The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-24


Has this movement oppressed the people?
Il has not oppressed the workingmen. be-
cause more laborers are now employed at
higher wages than ever before in history;
and in savings banks alone American work
ingmen have on deposit to-day over $500
eOo,oOO-more than enough ready cash 10
buy out any ten of the greatest industrial
corporations of the world. Is it said that
this movement throws labor out Of en-
ployment? When the railroad came. the
stage-driver and horse dealer thought they
were thrown out of employment; but, in
stead new and better employment was pro-
Vlded. When the self-binder came, har-
vesters thought their occupation gone; but,
instead, new and better occupation came.
This whole development, throwing men
here and there out of employment for a
day, furnishes permanently increased en-
ployment Tor the ever charging number OF
American workingmen; and where 4.25l,6l3
wage-earners were employed in manufac-
ture ten years ago, nearly 6,O00,oVO work
lngmen are earning higher wages now in
the single occupation of manufacture alone.
This movement then has not oppressed la
Dor. IL mas not oppressed the agrtcultur-
lists, because American farmers in the last
SIX years have paid mortgages on their
farms 10 the amount of $S0O,oo0OOO; and the
american FARMER could to-day with his live
stock alone pay the entire national debts
OF England and Germany, and still have
over $o2O,0e0O00 left. 1t has not oppressed
whole American people is the establishment
and envy of the world.
Cypress the people? Why should any or
ganizatiOn of industry or commerce Cypress
the people? Their prosperity depends upon
the people prosperity. Profits of railroads
come from freights on shipments or fares
OF passengers. And prosperity of the peo-
pie means large shipments and heavy
travel; poverty of the people means little
freight and few passengers. Banks have
no source of income other than exchange
a I'm ~1qsara ffVeanG hnr hnp
are few loans and little exchange. The
steel trust can make money only by selling
steel for railroads, buildings, bridges; but II
business is not good buildings, railroads,
bridges will not be constructed. The profits
of every organization of commerce, indus
try and finance are drawn from the great
fountain of the common prosperity Of the
people. When these organizations arbi-
trarily raise prices for temporary profit
folly directs their business. and that folly
in themselves is a wrong to the people and
must be prevented and punished. But de-
creasing prices, improved quality, better
service-these are the wise and general
policy of organized industry. Why? Be
cause cheaper prices and better quality
means greater sales; and there larger
profits in vast sales with small margin on
each sale than there is in few sales with d
greater profit on each sale. Since 1868 the
steel industry has steadily grown into even
vaster single organizations, until now the
elimination comes in the mightiest indus
trial consolidation of history; yet here is
the falling schedule in the prices of steel:
In 1868 steel rails sold in America at Sl6O
per ton: 1875, $685. in 1902 steel rails sell al
SOS per ton. Oppression? Retaliation? Ven
geance? EnslaVement? Let those bitter
words be hushedi Let justice reign Let
tolerance be sovereign, Let human thought
and activity be free! Let common brother
hood of service make of the American people
not only the most powerful but the hap
piest of nations Haul down the black
flag of class hatred and let the stars and
stripes of freedom and fraternity alone
I, fc
glorious by mutual confidence and affec-
ton. Industrial peace throughout the Ke-
publicl Industrial war, our forces all
united, against foreign rivals in the mar
kets of the world. United we stand, d.
vided we fall'-this is the counsel of patri-
otism and prosperity.
CAUSES OF TRUSTS.
These simple illustrations explain the
nature and effect of the movement Of the
day toward industrial cooperation and
combination. What causes this movement?
Nothing but human thought and energy
unrestrained; nothing but the advancing
intelligence of the people. the trust of man
in man; nothing in a word, but the progress
of the race. All these have changed condi-
lions. Railroads have Joined village TO city;
highways have joined farm 10 village; the
whole country is a single community to-
day. Indiana and Illinois have more than
twice as many people than the entire popu-
lation of the original States when the Con-
stitution was adopted. The cattle raiser to-
day speaks from the crossroads telephone
to the stockyards of Chicago The tele-
graph flashes commercial orders around the
world faster than the dawn can travel, and
now the wireless method viii soon NIL all
civilization with messages Sw1fter still. To-
day car of freight is sent across the CONT
nent quicker than Washington could travel
in swiftest stage coach from Virginia TO
fln ina ~ al aff ffaiT
and steam every little community, walled
in from the rest of the world by want OF
means of communication, had TO supply its
limited needs by its own limited means;
to-day every city is in quick and constant
communication with every other city, and
every American home is in touch with all
wire and rail, by electricity and steam into
the splendid fabric of our national unity.
Massachusetts supplies Louisiana, Califor-
MIA supplies New York. Every section OF
the Republic is drawn upon TO furnish the
needs of every American home, and into
that home the service and resources or all
the world converge.
Could the stage coach and horse wagon
do the Nations carrying to-day? Could
the individual effort of all men acting sep
arately do the Nations business, employ
the Nations labor, supply the Nation :
needs, develop the Nations resources to-
day? System, organization, combination
alone can do this notwithstanding work.
And. therefore, the very basis OF the or
I
the unfettered human brain working out
for human use the possibilities of the great
forces of nature And he who would 0c-
stroy those organizations must first abolish
their causes-destroy the telegraph. the
telephone, the wireless message; tear up the
shining tracks of steel over which the COM
merce of the world is flying. And so the
simplest mind can see that attempts al
such destruction, though unsuccessful.
would be disastrous; yet that is what the
opposition proposes. They suggest no bet
ter methods. They propose no remedy for
admitted evils. They denounce the whole
| notwithstanding system of organization.
| If they are logical and honest, they pro-
pose that the Big Four Railroad system
! shall go back to the condition of a quarter
| of century ago; the great establishments
| that furnish markets for the farmers live
stock shall cease their operations: that
labor organizations shall be disbanded. and
! that each Workingman shall act independ-
| emily Of his fellow-laborer along the old
! principle of competition Dare they deny
! that this is their purpose? If so, their cause
! is rejected by themselves. Dare they admit
! that this is their purpose? If so, their
| cause is condemned by its own folly.
The Republican party always stands for
| liberty of thought and action-stands for
| the forces that build. stands against the
! forces that destroy. We stood Tor protec-
! ton that labor might be free; for honest
money that the people should not be de-
frauded. We stood against population that
/ the Republics honor might be saved:
! against secession that the Nation might be
/ preserved And just so we stand to-day
! against the destruction or organized labor
/ and capital that this twentieth century
! civilization may continue, and that the
! American people may march on 10 yet mob
! Ter achievements and win richer blessings
/ still