The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-02-23
WHEN THE SHOE WILL PINCH.
The Present Industrial status ~
Brought About by Our False
system of Economics.


The present industrial status in the
United States is a striking illustration
of the aphorism that things are not
what they SEEM" for, as matter of |
fact. the magnates OF the trusts are
taking advantage of the prosperity that |
followed in the wake OF the higher
prices of grain in the Letter year to
riyet the letters Of producer and con-
sumer alike. In truth, the entire or
ranism of our economic and political
life is undergoing metamorphosis
which will not be apparent TO the gen.
eral eve, until the cycle OF events shall
have once more made the masses OF
critical temper. The average man has
neither inclination nor leisure for phil
osophical investigation. From empti-
ness of stomach, as rule, comes the
fullness Of heart, out Of which the
mouth speaketh.
In every direction. one sees certain
tendencies at work. In the first place,
the control of capital is passing into
fewer and fewer hands. Giant cor
porations seek TO establish monopolies
in various lines Of trade. With each
sunset, the individual is OF lighter
weight in the balances of life, the will
OF the multimilIionaire being thrown
into the opposite scale, after the his
toric fashion of the sword of Brennus.
Doctrines Of absolutism are boldly
preached which would not have been
endured decade ago. 1t is contended,
| indeed, that the average American
stands in direst want of guardian,
! and that the trusts respond TO the need,
I as the scabbard protects the blade from
the rust. Russell Sage maintains the
4 thesis, in its boldest form, but the mo-
nopoly's real weapons of precision are
forged in the silence Of academic re-
treats.
The fallacy of the argument will be
exposed when il shall come 10 be
tried by the stern tests of experience.
An ounce of fact is worth a ton of the
DRY. A system of morals or finance is
10 be intelligently judged only when
the logical results have been wrought
out. in the sequence of the years. II
is a truism that depression follows in
the wake of prosperity, as the ebb sue,
ceeds the flow of the tide. As a rule
deficient harvests are the prologue &c
the tragedy: then come exports of gold
and falling prices. a essened demand
for manufactured goods is the next de
velopment, so that labor awaits thu
employment which does not come. Ih'
unemployed are consumers of capital
but not consumers of products. Thu
congestion is the order of the day, an'
unrest is in the air.
Now the tremendous changes in tn
processes of production are bound I
intensity the dislocation which ba
trade never fails TO bring. In such
, case. the trusts win avail themselve
Of their undisputed possession of tn
field, TO restrict the output TO the mini
mum requirements of the hour. On
factory will be kept in operation at
profit, where five were run at model
ate loss. under the old order of thing
The consequences will be felt at all e,
+, cept the privileged firesides of the lan'
The many will suffer, so that the fe'
. NAV be sheltered from the storm.
! There is little reason to suppose thu
q the reality of things will be disclose'
= until the presidential election sha
: have come and gone. In the INTERN
the fears OF labor will be lulled
sleep with higher wages. lest the We
dict OF the ballot box bring the plai
of the monopolist TO naught, but gree
will throw off all disguise, when on
the overweening corporations sha
- fem IN
| of license. II will then be too cle'
| for argument that the sons Of toll ha
| sold their brthright for mess of pc
4 tare. With the inevitable disillusi'
| will come a searching. and even piiiles
! reexamination of the questions at
| sue. The result cannot be doubtf'
! unless democratic government is to
4 the monumental failure of the ages.
! the meanwhile. the duty of the chat
pions OF freedom is plain as the moo
day sun: they must present the fac
in season and out of season. with s
preme confidence in the truth of Il
coins dictum: "You can fool some
the people all the time. and all the p'
ple some of the time; but you cam
fool all the people all the time" In
end. exac. Justice will be done,
nd whatever cost; for mans ingenuity v
never suffice TO construct an eifci'
shield against the darts Of the div
Justice
a Though the mills OF God grind slowly.
or Yet they grind exceeding small:
III Though with patience IL stands waltz
with cxactness grinds lie all