The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-03
TUESDAY, U 8, 1902.
OVER HEATED VACCINATIONS.

Undoubtedly the social and eco
nomic conditions existing in this busy
old world are not ideal or what they
should be, and that there is lots of
room for improvement all will readily
admit. But that things are as bad
as some impulsive and hysterical peo-
pie would have us believe is not a
fact. The poor outnumber the rich
and those who have their ice only in
winter are, perhaps, numerically
stronger than those who can afford it
even during the height of the hot
season, but that should not be accept
ed as proof positive of the existence
of the conditions that the class refer
red to would impress upon our minds
as obtaining in all their deplorable
horridness.
During the past few days the news
papers have contained much
ing the utterances of two gentlemen
distinguished in labor circles of
the country, one of them combining the
scope of his activity to the country
west of the Missouri, while the other,
aspiring higher, would become a great
national leader of the wage worker.
Both take the same gloomy view Of
the industrial situation. One in
his address assuered the mem
bers of the body to whom
it was delivered that the present sys-
tenn "clothes a few in silks and the
many in rags" He also assured his
auditors that manhood will decay,
reason wither and liberty cease" all
because of the pernicious and tyrani-
cal system he complains of.
Now to us this seems to be putting
the case overly strong. There is no
excuse for such pessimistic and dole
full language in picturing the condi-
ton of the men in this country who
earn their livelihood by the honest
perspiration that rolls from their
brows. There is work for all who de-
sire it and at rates of wages far in
excess of those paid in any other coun-
try and instead of becoming paupers
and candidates for eleemosynary in
situations, as he would have us be-
lieve. the bank reports of the country
show that the American workingmen
are constantly accommodating and gain
ing stores, modest though they may
be, Of that which enables their suppos-
ed oppressors to array themselves in
the raiment produced from the web
of a worm. The gentleman probably
had no idea that the conditions he so
graphically described had any ex
istence when he made his assertion,
but the temptation to indulge in high
sounding. tragic language and to work
in a well rounded period was too
strong to be resisted. The very bet
terment made in his condition and
through his own sturdy endeavor must
be accepted as proof that there is no
whitening of reason or decay of man
hood so far as the wage Garner of the
United States is concerned. The very
opposite in the fact. Because of his
greater intelligence and higher stand
ard Of manhood he has raised himself
far above his brother of other coun-
tries and is able to command a scale
OF wages that to the envious and ig-
norant eye of his congener beyond the
seas makes him appear an aristocrat
and the p~ossessor of wealth of which
the latter may eve dare to dream.
Some Of his commonest necessaries
OF life the other regards as Injuries
that only the wealthy and a~ristocratic
may enjoy.
This does not look as though he
were headed for the ditch and the
pauper's refuge, the poor house,
neither does it argue that there is
any decay in his intelligence or pow
ers of reasoning.
The other gentleman went his west
ern brother several better. He divid-
ed the population of the country into
two Observation-Disclosures and mendi-
cants. n residing in palaces and the
other existing in novels. The work
ingman, he solemnly averred, has
been reduced to the dead line of
and declared that the
world had never g the like of it.
Now this no doubt sounded good to
his own ears, but In the passion Of
his own eloquence he permitted him
self to be guilty Of the very impolite
Thing Of contradicting himself. Az
declaring that there were but two
alA9ses milllonsires and |mendicsntss