Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-28
Pointers for Wage Farmers.

| JOuTIldl.D
The Democratic Speakers in the
campaign in Maine this year have a
fine assortment Of gold. bricks which
they are offering to the vo&M' as the
| Real Thing. One Of these rs com
pounded of statements to the effect
| that laboring man would be more
prosperous under Democratic rule
| than they are at present or have ever
been under Republican administra-
ton of State and national affairs. A
timely contribution to this subject il
the census bulletin just issued show
ing the unexampled growth of our
manufacturing industries. While the
census bureau is an entirely non-po-
litical department of the general gov
eminent, it is entirely legitimate for
any political party to take advantage
Of census figures when they support
the contentious Of the party using
them. The bulletin referred to COW
ers the year 1904, and compares con-
ditions then with those prevailing in
the year 1900. In the latter year
the country was fairly beginning to
recover from the evils of the calam-
itous period covered by the admins
dent. According to the bulletin re-
ferred to, there were in 1904 a total
of 216.262 manufacturing establish
ments in the country. an increase of
4 rer cent. over 1900. Capital en-
gagged in manufacturing had in
creased in the period under obser-
walton from sS.97SS 25. 200 to s12.-
6S6,265,673. or Al per cent. while the
total value of manufactured products
had increased from s11,411 III 122
to s14,802, 147,07S. a gain of 80 per
cent. In the same period the num-
Der of wage-earners increased Is per
cent. and the total wages paid 80 per
cent. In 1905 there were in this
country total of 5,47O.321 wage
earners. with total annual income
of s2,611. 540.532. And this growth
of prosperity is more in evidence in
this present year of grace than at
any previous period in our history. 1t
is not probable that an appeal based
on the claim of greater prosperity
for the laboring man under Demo-
cratic administration will have any
effect upon voters who are old
enough to remember the free-soup-
house era cCincident with the admin
istration of President Cleveland. but
such appeals may catch a few of the
younger voters whose knowledge of
the recent political history of their
country is a minus quantity. For this
reason the Democratic leaders think
it profitable to give the lie to their
own intelligence. In the State of
Maine. in the city of Biddeford. the
NO
Gus as at present There is plenty
of work for all who want it, and the
general scale Of wages was never so
high as at present 1t is always the
policy of the party out Of power to
belittle the work of the party in
power. The record of the Republi-
can party is ample justification for
continuance of that party in the
administration OF State and national
affairs. The record of the Demo-
cratic party is one Of which even the
most enthusiastic party leaders can
not be honestly proud. 1t has always
been the party of obstruction and ca
lamity. tearing down instead of
building up. always mourning for
the past rather than looking hopeful
ly to the future. The laboring man
who blindly supports the policies of
the Democratic party, so far as the
influence of his vote goes. endangers
his own material prosperity by invit-
ing a return of that era of business
depression and consequent idleneSS
on the part Of wage-earners which
makes the last administration Of a.
Democratic President stand out like
a horrible nightmare in our dream
of national greatness.