The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-02
FAVORABLE" BALANCE OF TRADE
Absentee Land|ordism, Globe Trot-
tiers and Foreign Security Hold
ers the Cause of It.

while plutocracy rides on for a fall,
there Is the feeblegt opposition to it
In congress, that was ever put up in
any parliamentary body on earth.
There seems to be but one man of
brains In the whole of congress who
has the spirit TO make the least fight
against present conditions, and that is
Robert Baker Of Brooklyn. The rest
of them act like set of sick kittens.
A little while ago Mr.. Baker made a
speech from which the following ex-
I tracts are taken:
Mr.. Chairman, why this cry of the
4 farmers of the south? Why this talk
of an agreement to limit the produc-
ton of cotton? Is cotton bad thing?
Has civilization too much of it? No;
cotton is one of the most universally
useful of all of natures products.
Mr.. Chairman, this demand for re-
striction Of the production of cotton,
SO far as 1t is legitimate. e., comes
from the producer and not from the
| Spectator in cotton-is nothing but an
outburst OF feeling that they are not
getting square deal" 1t is crude
method of expressing their conviction
that radical steps must be taken to
prevent their suffering for their benef-
cent acts-for the growing of cotton,
| 1 Mr. Mr.. Chairman, is benefcent act and
would at all times appear so to the
whole world IL 1t were not for our So
cial Embellishments, which, in this
case, as in many others, apparently
fnrnc a b1occirU into o,,rea
Ii we had not become accustomed to
seeing these things out of gear, all
awry, so that they really appear to
us in an inverted form, we should ridi-
cule the suggestion that there ever
was too much cotton in the world.
What misuse of words to say that
! there is too much cotton produced
when there are hundreds of thousands
yes, millions-in need of cotton
tgoods!
oh some of you gentlemen will
SAY, but those people are unable to
sbuy them?' True. But why? Haven't
they the hands, the arms, and the
brains with which to produce other
wealth to exchange for cotton? Ave.
haven't they willingness to toll SO as
to obtain the wherewithal to purchase
cotton goods? Then why this seeming
anomaly on the one hand of the pro-
ducers OF cotton unable to dispose of
his product because there is no an
parent demand for it, while on the
other hand there are millions who
want the cotton but are unable to buzz
On, some OF you, as we'll as self-satis-
fed people on the outside of this house
you who assert that this is the best
OF all possible worlds, you say there
is nothing seriously wrong with our
economic conditions; if men are suf
fering for the necessaries of life it is
because they are shiftless, INDECENT
lazy. and improvident; if they desired
to work they could get work. AS a
distinguished member of this house
said year ago, There is work in
every part of this country for who
ever wants to work, and at a com.
pensating wage"
10 such let me read something which
ought to convince even them that>the
charge that men are starving because
they will not work is heartless. cruel
libel. | read from the Public of Chi
cago, paper which have heretofore
commended to this house for lucidity
OF expression. 1t quotes the superin-s
I tendent Of the municipal lodging house
of New York city as saying that son
a recent Saturday night that had fol-
lowed day when there was snow
shoveling to be done, there had been
but 2O7 applicants for lodgings, where
as on the ordinary nights the number
ranges from 400 to 500. Little Jobs at
shoveling snow had put men in condi-
ton to pay for lodging. Having an op-
portunity to work they sought no char
ity."
Listen to what the superintendent
house when a snowstorm has visited
house when snowstorm has VISITED
! the city:
I'VE make it point to see that they
are aroused earlier than the others
about o'clock-so that they may ap-
ply for a job at snow shoveling."
Mr.. Chairman, just imagine some of
our self-satisfied people going out soon
after s o'clock IN hiftpr wintor,y