The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-09-18
BRYAN AT CHICAGO.
TRIES TO SCARE LABORING MEN
WITH IMPERIALIST BO0EY.
Invited to Deliver a non-Partisan Ad-
dress, He Makes Campaign Speech
Full of Partisan Misrepresentation
Partial Text of Speech.
Direct Legislation.

The laboring man favors direct legis-
lation wherever practicable for the
same reason that he favors the election
of senators by popular vote.
Direct legislation brings the govern
ment nearer to the voter. There is
more virtue in the people than ever
finds expression through their repre-
sentative. To hold that n representa-
tive can act for the people better than
they can act for themselves, is to as
sert that he Is as much interested in the
people as they are in themselves, and
that his wisdom is greater than the
combined wisdom of the majority of
the people. Neither proposition is
sound. Most, IL not all of the evils
complained of in government. are trace
able to the fact that the representatives
of the people has personal interests at
variance with the interests of his con-
stituency. Curruption in municipal
state and federal governments is due
to the misrepresentation of the people
by public servants, who use their posi-
tions for private advantage. The peo-
pie should have an opportunity 10 vote
on public questions when those queS-
tions can be submitted. without too
great Inconvenience and expense. But
the laboring man is even interested in
the proposition to establish Il labor bu-
reau with Cabinet officer at its head
Such bureau would keep the execu-
tive in constant touch with the wage
earners of the country, and open the
way to the redress of their present and
future grievances. If labor is given a
place in the Presidents official house
hold, the man selected will necessarily
be n worthy and trusted representative
of the people for whom he speaks, and
his presence at Cabinet meetings will
give to those who toll for their daily
bread assurance that their interests
will be properly guided.
Mr.. Gompers, the chief executive of
the Federation of Labor, has, in his
correspondence with the secretary of
the treasury, so ably presented the la
boring mems reasons for opposing the
gold standard and national bank cur
rency that it is not necessary to dis
cuss those questions Mt this time.
The laboring man has abundant rea-
son to fear the trusts. Mr. Charles r.
Flint, in speech, delivered in Boston
more than a year ago, in defense of the
trusts, frankly asserts that one of the
advantages of these combinations is
that Sin case of local strikes or fires
the work goes on elsewhere, thus pre-
venting serious loss" Is it possible
that any wage Garner can fail to see
how completely the trusts place the
employe at the mercy of the employer?
The Laborer and Imperialism.
The resolutions adopted by various
labor organizations in condemnation of
militarism and Imperialism, justify me
in making brief reference to those
| questions. No class contributes more
| than the laboring class, in proportion
NI,.,. to ha nj nd of
the army; no class contributes more in
proportions to the expense of the army,
and no class is more menaced by the
existance of a large army. Most of
the countries of Europe which main-
tain large military establishments col
lect an income tax which adjusts the
burden of the government to the in
come of the citizen. Here our federal
taxes are largely collected upon con-