Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25
PROSPERITY.

There is no word the republicans raise
with greater dexterity than the word
By its magic sound the til
lers of the soil and the workers in the
mines and the mills are charmed into
silence, nay more, are made proselytes OF
the republicanAfaith. We are told that
this is the greatest nation on earth: that
our national wealth is constantly in
creasing; that manufacturing establish
ments are constantly growing in number;
that labor and capital joined hand in
hand are making conquests at home and
abroad. Yes, press and people and poll
tician sound the same slogan throughout
the width and breath of the land. Pros
perity is here as never before.
Prosperity is relative term. If the
increase of great fortunes and of national
wealth is prosperity, then We have pros
perity. If the increase of cost of living
with no corresponding increase in wages
is not prosperity, then prosperity is not
here. The devil is accused of mixing
truth and lie together: that combination
makes him almost invincible. The re-
publicans, adopting his tactics, have for
some time had remarkable success. But
truth will out at last, and the workers of
this nation can not be fooled all the time.
When they wake up from the delusion
they will demand retaliation with VEN
gence.
Let us reason together, let us go down
to the bottom of the matter. 1t is a
fact that wages during the last ten
years have not materially increased. In
fact, in proportion to the increase Of
value Of all manufactured products the
wage earners' share has decreased. One
instance in which q raise in wages
was effected we will mention. The coal
operators after the strike in 1900 raised
the wages Of their laborers ten per cent.
But the cost of living is now forty per
cent higher than in 1897. A careful
comparison of the average prices of $50
articles of consumption according to R.
G. Dun l. Co., demonstrates this fact.
So even with an increase of ten per
cent in wages, the laborers' profit has
decreased thirty per cent. The farmer
is hot in much better condition. His
products have not increased in price,
while the articles he has to buy have
steadily gone up. We wish to be fair in
our statements. and it may be interest
ing to note what the Minneapolis Times
has to say on this subject. We quote:
''The fact remains, that while salaries
and wages have gone up the cost of liv-
ing has increased in greater proportion
and here is the thing that works, dubious
as to the extent of the Wanted prosperity
doubtless as to how they will be placed
when the pendulum swings, if but a
little, the little, the other way: curl
Gus in questioning as to why necessaries
of life-such as rent, fuel, meat and
and egetables-must increase at fal
greater ratio than their weekly, monthly
Or yearly stipends.'
Now these thing are facts. not fancy
Where then does proserity enter intoI
the consideration? Many time have
we tried to solve this riddle, but al
ways without success. The truth of the
matter is the prosperity talk is nonsense
talk. In spite Of increase in nationa
wealth the laborer and the farmer have
reaped No benefit and under present
conditions they never will. 1t is tim,
that We should lock little more care
fully into the hollow phrases used 81
glibly and dsxtsriously by republican
spell binders. 1t is time that the toiler'
of the land should buy wisdom ans
demand, not counterfeit, but real pros
perity.