Evening journal., 1904-06-07


tt represents policies which reduce the oe-
casion for aimsglving to the minimum.
Its bounty is opportunity.
The Democratic party, on the contrary
never fails TO express sympathy for the
over-burdened; but its poacies, when put
IN operation. never fail to produce condi-
tons which incite sympathy. When the
products of labor find ready sale, ana
labor finds correspondngly ready en-
ployment then our opponents are louu-
est in their protestations of sympathy Tor
the over-taxed and over-burdened people
They never congratulate; they always
sympathize. They never rejoice; they al
ways bemoan. They seldom cheer except
at the prospect Of something worse.
Will Argue on High Living Expenses.
am neither a prophet nor the son of a
prophet. but 1 venture the opinion tnat
al least one-half of the opponents argu-
men during the coming campaign will be
.7irected against alleged unreasonable liV-
ing expenses. You will be told that the
price Of meat is exorbitant; that the price
Of bread is unreasonable; in short, that
the price OF everything you buy has been
undulv advanced. and ali because Of Re
publican policies and Republican legisla-
tion.
am confident. however. that before the
campaign proceeds very far there will be
furnished from the highest possible au-
thority in the United States. well-authen-
ticated data showing that the average
wages have increased in larger proportion
than the average articles OF ordinary
household consumption. But Of this I DO
not care TO speak at this time. My present
purpose will be served by showing that
universal and constant employment at
reasonable wages. even in the face Of
high-priced living expenses, is prefer
able to employment for only a portion Of
our people. though at the same wages and
at much reduced living expenses. Catch
the thought. Employment for all our peo-
pie at a given wage, with living expenses
high is preferable 70 employment for only
one-lan our people with living expenses
however cheap.
No Suffering With Plenty Of Labor.
This country has never seen and never
will see suffering at time when labor
finds ready and constant employment,
whatever the price Of food and clothes.
And the converse Of this s also true. This
country always has been and Always will
be filled with suffering whenever labor
fails of employment, however cheap may
be food and clothes.
/ think I can demonstrate either one OF
both Of two propositions. 1 can show that
the happiness Of the wage-earner is de-
pendent upon high-priced farm products,
and ] can also demonstrate that the pros
perity Of the farmer is dependent upon the
ready and constant employment Of the
wage-earner. In other words it is easily
demonstrated that the prosperity of arti-
san and farmer Is interdependent.
Phil Armour once said to me: II got
rich when comparatively young man
by watching the coal and iron miners.
Whenever they were employed 1 packed
every ham / could get my hands on. MY
partner would say, Phil, you viii break
us up ! would answer, No. they are
working now. But when I saw the Goa
and IRON workers Quit, sold every ham
we had"
The farmers Of my state understand
this fully. II has been taught in every
schoolhouse. in tent meetings in all groves
and from tho platforms of ali towns and
as a result. more farmers came to oul
recent Republican State convention thar
ever before, and every one of them came
determined that tho American wage-earn.
er should be employed. In other words
the Iowa farmer went 10 Dcs Moines OF
May is. 1901, TO protect his market. Wher
wage -oarners understand this interdepend
cnce as thoroughly as the Iowa farmers
understand IL, they. too. will go to Re
publican conventions TO protect their mar
ket.
And what is the market OF the American
wage-earner? IL is the American con
sumer-antisans farmer. freight handler
business men and capitalist. The Repub
lican party insists that the American pro
ducer. to the limlt of his ability, shall sup
ply the needs Of the American consumer
The Democratic party seems to think {
of no consequence who produces tha
which we consume. providing only IL /
cheap. The Ropublican party insists tina
1t Is measurabiy unimportaut what pric
ve pay so long as We pay the price {
ourselves.
What High Wages Means.
Higher wages mean more and bette
food for the wage-earner. more and bet
ter c'othcs for his family. a better roo
for the home. ana therefore better mar
let Tor che farmer. Higher prices 70
cattle and corn mean more lumber 70
farm buildings moro barbod wire 70
fences more and better clothes for
happier family, more and better furnitur
for the home, better carpets. better car
riages. and more and better implement
OF agriculture, AMI therefore better mar
ket ror the wage-eaner.
In other words, both the wage-earne
and the farmer-ycs, the business ma
and the capitalist as well--spend in on
way OF another about al their income
1t Is spent either for improvements on IN
farm. or for a little home in town, o
in the education Of children. OF IN IN
construction of a railroad. or in build
ing a ship, and ninety per cent. Of It goe
directly or Indirectly for labor or for III
products OF labor.
Whenever the Republican party IS 4
Powss ana It's policies are IN operation