Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-11-03
next four years as they have grown

next four years as they have grown
| since 1886.
The miners strike has also been q
reminder to the general public that IL
| is dangerous to allow trusts to so COM
pletely control an article Of general
| consumption that they can defy both
producer and consumer.
No Improvement in this condition
can be expected unless Bryan is elect
ed and the Democratic programme Of
trust restraint is put into operation. :.
The bureau of statistics, which is an
adjunct of the treasury, has just is
sued campaign bulletin In which it
asserts that a long list of trust manu-
featured articles have fallen in price
since last January II falsities the
record about most of them, and where
IL gives the correct price ii fails to
add, in explanation, that consumers
boycott, which began last January. has
forced prices down on iron. wire fenc-
ing, nails. lumber and a few other
articles. The farmers concluded that
they would 90 without fencing and
lumber and machinery until the trusts
cut prices. When goods piled up in the
warehouses, the trusts did reluctantly
reduce prices. The bureau of statis-
tics also claims that the prices of farm
products have greatly advanced this
year. So they have in some lines
where there Is n short crop. Good
prices are not OF much benefit to the
farmer who has scarcely any wheat
to sell.
There is not much difficulty in Judg
ing whether trusts have Increased
prosperity or not. Each farmer knows
whether he can buy more for his
produce than before trust prices went
into effect. Each workingman knows
whether his wages will buy more than
they would three years ago. He knows
whether the trusts have advanced his
wages or not. The Republicans know
that each individual is likely to settle
this question for himself, so they are
trying to scare the voters by prophecy
ing dreadful ills to follow the election
Of Bryan.
Bryan's election will mean an era Of
real prosperity for the whole people.
The settlement of the Philippine ques-
ton will cut off the enormous eXpend-
iture for military purposes and make
the continuance of war taxes unneceS-
sary. The country need not fear the
menace of n big standing army if Bry
an is elected, and the trusts will not
have United States soldiers to enforce
their conditions on employees.
Forcing the trusts to conform to le
Ultimate business methods or quit will
render all business and employment
that much more secure. If Bryan is
elected, labor will for the first time
have its needs voiced in the cabinet.
Unions need not fear legislation which
will deprive them of their very exist
eRee. as-z------l---- ----------s---------1
The election of Mckinley will mean
not only continuation of the present
policy, but many radical departures
from free government. The. trusts
are getting ready to enact hostile leg
islation which will force all labor I'M
ions out Of existence. They propose to
cut wages all around and import large
quantities Of cheap labor. The stand
Ing army Will ut once he increased so
that Il contingent can be kept at home
to ovcrawe labor, besides what is need
cd In the Philippines or in China.
There Will be enormous expenditures
to crush the FiIipinos into some sort
OF SuDIllSSIOI, 81 iuS lIuSNS may IA
plot the new possessions with an in
dustry that Spain never displayed.
The Republicans dare not discuss the
record made by the present admins
tration. but 1t Is only the basis for
much worse If by coercion
or corruption the voters can be made
to give 1t the Endorsement of re-elec-
ton in November. The indications
are all In the direction of an over
whelming and deserved popular rebuke
to MckInleyism. l.. \. WHITE