Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-01
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Some will say that these figures are
impressive. but that they pale before
the awful fact of strikes occurring in
this country today. The answer is
that strikes take place when times ar"
seldom when times are bad
When work is plentiful and wages
high. then and only then can the work.
ing men afford to strike for what they
believe to be their rights. 1t is said
that the Chicago butchers had so much
money deposited in one OF the banks
there that they started 4 run on that
bank. expecting to cripple it. In FAN
River the operatives had saved up
money enough 50 that they felt able to
strike for what they demanded and
live while the struggle progressed. and
money is pouring in for their support
from all over the country-from work.
ing people.
When business is Frustrated and
| work is scarce, men don't quit their
jobs, but beg for work. Then il is that
you hear their children crying for
bread-aud never has that cry beer,
heard under a Republican administra-
| ton. The only time when the laboring
men are strong enough to strike, right
fully or Wrongfully, is when the Repub-
| lican party is in power.
| Now, what would be the effect of
the election Of Parker? l am going
to talk of national issues. No local
issues can possibly affect you like some
| N tin1n1 IF tha &c
prosperous, no state administration.
however good and strong. can make
you prosperous. What, then, would be
the first effect of the election of Parker
what would first happen? You
needn't be afraid, for it won't happen.
but we must have public MEETINGS and
discuss these things. The first thing
| that would happen would be tariff
agitation. Democratic tariff revision
| measures could not pass, for Parker
himself says that the Republican senate
would prevent it. but for four years the
doors of the senate would be battered
down with tariff reform bills. The
certain result of this would be I'M
certainty. Factories would be closed
merchants. wouldn't buy, the farmers
markets would be ruined-it would be
1893 over again. with farm mortgages
and railroad foreclosure sales and in the
streets of all the cities of the land
would march the dread and swelling
army of the unemployed.
| But suppose the Republican senate
didn't prevent the passage of such
measures? Suppose the senate let the
| Democrats have their way. Then all
the greater would become the uncer-
tainty. Why? Because if they had
the house, senate and president they
couldn't even then know what to do,
because they have no fixed policy. no
unity of purpose. John Sharp Williams
their house leader. and Champ Clark
are free traders. while German is for
protection and Parker favors tariff
for revenue only, and Davis is for
| protectiOn-he has to be, on account
Of his vast property and business in
terests. If the Democrats had a unani-
nous senate and house, and also the
what they would do-what kind of a
| bill they would pass. Does any man
want to trust the prosperity of the
country to such Il party as that?
| The second result would be uncer-
| ldl!IN as " tIlt lIidIltt. he DtSt IiluC
Parker can say is that the gold stand
ard is safe. Well I think the way to
| keep it safe is to keep it in the hands
of the party that made it safe Cap
plause) -Four years ago and eight
| years age Parker voted for free silver,
and if Bryan had been nominated ut
st. Louis Parker would be for free sill
YER today. And this is the man who
says that the gold standard is irrevoc-
| ably established, Well, We all knew
that. If he believed it was right, why
didn't he say so. Here is a man before
the American people who dares not
state his position If he says that free
silver is wrong, then he repudiates six
millions of the party behind him. If
he does not. then he regulates the
conservative element of his party. If
he repudiates gold. then he repudiates
himself. Suppose he were't to be elected
with a senate and house The party
behind him is not for gold if he is. At
st. Louis that party tore into shreds
declaration in favor of gold. It
would be gold at the White House, free
silver in congress and uncertainty and
discount everywhere. Free silver bills
Ill HouSe anu senate, and between them
president who feebly says he is for
gold.
And about the trusts. Does the on
positions position on trusts satisfy
anyone? In their platform they saw
that they want new laws. Three
weeks after the platform had been
adopted. Parker declared that all we
needed was to enforce existing laws.
We'll. the only laws that we have We're
passed by Republican congress and
signed by Republican president, and
theodore Roosevelt is the man to see
that they are enforced. Cleveland said
that the trust laws were imperative.
Roosevelt said: That's a question for
the courts to decide. 1t is for me to
enforce them.' The people must