The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-08-26

bred trusts have By concentration OF
business into large corporations. elm
mated many opportunities that used
70 be open and free. Most young
men must now be content to serve
others and can never aspire to be
their own masters The reduced mum
Der OF wen paid employees Of corpora
lions and wholesale houses is another
curtailment OF the chances Of young
men for a good position in life. The
number Of travelling men sent out.
since the consolidation Of manufac-
turing and distributing concerns is
much smaller than it used to be and
the salaries and allowances for ex-
penses are not as generous. CLERKS
in stores. do not get nearly as good
wages now as before the trust era
reached IT'S height II the cost OF
living is taken into consideration the
decline in wages is much greater,
reckOned by the purchasing power.
Unless a young man has influence, or
is especially bright, his chances Of
advancement in the services of a cor
POratiOn is restricted to filing the
place Of those who resign or through
the deaths Of other employees that may
occur.
In the professional world the nun.
Der Of asplrants has increased in q
much greater ratio than the popula-
ton, IN consequence Of the greater
number Of colleges and reduced out
look for a good living in other occupa-
tons.
When those young men who choose
a professional career have embarked
in it, they win soon feel the full bur
den OF the tariff and its high prices,
as a professional mans income does
not rise and fall with the cost OF liv-
ing. When the cost Of meat, coal,
groceries and rent are increased the
fees Of the doctor or the lawyer re-
main comparatively stationary.
In the mechanical trades many ave
nues have been closed BY the con-
sOiidation of small manufacturers into
great corporations, OF the competition
Of the trusts has wiped them out Of
existence.
The increased cost Of land has re-
duced the opportunities for young
men TO acquire farms of their own,
unless they are willing to work many
years to save enough money TO make
the required payment and buy the
necessary stock and implements.
There they find the full weight OF the
protective tariff and the resulting high
trust prices. The farmer sells near
ly all his farm products in competition
with foreign countries and everything
he buys is advanced to the highest
possible price by the protection the
tariff gives to the corporations that
produce what he buys.
The system that has been develop
ed under these Republican politics is
all against the young man starting out
in life unless he is content to only
aspire to being a drudge for a cor
DOratiOn and then only one in thou
sand ever gets beyond the lower rung
Of the ladder.
The labor unions have made it pos
sible by combination, for a few young
men TO obtain fair wages as stOnema-
sons. brickiayers, carpenters, paper
hangers, painters or mechanics, but
the number Of apprentices is limited
in those trades and the high cost Of
living again prevents much saving and
the sack LlAIES Wien WOIh Is scarce
has to be provided for.
Under the Democratic policy Of
equal rights to all and special priv
ileges to none" everyone could achieve
independence by work and attention
to his business. The moderate tariff
does not protect the trusts at the ex-
pense of the consumer Wages might
not be so high but the cost of living
would be much less and the balance
saved for the rainy day would be
greater That was the condition dur
ing the low tariff period before the
war, when nearly every man could sit
under the shadow Of his own vine and
FIG tree. Now the great majority are
at the mercy Of landlords and masters
or the sOuIless corporations.
The young man just starting in life
must investigate and weigh the advan-
tages Of the two systems and vote &C
and not be led away by the
specious promises made by the Re
publicans.