Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-04
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
SPEAKS TO THE WORKERS.
A Splendid Address In Celebration of Labor
Day at Chicago

| the law can, upon conviction, be made
to suffer the penalties prescribed for
such violation. The meaneSt thief and
the most brutal murderer are entitled
to trial by jury; why should this right
be denied the laboring man?
The fact that United States Senators
are
Elected by Legislatures
rather than by the people directly, les
sens the laboring mans influence in
securing Favorable federal legislation.
Vixen the action OF a political conven-
tion must be submitted to the voters for
ratification at the polls, the convention
is constrained to nominate a candidate
acceptable to the people; but when
! Senator is chosen by legislature, the
| individual voter is far less considered.
| Even when direct bribery is not en-
| ployed, the indirect influence which cor
| poratioas can exert is rescrted to, and
more frequently stih, money is secrete-
| ly used to aid legislative candidates in
close districts. Such obligations are
usually repaid in the caucus, and, as
| rule, the majority in the caucus con-
trolls the party which has the selec-
| ton of the Senator
The laboring man is interested in the
| proposition to establish a labor bureau
| with a Cabinet officer at its bead. Such
a bureau would keep the executive in
constant touch with the wage earners
of the country, and open the way to the
| redress of their present and future
grievances. If labor is given place in
the Presidents official household, the
man selected will necessarily be a wor-
thy and trusted representative of the
people for whom he speaks, and his
presence at the Cabinet meetings will
give to those who toll for their daily
bread, assurance that their interests
will be properly guided.
Mr.. Gompers, the chief executive Of
the Federation of Labor, has, in his
correspondence with the Secretary Of
the Treasury, so ably presented the la
boring mans reasons for opposing gold
standard and a national bank currency
that it is not necessary to discuss those
questions at this time.
The laboring man has abundant rea-
son to fear the trusts. Mr.. Chas. r.
Flint. in a speech delivered in Boston,
more than year ago, in defense of the
trusts, frankly asserts that one OF the
advantages of these combinations Is
that, Gin case of local strikes or fires the
work goes on elsewhere, thus prevent
ing serious loss" Is it possible that
any wage Garner can fail to see how
completely the trusts places the en-
ploye at the mercy of the employer?
The Resolutions Adopted
by various labor organizations in
concentration of militarism and imper-
alism Justify me in making brief
reference to those questions. NO class
contribute more than the laboring
class, in proportion to its numbers, to
the rank and file Of the army; no class
contributes more in proportion to its
numbers to the expense Of the army,
and no class is more menaced by the eX-
istence of a large army. Most OF the
countries in Europe which MAINTAIN
large military establishments collect an
income tax which adjusts the burden of
the government to the income OF the
citizen Here our federal taxes are
largely collected upon consumption, and
while they are income taxes, in the
sense that they must be PAID out of the
incomes of the people, yet the exac-
lions are proportionate to the income.
The taxes upon consumption bear heav-
lest upon the poor and lightest upon the
rich, and are, in fact, graded income
taxes. The per cent collected decreas-
ing as the income increases.
If this nation adheres to the doctrine
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent OF the govern
ed, and the people have an easy and
90 f,,nr oil oh
the government will not need to be sup
ported by large permanent army for
every citizen will be ready to defend
such a government from attack. The
only domestic use for large standing
army is to suppress by force that dis
content which should be cured by legis-
lation.
TO Support "a Permanent Army
of 100, 900 men requires approximately
one-half as much money as is annually
expended for education in the United
States. How much cheaper it is to
uplift people by the ga }tlc and peace
full process of intellectual development
than to blow them up with powder and
dynamite.
Imperialism inolves departure from
principles which were universally ac-
copied in this country until within TWO
years ago. To know that all men are
created equal one needs not the wis
dom of a sage or the learning of the
schools. 1t was declared to be self
evident truth; it was evident to those
who pledged their lives to the main
tenance Of the Declaration or indie
pendence, and it is evident still to those
who are not blinded by the glamour
OF wealth and the glittering promises
of a colonial system. If all men are
created equal and endowed with in
alienable rights, it follows as logi-
cal and a necessary consequence that
governments were instituted for the
welfare of all and derive their just
'sowers from the consent of the govern
ed. On the preservation OF ,hls d1t-
trine our hopes depend; ii 1t is
abandoned there is no foundation upon
which government like ours can be
constructed Do not allow yourselves
to be deceived 10y those who question
on the capacity of this people or~;hat
people for government.
We live in the presence OF a law al
ready enacted which makes SUBJECTS
I'll S>D,