The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-24
enough new railwsys
to employ in operation Is. Z

Or take manufacturing corpora
tion as an illustration-the Steel
Trust. 1t employs over 10000 more L.
boring men now than the total number
employed by all the s.abnshmert =
which were consolidated into this sim
gle company The Steei Trust today
employs more than Is COO laborers
and pays them more than 100000, 90
every year in wages. not including Off
GERS and salaries. The average wage
TO each laborer is 20 per cent larger
than before consolidation, and aggre-
gate wages are over 40 per cent great
er than before. Another illustration:
Less than a generation ago farmers
bought their wagons from numberless
blacksmith shops and paid $120 for
each wagon. The farmers business
increased, roads multiplied, more wag-
ons are required. Natural conditions
made wagon-making a specialized and
consolidated industry. And today the
enormous establishment Of the Stude-
bakers is one of the glorieS of our
state and nation. 1t has not destroyed
the little blacksmith shops, which are
now more numerous than ever; and
yet it has given to the millions of users
of wagons perfect wagons at 500
half the old-time price. When most of
the men of this convention were far
mer boys, plows were made at the vii
lage blacksmith shop. In comparison
with the finished instrument of agri-
culture which the Oliver Chilled Plow
works turn out today, our boyhood
plows were crude, heavy and expen-
sive. Did these organizations cause
ell this progress? No, the American
people, with powers unfettered, caused
it; and industrial and commercial or
ganization is only one of the peoples
methods of progress. And now the
opposition proposes the destruction of
those agencies of the peoples devel-
oping energies. That program Of de-
struction the opposition proposes to
make one of it's issues in this cam
paign. 1t is the policy of disaster.
True craftsmanship says: Hands of
of the activities of the American peo-
pie, and they will achieve as never ma
ton yet achieved" Let the American
people alone,-that is the keynote OF
this campaign and all campaigns.
Effect of Trusts on the Peoples Pros
perity.
Has this movement oppressed the
people? 1t has not oppressed the
workingmen, because more laborers
are now employed at higher wages
than ever before in history; and in saw
ings banks alone American working
men have on deposit today over $2,.
SOC, ,O00-more than enouyn ready
cash to buy out any ten of the great.
est corporations of the world. Is II
said that this movement throws labor
out of employment? When the rail-
road came the stage-driver and horse
dealer thought they were thrown out
of employment; but instead new and
better employment was provided.
When the self-binder came harvesters
thought their occupation gone; but In
stead new and better occupation came.
Cypress the people? Why should any
organization of industry or commerce
Cypress the people? Their prosperity
depends upon the peoples prosperity.
Oppression? Retaliation? Ven
geance? Enslavement? i let those
bitter words be hushed! Let JUS
tice reign, Let tolerance be sover.
eign, Let human thought and activ-
ity be freei Let a common brother
hood of service make of the American
people not only the most powerful but
the happiest of nations! Haul down
the black flag of class hatred and let
the Stars and Stripes of freedom and
fraternity alone wave over this people
made strong and glorious by mutual
confidence and affection. Industrial
peace throughout the republic! Indus
trial war, our forces all united, against
foreign rivals in the markets Of the
world. United we stand, divided we
fall''-this is the council of patriotism
and prosperity.
Causes Of Trusts.
These simple illustrations explain
the nature and effect of the movement
of the day toward industrial co-opera'
ton 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 pro
gress of the race. Before the time OF
electricity and steam every little com
munity, walled in from therrest of the
world by want of means of communi
cation, had to supply its limited needs
by it's own limited means; today every
city is In quick and constant communi
cation with every other city, and every
American home is in touch with all
American homes-woven, all of them
by wire and rail, by electricity and
steam into the splendid fabric of our
national unity. Massachusetts sup
plies Louisiana; California supplies
New York. Every section of the re
public is drawn upon to furnish the
needs of every American home; and
into that home the service and re
sources of all the world converge.
Could the stage-coach and horse
wagon do the Nations carrying to
day? Could the individual effect ot
all men acting separately do the Ma
tion's business, employ the Nations
labor, supply the Nations resources
today? System, organization, combin
alton alone can do this twentieth cen
tury's work. And, therefore, the very
basis of the organizations of labor