The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-10-18

minlstratiOn than during the three
years Of Mr.. Mckinley's administrl-
ti0n-the fourth year is not yet COM
plete, bat cotton is now above the av-
erage price.
Taking these four staples of agricul-
ture il will he seen that three out Of
four have not on the average brought
as much return TO the farmer, under
the present administration. as under
the previous administration. and the
fourth product, wheat. is mere infiu-
enced 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 necessaries of life he finds that the
trusts have raised prices He must
pay more for lumber, nails wire, har-
ness. hardware, stoves and agriculture
al implements. More. also for oil,
sugar, clothing, furniture. etc. and i'll
addition to these drains upon his in
come h" must meet an increase in fed
eral taxation.
Let The parent calculate how long
it VIII take farmer to become indie
pendent under present conditions: let
him contrast the lot of the farmer with
the lot Of tie Iua. VINO profits by gov
"rnmental fayoritism and grows ricn
by the exploitation Of his countrymen
through the inStrumcntality of mouop-
oily, and then let him answer the
question, is the young man. Absalom,
safeE Has the farmers son, or the
farmer himself any reason for giving
support 10 the Republican party:
Next II the farmer in point of num-
bcrS and Importance come the wage
earnt Is. What is the trust doing to
Increase the wages. shorten the Eours,
improve the condition. or protect the
rights Of the tailoring man: IS his
present prospect an inviting one: Is
he receiving Il fair share of the pro-
ceedS OF his toll: And, If not, why
not: Republicans assert that the
working man has Il Full dinner pail"
ask. in the frs; place, whether
full dinner pail is all that a laboring
man needs: 1t is an insult to the
wage Garner to say that his thoughts
ire entirely centered upon his physi-
cal wants Republican speakers and
editors assume that the laboring man
is all stomach. They act upon the the
DRY that np complains only when he
is hungry. and is happy whenever his
hunger is appeased.
The Full Dinner Pail.
If Il full dinner pail were the only
thing desired, and if every laboring
man hal plenty TO eat. it would still
be necessary for the Republican par
t. to show some connection between
Republican policies and the laboring
mans food supply. If bountiful crops
come to the farmer he does not thank
Republican administration. If a
famine al oard raises the price OF farm
pro,lrcts. here the farmer does not
thank the Republican party for bring
Ing the famine. If an unexpected and
an unpromised increase in the gold
supply gives any respite from finan-
cial stringency can the Republican
party claim credit? The question is
not whether the laboring man is able
to exist under present conditions, but
whether he is enjoying his share of
the blessings of the country and the
protection Of the government. Com
pare the laborinS man with the trust
magnate, and see which fares the best
at the hands of the Republican party.
Inquire also whether the labOring
mans income has increased as rapid
Is as his living expenses.
But even if every laboring man was
prosperous, even if that prosperity
could be traced to Republican legiSla
ton, still the labOring man is a citi-
zen. and must look at political Ques-
tons from the citizen $ standpoint. He
cannot afford to barter away fut-
ure security; he cannot afford to sleep
while his industrial independence is be-
ing destroyed. Neither can he be en-
ticed into an imperialistic trap. no
matter how we'll the trap may be
bated with food.
During the last campa ga labOring
men were threatened with idleness by
employers who desired to coerce them
into the support OF the Republican
ticket. Many Of them were told not
to return to work unless the Repub
leans were successful at the polls.
After the election some of these en-
i,loyrrS closed down their shops and
others reduced wages. If advances
have been made in any branch of in
'iuEtry since 1896 remember that some
advance was necessary to compensate
the reductions which occurred after
Tie last election.
Coercion i'll 1896.
y firm in the city Of Washington an
Houncrl shortly before the election in
1896 that it would not be able to con
tinUp in business if | was elected. 1t
went into bankruptcy Immediately aft
CT election Notwithstanding the fact
that its candidate was successful at
the polls. There are indications that
Thu, attempt at intimidation may be
fe>orted to again this fall. If bust
hess man feels justified in holding out
tie prospect OF his own bankruptcy
in order to influence voters he cannot
complain if his creditors take steps
to collect their accounts before the
election in order to avoid q possible
loss
The Chicago Times Herald of Sept.
s contained Il special dispatch from
indianapolis Settir. forth the COM
plant made by the anthracite coal
miners. In the dispatch | read the
following statement made by one of
the miners: 1t is merely a question
whether the men would starve to
death at work or StarVe in idlencSS.'
The dispatch also contains the follow
ing figures in regard to wages, said
to have been furnished by member
of the national board of the United
Mine Workers of America, viz: Aver
age daily wages received by miners,
$1.35; average wage of day men at
mines, 90 cents Let the parent cal
culate the annual income of miner,
and figure out, if he can, how the
miner is going to keep himself. and
support his family under present con-
ditions: and then let the parent ask
himself whether he is willing to have
his son take his chances with the min
ers. Is it due to 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:
All Monopolies Are Bad.
Those who attempt to divide private
mOnopolies 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 he. With all the advance
ment in civilization man is still too
selfish to be trusted with the abso-
lutte control with that which his f.
lows must have. The Republican
party has no remedy for the trusts.
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