The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-01-09

l.
can feel discomfort of anxiety, about
present conditions in land represented
to be incapable of yielding an aristo-
cracy Of wealth no matter the measure
or distribution of prosperity.
But much can be done if gentlemen
are, as they profess to be, in earnest
in their declarations Of friendship for
the laboring classes Of America and
especially of those working people who
have banded themselves in labor unions.
Commissioned as I have been by organ
lied labor I feel it to be duty to pro-
test against the policy of so-called con-
servatism which has found the vulgar
expression in the phrase stand pat
II would be for standing pat and
believe the organized labor of America
would be for standing pat if stand
ing pat meant standing for conditions
so satisfactory in themselves or tending
toward conditions so sound that the
stand pat pol icy would in fact main.
tain or promote a common welfare.
But to stand pat today is to stand
for much that is dangerous in American
policy, both as to domestic and foreign
relations.
1.-The blunt truth is that our prosper
ity is not counting 50 much for the
working men today as it counted year
ago. l am not guessing as to this. I
speak after careful investigation.
Within the year the cost Of living,
take the country as a whole, has in
creased in considerably greater per-
centage than wages have advanced. /
have had recent direct opportunity Of
a bedrock character to study prices and
wages in some important arbitration
proceedings dealing with cost of living
and wages of labor and have enjoyed
unusual additional means Of learning
the truth in these regards.
Il am convinced that within the year
the cost Of living among the working
classes has increased fully 25 per cent.
and that the statistics put forth by the
Department of Labor and Commerce,
though showing a substantial advance
In the cost of living, are not trust
worthy-understate the state. :?
And side by side with the enhance
ment Of cost of living has been an adj
vance OF wages not nearly so sharp as
the increase in the cost of living, with
the climax Of such turn in recent months
as embodies decline of wages wher-
ever decline can be forced through
weakness Of labor unions
Not paper the gentlemen can pick
up that does not record some diminu-
ton Of wages in the industrial world.
Perhaps the most notable instance is
that affecting the multitude of men
employed by the steel trust.
'Thus conditions of the toilers are not
altogether satisfactory; and for the sea-
men 1t may be said with emphasis that
they are victims of such servitude and
money oppression as makes stand pat
policy one dishonorable to our nation
and dangerous to the merchant marine
flying our flag.
Il submit, Mr.. Chairman that gentle
men might we'll address themselves i'm
mediately to the problem presented by
falling wages amidst rising tides Of
wealth. I believe earnestly that if they
were to inquire with diligence they
could avoid the conclusion that the
monopoly trust is the 4eontrolling cause
of the increasing cost Of living and the
most industrious agent for denying the
man who works the compensation to
which in justice he is entitled
II can not see how any investigator
can resist the belief that monopoly
trust is dangerously affecting all the
currents Of our national life and seri-
1ously hammering the men at the bot
tom. The money lords have capitalized
their greed, have issued stocks and
bonds based on the dreamest dreams Of
prosperity Of years to be- Abnormal
and unhealthy factors have been intro
duced into the Industrial and CONNER
cial life of our nation.
"The unhealthy conditions can not
endure. Indeed the reaction in favor of
soundness of industry has already set in
and the wage earners, as might we'll be
expected, are the first sufferers. That
commercial bandits shall not further
exploit the naticn by means Of the mo-
nopoy trust, and that in the squeezing
Of water from hopelessly unsound con-
Germs the toilers shall not needlessly be
harmed, this house should be acting in
stead Of talking.
1T may be asked, what does labor
want as to the trusts? What do the
toilers ask Of the congress in the mat
ter Of those criminal combinations
rooted in dishonest commercialism and
government by coterie?
II have been at some pains to ascer-
tain that will Of labor. because I am
seeking the truth, not partisan advant-
age. have visited the principal indus
trial centers OF the country, have spok-
en- directly with a multitude of working
| men who are not politicians, and I have
! correspondent with most of the recog-
nized labor leaders of the land. The
! net result of my Investigations is thai
the working classes are agreed that the
monopoly trust injuriously affects them
but should not be dealt with heedlessl,
or from the viewpoint Of the politician
| 1T appears to be the general belize
that light should be sought in advance
of further legislation. There is a wide
| spread conviction that congress should
have before it specific and authorativ.
! information concerning the relation
and cross-relations of particular trusts