. He
cannot afford to barter away fut
ure security; he cannot afford to sleep
while his industrial independence is be-
ing destroyed. Neither can he be en-
ticed into an imperialstic trap, no
matter how we'll the trap may be
bated with food.
During the last campaign laborirg
men were threatened with idleness by
employers who desired to coerce them
|. into the support of the Republican
ticket. Many of them were told not
to return to work unless the Repub-
licans were successful at the polls.
After the election some of these en-
ployers closed down their shops and
others reduced wages. If advances
have been made in any branch of in
dustry since 1896 remember that some
advance was necessary to compensate
the reductions which occurred after
the last election
Coercion in 1896.
A firm in the city of Washington an
nounced shortly before the election in
1896 that it would not be able to con-
tinue in business if l was elected. 1t
went into bankruptcy Immediately aft
er election Notwithstanding the fact
that its candidate was successful at
the polls. There are indicat lions that
this attempt at intimidation may be
resorted to again this fall. If bust
ness man feels justified in holding out
the prospect of his own bankruptcy
in order to influence voters he cannot
complain if his creditors take steps
to collect their accounts before the
election in order to avoid a possible
loss.
The Chicago Times Herald of Sept.
8 contained a special dispatch from
indianapolis setting forth the COM
plant made by the anthracite coal
miners. In the dispatch / read the
following statement made by one of
the miners: 1T is merely a question
whether the men would starve to
death at work or starve in idleness."
The dispatch also contains the follow
Ing figures in regard to wages, said
to have been furnished by member
or the national board of the United
<,f A
age daily wages received by miners,
$1.35; average wage of day men at
mines, 80 cents" Let the parent cal
culate the annual income of a miner,
and figure out, if he can, how the
miner is going to keep himself and
support his family under present con-
ditions and then let the parent ask
himself whether he is willing to have
his son take his chances with the min
ers. Is it due to natural or to human
laws that the producer of wealth fares
so poorly. while the man at the head
or a monopoly secures so much?
All Monopolies Are Bad.
Those who attempt to divide private
monopolies into good monopolies and
bad monopolies will never make any
progress toward the overthrow of the |
trusts. There is no good monopoly |
IN private hands; there never was, and |
never will be. With all the advance
ment in civilization man is still too
selfish to be trusted with the abso-
lutte control with that which his fGI-
lows must have. The Republican
party has no remedy for the trusts
Publicity is good but publicity alone
is not sufficient. The practices of the
trusts must not only be made known.
they must be prevented. The Demo
cratic platform contains a demand for
legislation which will place trust made
articles on the free list. There is no
doubt that such law would protect
the people from much of the extortion
Whlcn is practiced under cover of
hlgn tariH laws. If tariff duty ex-
cludes the foreign product. while do
mestlc manufacturers combine to raise
the price of home product, the Ameri-
can citizen may be- plundered here.
While the trust sells abroad in compe-
luton with the world. 1t may not be
out or place to suggest that | intro
uuced Dill eight years ago providing
Tor this remedy, but we are not will
ing TO stop at one remedy, we desire
70 apply every remedy within the DOW
er or the state and federal govern
ments. Congressional action is not
necessary to destroy trust which con-
INES It's operations to single city.
or single state. Such a trust can
be exterminated by state legislation
IL Is within the power of the state to
the conditions upon which
corporations shall be organized, and
Lhese conditions should be such as TO
make private monopoly place limi-
ATOMS upon outside corporations doing
business within the state. This. how
ever, is not sufficient. Congress must
cooperate with the state in preventing
he organization of any interstate mo. {
lopoly. Without impairing the pres
mt authority of the state, congress
AN provide that corporations organ {
zed in any state shall not do business
outside of the state until certain neces- l
'ary conditions are complied with. If 6
he people of any state are willing to |
reate and continue a monopoly. the /
'eople of other states need feel no CON l
ern, so long as the monopoly is con- c
med to the state in which the CORPORA S
ion Origina tes But fine mon,on+ I