The Newtown bee., 1903-02-20
VETERAN STATES HIS VIEWS.


 New Milford, February 15, 1903.
 To THE VIEWPOINT BEE: Will THE BEE do little buzzing for the working class? What are we going to do? We are all of us Gods people, placed here on earth, rich and poor. to be given a livelihood, to share in the prosperity and diversity, to work hand in hand, to be kind to one another and help one another. Are the trusts and mOnop- olies helping the working man or starv- ing him? Is it right for those who are making their millions upon mil lions to grind down the working man until he can get barely subsistence? Has not the man of toll the same right to live that the man of millions has? Is it not time the working man stood for his just rights and just wages? Is it not right that we should get an increase in our hard earned wages when the trusts and monopolies are getting their heads together and putting the price of our meats and other food so high that we can barely earn enough to get enough to eat, say nothing about our rents, fuel and clothes? It is sure that, rich or poor, we can take nothing with us when we put off this mortal life for immortality. We are short time here, a long time gone, and why not let the working man enjoy the comforts of this life by giv- ing him competent wages for the work he does? Why not, yeCmillion-dollar men, be willing to see the wage earner enjoy just few of the comforts of life as youfSelves? Are you willing and ready to stand before the Master at the judgment day and hear your verdict? MethinkS it will be anything but ''Good and faithful servants" un- less you mend your ways at once. Car penters, before the war, used to get $1.25 per day and their board; rents used to be from one to three dollars month. Potatoes were 121 cents per bushel, butter 10 to 12c per pound, to- bacco two cents paper. Now, which was best, SIPS per day, wages and board, or $2. 50 day now? / With but ter BOG per pound, potatoes 75c per bushel, and meat and coal so exhorbi- tant and. rent anywhere from SIP to s2O per month? The rich are piling up their millions and billions every year, but are not willing to give slight in- crease to help their hard working brother. Seems to me they would pre- fer tO.See us burn theOld-time tallOw dip as people used to before the war, while they revel in Ithe gas lights. When | they have work which has to be done then we are in demand. but are they willing to give us living wages? Then because the working class have got to | live and because they are forming | their unions to help one another to get what are just dues, they are called everything and all blame is laid to them. Who causes the strikes? It is not the unions. It is because the rich are not willing to let the laborer live. If, when the carpenter or mason go this little increase which they had a perfect right to ask, when the staple commodities of life are increasing in price every year, there never would have been strikes as there has been. Then were the millionaireS the ones who fought for our country? Are they enjoying their riches because they fought for it? Not by any means The hard working laborer went to the front in the Civil war and fought fo1 $13 per month; endured 'hardships ate and drank that which was loath some, and now the poor veterans tha came home, "having won hOnors you rich people will never win," are scarce ly noticed. Especially in our beautiful little town it is considered almost g disgrace to speak of a soldiers mon ument. Methinks there will be { golden monument in Heaven for ever! one of them. But to return to thu working man. I think it is about tim'
 he got his eyes open to business. The
 rich man can't get along without him
 There are people here on our street
 who are society people. If they mee1 you face to face they merely nod t
 you. It is hard work to speak unles they have to. In our churches anon our own members, you are all right t z meet and help out church suppers, bu without the church door and in work : ing apparel it is, "Depart from me; never knew you." Is this being tru !. Christian, or being Christ-like? Jesu our Lord and Master, born in mange , was poor carpenter. Do you despis your Lord and Master? Is it in tn likeness of Christ tu despise the cal penter or any working man? Is it
 sin to earn an honest living? And t.
 our unions: Brother Carpenters, M
 sons, Plumbers and all unions, see o s it when it comes to the polls, that yo u do your duty and put men in who wi Il stand by us and help us in our strugg for right and justice. would close o saying to you: Hold the fort, for > are coming. Stand firm every on |. "As God is God so right is right
 d And right the day will win.
 fl To doubt would be disloyalty.
 al To falter would be sin."-( Veteran.
 N ERWIN H. PIERCE.
 i- Erwin H. Pierce, who for five mont , has been ill with consumption, died (