Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-09-27


are entirely centered upon his physl-
cal wants. Republican speakers and
editors assume that the laboring man
is all stomach They act upon the the
DRY that he complains only when he
IS hungry, and is happy whenever his
hunger is appeased.
The Full Dinner PAIL
II full dinner pail were the only
thing desired, and if every laboring
man had plenty to eat, it would still
be necessary for the Republican par
ty to show some connection between
Republican policies and the laboring
mans food supply. If bountiful crops
come to the farmer he does not thank
a Republican administration. If a
famine aboard raises the price of farm
products 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 laboring man with the trust
magnate, and see which fares the best
at the hands of the Republican party
Inquire also whether the laboring
man income has increased as rapid
~ 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 citi-
zen, and must look at political Ques-
lions from the citizens 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 imperiallstic trap, no
matter how well the trap may be
bated with food.
During the last campaign 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-
Iicans were successful at the polls.
After the election some of these en-
ployers closed down their shops and
others reduced wages. If advances
have been made in any branch of In
dustry since 1896 remember that some
advance was necessary to compensate
the reductions which occurred after
the last election.
Coercion in 1896.
A firm in the city of Washington an
nounced shortly before the election in
1896 that it would not be able to con-
tinue In business if / was elected. 1t
went into bankruptcy Immediately aft
er election 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 fall. If a bust
ness man feels justified In holding out
the 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 a possible
loss.
The Chicago Times Herald Of Sept.
s contained Il special dispatch from
indianapolis setting forth the com
plant made by the anthracite coal
miners. In the dispatch l read the
following statement made by one Of
the miners: at is merely a question
whether the men would starve to
death at work or starve in idleness."
The dispatch also contains the follow
ing figures in regard to wages, said
to have been furnished by a 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, 80 cents" Let the parent cal
culate the annual income Of a 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 1t 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 MonopoIies 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 viii be- With all the advance
ment in civilization man is still too
selfish to be trusted with the abso-
lutte control with that which his fel-
lows must have The Republican
party has no remedy for the trusts.
Publicity is good, but publicity alone
is not sufficient. The practices of the
trusts must not only be made known,
they must be prevented. The Demo
cratic platform contains a 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 practiced under cover Of
high tariff laws. If tariff duty ex-
cludes the foreign product, while do
nestle manufacturers combine to raise
the price of home product, the Ameri-
can citizen may be plundered here,
while the trust sells abroad in compe-
tition with the world. It may not be
out of place to suggest that intro
duced u bill eight years ago providing
for this remedy, but we are not will
ing to stop at one remedy, we desire
to apply every remedy within the pow
er of the state and federal govern
ments. Congressional action is not
necessary TO destroy a trust which con-
fines its operations to a single city,
or a single state. Such a trust can
be exterminated by state legislation.
1t is within the power of the state to
prescribe the conditions upon which
corporations shall be organized. and
these conditions should be such as to
make private monopoly place limi-
taions upon outside corporations doing
business within the state. This, how
ever, is not sufficient. Congress must
cooperate with the state in preventing
the organization of any Interstate mo-
nopoly. Without impairing the pres
ent authority of the state, congress