The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-11-11
GREATEST OF ISSUES
SINCE THE CIVIL WAR
Virus of Graft Is Found Every
where trial Hour of
Our Democracy at Hand.
Fight Is Now Between Graft
and American Manhood, and
Manly Votes Are to Count.

greatest issue since the civil war;" said
the Rev. H. S. Bigelow in his sermon
at the Vine Street Congregational
church last Sunday, when referring to
the graft exposures of the day. Con-
tinuing, he said:
This is the trial hour Of our DEM
ocracy. The shame Of the cities un-
covered. The virus of graft has been
found everywhere. Revelations Of
the most startling character have been
multiplied until the public mind has
been profoundly impressed. The peo-
pie whose eyes have at last been
opened will have something to say at
the polls. Political sensations are on
the calendar. Party ties will be oblit-
Grated. Political machines will be
shattered. Corporate conspiracy will
be roughly handled. The enemies of
the republic fee, from political boss
In tho city to the railroad attorney in
the senate, will be confronted at their
BelshaZZar feast by the avenging
spirit Of Democracy, of whom the
poet sang:
This is the Earth-God of the latter
day,
Treating with solemn JOY the up
ward way:
A lusty God that in some crowning
hour
Will hurl gray Privilege from the
place Of power.
''This is the croWning hour. In a
young republic such as ours, where
public opinion is the only law, and
evil is doomed which. is once under
stood. Today the people realize the
menace of graft, and they understand
its essential nature
''The political boss is the connecting
link between the criminal class at the
bottom and the criminal class at the
top Of our society. To the lawbreak-
ers of the underworld he promises pro-
lection. 10 the lawbreakers of the
upper world he promises franchises.
Armed with the votes of the dis
reputable and the, bribe money of the
powerful and protected by the mask
OF party loyalty, he has raised stolen
banners aloft with polluted hands,
and Jed his lOoting hordes to sack the
citys7 treasure and destroy her liberty,
''The boss IS the f1gure-head of that
terrible alliance between the fear of
the weak, the greed Of the strong and
the partisanship Of the good The
good citizens who keep out of the
police court, and are not asking for
special privileges, command the sit
uation. AS long as they can be di-
vided by party names, they will have
the rule Of the boss and the revel of
thieves.
"Cleveland and Cincinnati present
an instructing contrast. In the genius
of her democracy, in her splendid
municipal achievements and her free
today as one of the fairest daughters
Of the republic. But her sister on the
Ohio has been at the mercy OF the
brutal boss, like virgin in gorilla
arms.
why this difference? In Cleveland
nomination en- an? ticket never in
sures election. In Cincinnati, the only
qualification office seekers have need
ed has been the favor of the boss. For
several years the partisanship of the
people has guaranteed the election of
his ticket.
THE republic has two enemies-the
cunning Of the few and the stupidity
Of the many. We may not hope for
the regeneration Of the thug ana the
franchise broker 2nd the pvss But
we may hope for the oDliteration of
those party ties which divide good
citizens, leaving the many at the
mercy of the few.
Nay. this hope is already realized
The people understand tue game. The
Old battle cries are futile. The fight $
on. It is a fight between graft and
American manhood. The people un-
derstand it, as their vote will show