Little Falls herald., 1900-09-28
DELIVERED FIT ST. LOUIS,
SEPTEMBER Is, 1900.

wheat, is more Influenced than any other
farm product by foreign conditions.
Advance In Merchandise.
When, however the farmer attempts to
use his income In the purchase OF the ne
cessaries OF life he finds that the trusts
nave raised prices. He must pay moro
1or lumber, nails, wire. harness, hardware
stoves and agricultural implements. More,
also for oil. sugar, clothing. furniture
etc, and In addition to these drains upon
MS income he must meet an increase In
federal taxation.
Let the parent calculate how long It
Will take farmer to become Independent
under present conditions: let him con-
trast the lot Of the farmer with the lot
OF the man who profits by governmental
favoritism and grows rich by the exploit
atlon OF his countrymen through the In
strumentality Of monopoly, and then
let MIN answer the question, rs the
young man. Absalom, safe? Has the
farmers son, or the farmer himself any
reason for giving support to the Re-
publican party?
Next to the farmer In point Of num-
oers and importance come the wage-earn-
ers. What Is the trust doing to increase
the wages. shorten the hours, improve
the condition. or protect the rights OF
the iaboring man? Is his present prospect
an inviting one? Is he receiving a fair
share Of the proceeds Of his toll? And, II
not, why not? Republicans assert that
the working man has 4 Full Dinner
pail" I ask. in the first place, whether
a fuH dinner pail is all that a laboring
man needs! 1t is an insult to the wage
Garner to say that his thoughts are en-
urely centered upon his physical wants
Republican speakers and editors assume
that the labortng man is all stomach.
~Hn~ <ka,t ]Hn
plains only when he is hungry, and IS
happy whenever his hunger Is appeased.
The Full Dinner Pail.
IT full dinner pail were the only thing
desired. and II every laboring man had
plenty to eat. It would still be necessary
Tot the Republican party to show some
connection between Republican policies
ana the laboring mans food supply. If
oountl1u1 crops come to the farmer he
does not thank a Republican administra-
ton. II famine abroad raises the price
OF farm products here the farmer does
not thank the Republican party for bring
ing the famine. II an unexpected and an
unprorntsed Increase III the gold supply
gives any respite from financial string
ency can the Republican party claim
credit! The question is not whether
the laoorlng man is able to exist under
present conditions, but whether he is en-
5cying his share OF the blessings Of the
country and Of the protection OF the gov
ernment. Compare the laboring man
with the trust magnatc, and see which
rares the best at the hands of the Re-
publican party. Enquire also whether
the laboring mans income has increased
as rapidly as his living expenses.
But even If every laboring man was
prosperous. and even IL that prosperity
could be traced to Republican legislation.
still the laboring man Is a citizen, and
must look at political questions from the
cltlzens standpoint. He cannot afford
to barter away future security: he can
not afford to sleep while his industrial
independence is being destroyed. Neither
can he be enticed into an imperialistic
trap, no matter how well the trap may
be bated with food
During the last campaign laboring men
were threatened with idleness by en-
ployers who desired to coerce them into
tine support Of the Republican ticket.
Many OF them were told not to return to
work unless the Republicans were sue
cessful at the polls. After the election
some OF these employers closed down their
shops and others reduced wages. IF ad-
vances have been made in any branch Of
industry since 1896 remember that some
advance was necessary to compensate for
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
1886 that 1t would not be able to continue
In business IL I was elected. It. went
into bankruptcy Immediately after elec-
ton Notwithstanding the fact that its
candidate was successful at the polls.
There are indications that this attempt at
intimidation may be resorted to again
this fall. II a business man feels justi-
fled In holding out the prospect OF his
own bankruptcy in order to influence
voters he cannot complain If his credit
ors take steps to collect their accounts
before the election In order to avoid a
possible loss.
The Chicago-Times Herald Of Septem-
Der 8 contained a special dispatch from
Indianapolis setting forth the complaint
made by the anthracite coal miners. In
the dispatch I read the following state
ment made by one of the miners: 1T is
merely a question whether the men would
starve to death at work or starve in idle
ness" The dispatch also contains the
following figures in regard to wages, said
to have been furnished by q member Of
the national beard of the United Mine
Workers of America, viz: Average daily
wages received by miners. $1.35; average
wage OF day men at mines. 80 cents" And
In the statement to the public giving his
dent Mitchell Of the United Mine Work.
ers says: 1.-The average wages of the
anthracite miners for many years has
been less than $3.50 annually" Let
the parent calculate the annual income
Of miner, and figure out II he can.
how the miner is going to keep himself.
and support his family under present con-
ditions; and then let the parent ask him
self whether he IS willing to have his
son take his chances with the miners. Is
1t due to natural or to human laws that
the producer of wealth fares so poorly,
while the man at the head Of monopoly
secures SO much.
All MoMopolles Arc Bad.
Those who attempt to divide private
monopoltes 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 advancement in civilization
man is still too selfish to be trusted with
the absolute control with that which his
fellows must have. The Republican party
has no remedy for the trusts. Publicity
is good, but publicity alone is not SUM-
cient. The practices Of the trusts must
not only be made known, they must be
prevented. The Democratic platform
contains q 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
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