The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-09-28


cessaries OF life he fnds that the trusts
have raised prices lie must pay more
Tor lumber, nails. wire. harness. hardware
stoves and agricultural implements. More.
also Tor OIL sugar, clothing. furniture
etc. and In addition 10 these drains upon
federal taxation.
Let the parent calculate how long IL
VIII take a 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
alton OF his countrymen through the in
strumentality OF monopoly. and then
let him answer the question, us the
young man. Absalom. safe2 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-
bers 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 laborins man? Is his present prospect
al inviting one? Is he receiving fair
share OF the proceeds Of his toll? And, II
not, why not? Republicans assert that
the working man has a Pull Dinner
pail" | ask. IN the first place whether
full dinner pail is all that laboring
man needs2 1t Is an insult 10 the wage
tdiLcT " say tidl MS thoughts are en-
tirely centered upon his physical wants
Republican speakers and editors assume
that the laboring man Is all stomach
They act upon the theory that he com
plains only when he is hungry. and is
happy whenever his hunger is appeased
The Hull Dinner Pail
II full dinner pail were the only thing
desired. ana IL every laboring man had
plenty TO eat. 4 would sull be necessary
Tor the Republican party to show some
connection between Republican policies
and the laboring mans food supply. IL
bountiful crops come 10 the farmer he
does not thank a Republican administra-
ton. II a famine abroad raises the price
or farm products here the farmer does
not thank the Republican party for bring
Ing the famine. II an unexpected and an
unpromised II crease in the gold supply
gives any respite from financial string
ency can the Republican party claim
creditE The question Is not whether
the laboring man Is able to exist under
present conditions. but whether he Is en-
jcying his share OF the blessings OF the
country and of the protection OF the gov
eminent. Compare the laboring man
with the trust magnate, and see which
fares 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.
prosperous. and even II that prosperity
could be traced to Republican legislation.
stun the laboring man is citizen. and
must look at political questions from the
citizens 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
the 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. II 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 1906.
A firm In the City OF Washington an
nounced shortly before the election I'm
1896 that It would not be able 10 continue
in business IL | was elected. 1t went
into bankruptcy Immediately after cleo
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 fan. III "A business man feels justi-
fled in holding out the prospect OF his
own bankruptcy in order to influence
voters he cannot complain IL his credit
ors take steps to collect their accounts
before the election in order to avoid =
possible loss.
The Chicago-Times Herald OF Septem-
Der contained special dispatch from
Indianapolis setting forth the complaint
made by the anthracite coal miners. In
the dispatch l 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 a member OF
the national beard of the United Mine
Workers OF America. viz: Average daily
wages received by miners, 81 .S5. average
wage OF day men at mines. 80 cents" And
In the statement to the public giving his
reasons for calling out the miners. Presi-
dent Mitchell of the United Mine Work.
ers says: The average wages of the
been less than $3.50 annually Let
the parent calculate the annual income
of a miner. and figure out. IL he can.
how the miner is going to keep himself,
and support his family under present con-
dtions. and then let the parent ask him
self whether he Is willing 20 have his
son take his chances with the miners. Is
II due 10 natural or TO human laws that
the producer OF wealth fares so poorly.
while the man at the head OF a monopoly
secures so much.
Ali Monopolies Are Had.
Those who attempt to divide private
monopolics 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 i'm 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 suffi-
Client. The practices OF the trusts must
not only be made known. they must be
prevented. The Democratic platform
contains n demand for legislation which
will place trust made articles on the free
list. There is no doubt that such a law
would protect the people from much OF
the extortion which Is practlced under
cover of high tariff laws. II a tariff
duty excludes the foreign product. while
domestic manufacturers combine to raise
the price OF home product, the American
citizen may be plundered here while the
frnet sells abroad I'm competifiOn with the