The Atlanta constitution., 1900-09-03
The Trusts and the Young Men.

Mr.. Richard Croker has a homely
way of expressing himself. but it must
be acknowledged even by his political
enemies that what he has TO say is
very strongly tinctured with good
horse sense.
Mr.. Croker made the longest politi-
cal speech in his life al meeting OF
the Tammany hall executive committee
the other afternoon. 1t is worth re-
producing in full:
/ should like to make a few remarks on
a matter that 1 consider TO he one Of thS
most important of the hour. and that is
the Necessity that you should impress Oh
the young men OF your districts lhe III
pOrIancs 10 them OF joining TIE yuuhb
mems clubs tLat are being lo'lEcd
throughout the United States. III Mere
IL use a common. everyday expression cA
the condition OF the young men seeking
future ] should say they were up
4 young man may get a start. or What
looks like start. but i don care whiAt
he Is-cler-I. messenger. boekkeeper, or
ANYTHING Won pleaSt-there Is no ladder
Ola which he can climb.
Hundreds Of letters come to me from
young men every day telling me Just these
,hings and hundreds Of letters come 10
me- from young men telling ME they can
Tot get employment.
You ought to get all the young men 10
and a. learn how TO make them better
There Is no hope for them In trusts, no
chance - advance. Invite them 10 JON
You Invite them to make speecheS,
whether they are orators or net. Get them
to give their ideas of the ISSUES Of the
day. no matter how roughly they give
them.
IL they don't want TO Join Tammany
clubs lei them join other clubs. only get
them thinking. Let them examine their
own condition. and when they npd that
hey HAY "a - a arssls
know what TO do. Think OF your own
sons. leaders. / know many OF you have
them. III they are placed ia trust they
are slaves 10 the trust.
Where are all the little business places
that used To be a feature In all the cOun-
Try not so many gears ago9 The little
grocery stores and the others where the
v hole family had an interest and every
member of .he family 50 soon as h. or
she MAS able was empoyedE They have
been destroyed. and destroyed by the
trusts.
Matters like these ought TO be brought
to the attention Of the young HlSn. 10.
with their help there can be no question.
about the result II l mad nothing 10 do
with this organization. or whether WAS
a republican or "A democrat. / would get
up and talk about IL as | do now. If me
issues of this campaign were thoroughly
understood. Bryan would get - per cent
of the vote Of the United States. because
~ per cent are now running the - per
cent and getting their hearts blood. I'M
press :hese questions upon your young
men.
The republican party is on the defensive
II has not one leg To stand upon.
II has to be driven To the wall 1t IS
Cisgracing the American flag.
! hope that these few words of mine
will cause YOU To work earnestly on the
lines I have mentioned. Give the Young
men the use Of your Clubhouses and get
them to join the democratic clubs which
are doing such magnificent work in every
state I'm she country.
Another thing OF which wish to speak
Is organized labor. Organized labor can
not protect itself too much from the in
reference of foreign labor. and | trust
that you VIII do whatever you can TO
strengthen organized labor Tammany
Hall whenever il can ought t. protect
organized labor and see that ''scab' labor
does not work against II to disorganize t.
The republican leaders are not shut
ting their eyes to the fact that to
very great many people this question
OF the trusts is the paramount issue of
the present political struggle. They
are very much afraid of 1t. for they
have no way to meet 1t. Their orators
have been given instructions TO say
very little on the subject, but to quote
the republican platform declaration
against trusts. hoping to blind some
people with this weak subterfuge.
But what the republicans may say
in their platform or from the stump
will fool nobody. The people see that
the trusts are heart and soul for the
republican party. and they know this
means that those organizations are sat
isfied of the protection they will re-
ceive. and OF their opportunity TO wax
and grow fat, under a continuance of
the republican administration. While
the growth of the trusts means the
continued closing of the door of oppor-
tunity to the great majority of the
youths of the country. Thousands of
older and experienced men have lost
their positions through the develop
ment of the trust system and thou
sands of others held to their present
position by the SKIN of their teeth. with
no hope of advancement and the con-
stant fear .hat their present remunera-
ton may be curtailed, If they are not
thrown out of work altogether.
The republican campaign committee
sends out the announcement that the
majority of commercial travellers are