The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-12-17

tuSe TO declpher his meaning. He is
evidently well informed man, who
knows perfectly we'll that the Ameri-
can laborer is not getting his just due;
for, while the cost of living during the
last five years has increased little
more than 30 per cent, the increase in
ages has been, on the whele, less than
20 per cent during the same period.
He also knows that the trust promot-
ers have during the same time gathered
in hundreds of millions of dollars, not
a dollar of which was earned. The
gentleman is too intelligent to believe
that dozen men, no matter what their
ability, can direct the energies of the
American people into proper or i'm
proper channels, and as deep thinker
he is no doubt cognizant of the fact
that any people having the resources
and the energy that we as people love
to boast of, is in an almost hopeless
condition when dozen self-constitut-
ed leaders can dictate to them what to
do OF what to leave undone. But let us
be thankful that, Notwithstanding the
assertion of this brilliant humorist, the
American people, as people, are not,
and never have been willing that these
dozen men should direct their efforts,
consolidate great industries, issue wat
cred stock, and increase the price of
their products-(witness the increased
price of petroleum, coal, steel, harvest
ing implements, furniture, salt, or al
most any other commodity controlled
by one, or several of these broad-mind-
ed, clear-headed leaders of industry J
If you still refuse to. believe that the
writer of the article under discussion
was poking fun at the so-called leaders
in the financial world, l will try to re-
move your doubt by calling your atten-
tion to the following few lines, that are
replete with biting sarcasm: with the
help of skillful leadership the wealth
of the country has enormously in
creased, and every one knows where
the money is. 1t is in the hands of the
people themselves, North, South, East
and West. The West aid the South,
plastered with mortgages few years
ago, are free from debt today, and are
loaning money abroad, and in the older
sections of the country Now, brother
John, you know, and the well-posted
writer of 'IDtemperate Criticism knows
that the West and the South are more
prosperous today than they were five
or six years ago because there have
been fairly good crops, which have
been sold at home and abroad at fairly
remunerative prices. And since all
persons of common understanding are
aware that the price of the products of
the farm, more than the price of any
other product or commodity, is regu-
lated by the law of supply and demand,
it f. llows that the so-called leaders in
the business world had little or moth
ing to do with the prosperity of the
South and the West. The fact is, un-
der present conditions it is not the mil
lionaires that make prosperity possible,
but the general and continued prosper
ity has made millionaires and multi
millionaires possible. Again in refer
ring to the indebtness of the West and
the South few years ago, the satirist
INDUCES in bit of fanciful exaggera-
tion that well becomes him. The South
and the West were not Plastered with
mortgages a few years ago, nor are
they free from debt today. The mort
cages have decreased, both in number
and amount, about So per cent during
the last seven years; which is very graf
flying, tho it by no means removes the
entire indebtness. IF the skillful lead
ers have the power, or the ability to
increase the wealth of this country,
why don't they try their hands during
times of depression, when their help is
most needed, and when their services
would be soonest recognized? Why do
they bury their talents in the sand at a
time when they should make use of
themp That must be an extremely
selfish and mean man who, having the
power, refuses to help his people in
the time of need"
Brother Joe made short pause, and
borrowed chew of clippings from one
of his hired men. Say, Mr.. Mirror, |
believe that brother of mine is good
deal of a durn fool.
"The satirist," continued brother Joe,