The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-15
The p,uner-pntl Argument.

The argument of the full dinner pan 10
still in use by Republican spellbinders,
in spite of the empty dinner pals in Penn
syivania which silently offer a REPUTATION
Mr.. Hanna and his followers appear to be
possessed with an unalterable conviction
that all the American workingman wants
is enough to eat, and that II he can be con-
WINGED that the Republican party will give
It to him he will vote for that party for
evermore.
The fact is, however, that even ii the
workingmen of this country were certain
that Republican domination meant full
dinner pails-and the indications are that
that certainly does not as yet possess their
minds-they would still enquire what else
Il might mean. The whole history OF the
country shows that in all great crises the
American people have overlooked material
benefits for the sake of principle. what
inspired the farmers of the American
army in the war of the Revolution? The
prospect of getting more good things 10
eat II the rule of George the Third could
be thrown off? On the contrary. not man
OF them but knew that independence might
very possibly mean privation and hardship.
at least for time. They wanted it, never
theless. They did not bother their heads
about full dinner pals when such ques-
lions as taxation without representation
were under discussion. The American
workingman of today is animated by very
much the same spirit. His forefathers may
have helped to win American independ-
ence, or they may have come to this coun-
Try because they wanted independence in
some form or other and thought they could
find it here; but this workingman has
been taught in the public schools what
representative government is, and he has
a growing idea that it is not trust govern
ment.
What was the moving principle on both
sides in the war between the States? 1t
is safe to say that whatever the leaders
may have thought and felt. the rank and
file thought they were fighting for prin-
ciple. The men of the South and the
men of the North alike left their homes
and families and subsisted on bacon and
bareback. or fare less paIatable. for four
years, because they had ideas which they
thought worth fighting for. Were they
thinking about the full dinner pail at
that time? Perhaps Mr.. Hanna was, but
he was not one of them. He hired sub
stitute.
What animated the people of practical
ly the entire country in the vast impulse
of indignation which swept the nation
into declaring war with Spain, when it
was not certain that such declaration
would not involve US in war with other
and far more powerful nations? Was il
the prospect OF full dinner pals! Hardly
II was principle again Nay; what is the
moving spirit of the labor unions but a
desire to secure to their members GER
tain measure of independence? Strikes
are declared. it is true, with the object
OF securing higher wages. but that is not
all. In the case of the Pennsylvania coal
miners the grievance was not altogether
that the men did not get enough pay. but
that they were not allowed to spend it
where and as they chose. 1t is about
time for the capitalist to find out that
no amount Of prosperity, or privilege, oil
patronage will make up to the American
workingman for the loss Of his indepen
dence. The love OF liberty is born in hin
and made an inalienable element of hi!
character by the education which he re-
ceives. He cannot read a newspaper OF
80 to a public meeting or pick up one O
his chiidren's school reading books with
out being told that freedom is the mos
valuable thing in life. even If it is free
dom to starye. He cannot help believing
this. because he is a man, and the desir,
for independence goes even further bacl
in history than the American Revolution
The independence of the individual. secur
ed through representative government, il
the goal toward which civic thought ha!
been tending for centuries.