The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1902-11-08

Henry Watterson, the famous editor
Of the Louisville Courier-Journal, de-
serves a nations thanks for his scath-
society known to all as plutocracy.
Mr.. Watterson to be sure is not the
first writer that has warned the nation,
but he is the best qualified and the
greatest American editor to do so.
Most nations have always been cursed
with a plutocracy In one form or an
other, and it has too often resulted in
the ruination Of nations.
Our plutocracy is somewhat different
from others in that it is an oligarchy
Of wealth. Money is it's sole God, for
money is power and allows of vicious
pleasures, and general immoralities.
This oligarchy, this modern mammon.
f1aunt their immoralities and vices
before the nation; they care nothing
for public opinion. 1t is plutocracy
that is corrupting our social and moral
standards, both economic and political.
1t has secured control or at least large
} ly so of Congress, and State legisla-
lures.
Our Senate is called the Million
airs Club" Senators are elected by
! order Of great transportation COM
panies and the trusts. A prominent
official of the B. & M. r. r. stood at
the door of the legislative hall Concord,
N. H., when the election of the U. s.
Senator was pending, and actually
ordered members Of that body to vote
for the successful candidate. A few
days ago a candidate for the NOM
ination to the N. H. State Senate was
approached by an agent Of the greatest
cotton corporation in the world and
asked point blank how he stood on the
proposed So hour bill: he refused to
make any pledges and this great COR
poration set about to defeat his nom-
ination, which has been accomplished.
These two illustrations might be null
tiplied a hundred times over, but they
serve to prove the power Of plutocracy
in the political field, for mark you, it
was working men that were used to
securing political ends Of these two
: great CORPORATIONS.
Take the case of the coal strike.
A law on the Statute Books Of Penn,
expressly prohibits any railway COM
pany from owning or operating the
coal mining industry. Yet, 80 per cent.
. of the coal industry of the State is
owned and conducted by three or four
: great r. r. corporations.
They are a law unto themselves, thew
! care nothing for the peoples laws,
, they rely upon their gigantic, econo.
.. mic and political power to defy the
. laws and corrupt the courts.
If hungry man steals g. loaf of
. bread he is sent to jail. The plutocracy
can steal a mountain Of coal, or a
million dollar franchise, and it's favored
members are sent to the u S. Senate.
The poor man who def1es the law is
an anarchist. The rich man who de-
f1es the law is excused, and often re-
warded with high public office.
1t was the plutocracy of ancient
Greece, Babylon, Persia, and Rome,
that destroyed civilization in those
nations.
When Rome went down to the dark
ages, not to emerge again for thous-
, and years, it was said that 1900 pluto
Gratis owned all the then known world.
The question for trade unionists to
consider is, shall we allow history to
:: repeat itself.
It is well-known fact that the
saloon is a powerful ally of our pluto
cracy, the saloon controls to-day the
votes of a million workingmen. Poll
ticians boast in many states that they
can buy from 40 to so per cent. of the
votes Of the working class. This may
not sound pleasant, but it Is better to
not deceive ourselves or minimize the
evil. The politicians and saloons will
be found on the side Of the rich and
: powerful aiding our plutocracy to
| crafty it's political ambitions.
The plutocracy intend to name the
next President as they have named
other Presidents before.
That our plutocracy is our most dam
gerous foe ought to be plain to all.
1t has become the mighty power in
our social life. It is organized and
Differed and trained. To cope with
this tremendous evil requires the best
thought and effort on the part Of that
other MIGHTY economic and political
power, the organized labor movement
of America and the world. And this gi-
gantic problem ought to be considered
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