The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-30

The speaker closed by urging all present
10 vote to reject both the proposed
| amendments.
PARTY PRINCIPLES.
The second speaker OF the evening wa:
Hon. Thomas j. Gargan OF Boston, who
| said:
Fellow Ciizens--The Republican SPEAK.
ers and newspapers claim we are enjoying
an era OF unexampled prosperity. Are W.
enjoying unexampled prosperity in TINS
country7 These are questions which every
| thoughtful man .n this country touay
| ought 10 consider. l think II will pe
| conceded that any prosperity which Is un-
natural is no prosperity at all, but is the
| sure and certain parent OF disaster.
lis our prosperity as fictitious and un-
| real as so much OF the capital OF the gi-
| gantic corporations which we call trusts
| IL our prosperity is real and natural. the
prosperity OF the gre3t masses OF the
people. and not the unexampled or ap-
parent prosperity OF a few. then there
ought TO be no undercurrent OF discomfort.
Ia there discontent7
Need / ask you, who are intelligent
readers OF the daily press for the last
month. you who have read OF the strike OF
$4,000 miners. The charges and counter
charges. the ordinations and recrimina-
tions. the midnight meetings OF the presi-
dent OF the United States and his cabinet.
tnt conferences Win coal operators ana
labor leaders, the visit OF the cabinet Of
ficers to a distinguished financier. and tine
fear throughout the land that in addition
70 the high prices demanded for beef and
other food product. we were to be without
fuel and that we were face TO face with
cold and hunger and all it's attendant con-
sequences Are all content? Is everybody
prosperous and happy? All no; let US
dare TO be honest.
TIME TO SPEAK OUT
"The time has come 20 speak out We
do not have effects without causes. The
physical body does not break down all
at once: we must look backward for the
causes. The immediate trouble Is only
the effect OF long-existing evils, only
symptoms. As with the physical body so
with the body polite.
THE causes of our present discomfort
and troubles originated with the Repuo-
lican party, who have had control OF the
law making of the national government
for nearly 40 years, and have had almost
absolute control Of a majority OF the
northern states during the same period.
We must seek for the causes In a genera
tion of unwise legislation, much OF II
vicious and much Of IL corrupt"
I'VE began TO produce the causes when
our state legislatures granted franchises
to corporations having an existence only
people. worth many millions OF dollars for
nothing, and upon which the people to-
day are paying tribute on many millions
OF dollars of fictitious capital
Such legislation was not only unwise.
but vicious. Not content with creating
these corporations and granting them val
uable franchises I'm few years after they
began operation. upon borrowed money,
they allowed them TO consolidate. capt.
talizng their earnings and allowing
boards OF directors who virtually con-
trolled the stock to vote what was worth
a million dollars one day worth two mill
lions the next day. and these practices
been sanctioned by a majority of the
legislatures controlled by the Republ
can party In the Northern states.
WAS not such legislation not only un-
wise. not only vicious-was IL not cor
rupt7 ! need refer TO but few con-
spicuous examples OF consoldation-the
New York Central and Hudson River rail-
road the Lake Shore and many others
much worse
PEOPLE DEMAND CHANGE.
"'The people OF this country now see
that II coal mines are capitalized far
beyond their value, that II the railroads
that haul the coal to the consumers are
loaded down with securities far beyond
owners OF these mines that they are not
earning fair interest upon their capi-
tai may not be tenable. and they demand
n change I'm the administration OF our
government. both state and national. that
such investigation may be made and such
laws enacted that the many shall not un-
Justly pay tribute To the few. What rs
true Of the coal mines and coal roads Is
true of many other trusts.
THE tariff extortions have been almost
equal To- the demands OF the robber upon
the highway. oh yes. let the Republican
party revise the tariff and how far away
are you from benevolent feudalism. You
have another instance OF the revision OF
the tariff IN that duty OF 81 cents a ton
on anthracite coal. which no less an au-
thority than the distinguished secretary
Of the navy. Mr. Moody. Of President
Roosevelts cabinet. says was smugglcd
into the tariff by its friends.
Fellow citizens. the tariff never viii
be revised by the Republican party Sen
ator Aldrich, the great tarif leader, sem
ator and distinguished politician from
your own state. Rhode Island. echoes
have revision whenever they want ~; for
80 much graclousness we thank them.
Yet they say New England cannot do
ANYTHING for revisionl Did YOU ever know
n man or a set OF men 90 accomplish any
thing n they thought they could not, and
confessed beforehand that thev could not
and gave up the battle In advance. We
must not have reciprocity with Canada.
because we have n dispute about Alaska
We shall not have free coal 10 keep US
warm. These men and this party should
step down and out. and let US place
party In control of this government that
will try TO do something.
AFRAID TO ACT.
"a large number OF men In the Repub-
licsn party know something ought 10 be
done. but are afraid 90 do Il. They say
~ will disturb our prosperity and injure
business. IL that r. 80 then our pros
perity is unnatural and II no prosperity.
when shall we be I'm better condition.
Will u be when hard times and disaster
stare rs IN the face7
We cannot postpone: we must face
tho inevitable. As Senator Aldrich and
his associates have confessed either their
inability or unwillingness % helm tho peo-
pie the people must turn 20 the Demo
cratic party. We want free coal. free
iron. free wool and other free raw mate
rails"
Mr.. Gargan said IN conclusion; 'vigi-
liant fear r. the mother of safety Napo-
lecp Ffraf aald fCCt n 80