The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-04
CAPITAL AND
= 90 =, =. ! LABOR ?

In dealing with both labor and cap.
ltal, with the questions affecting both
corporations and trades unions, there
IS one matter more important to re-
member than aught else, and that is
the infinite harm done by preachers OF
who seek to excite a violent class
hatred against all men Of wealth. They
seek; to turn wise and proper move
ments for the better control of corpor-
atlons and for doing away with the
abuses connected with wealth, into a
campaign of hysterical excitement and
falsehood in which the aim is to- in
hame to. madness the .brutal passions
of mankind .:c-.C.. - :.
The sinister delnagogs ana foolish
Vlslonarless who are always eager to
undertake such a campaign Of destruc-=
ZION sometimes seek to associate them.
serves. with those working for "a gen
utne reform In governmental and social
methods, and sometimes masquerade as
such. reformers. In reality they are
the worst enemies Of the cause they
profess to advocate, just as the pur-
Veyors of, sensational SANDER in news
paper or magazine are the worst enc
mics OF all men who are engaged in an
honest effort to better what is bad in
our: SOCIAL and governmental condi-
lions. 10 preach hatred of the rich
man as such, to carry on a campaign
Of Islander and invective against him.
to seek to mislead and inflame to mad.
ness honest men whose lives are hard
and, who have not the kind of mental
training which will permit them to ap-
preciate, the, danger in the doctrines
preached-all this is to commit crime
against the body polite and to be
false to every worthy principle and
tradition Of American national life.
Moreover, while such preaching and
such agitation may give a livelihood
and a certain notoriety to some of
those who take part in it, and may re-
suit IN the. temporary political success
OF others, in the long run every such
movement will either fail or else will
provoke a violent reaction, which will
mischief wrought by the demagog and
the agitator, but also in undoing the
good that the honest reformer, the true
upholder of popular rights, has pain
fully and laboriously achieved.
corruption is never SO rife as in COM
munities where the demagog and the
agltator' bear full sway because in
such communities all moral bands be-
come Eloosened, and :hysteria and sen
satlonallsm replace the spirit Of sound !
Judgment and fair dealing as. between
man m and man. In sheer revolt against
the .squalfd anarchy thus produced
men are sure in the end to turn toward
any leader who can restore order. and
then their relief at being free from
the 1ntolerable burdens Of class hatred,
violence, and demagogy is such that
they cannot for some time be aroused
to indignation against misdeeds by men
OF wealth.; so that they permit a new
growth of the very abuses which were
in part responsible for the original out
break. -
'~,* Congress as Example. ~
The one hope for success for our
people lies in a resolute and fearless,
but sane and cool headed, advance
alongg2the path marked out last year by
this very congress-,
49, ........ ..............
There must be stern refusal to
(: be%misled into following either that
+: base creature who appeals and pan
Is: ders. to the lowest instincts and
+: passions in order to arouse one set :
OF Americans against their fellows,
or that other creature, equally base
but no baser, who in spirit of
greed, or to. accumulate or add to
exploit his fellow-Americans with :
callous- disregard to their welfare :
OF soul and body. The man who
debauches others in order to obtain :
:: high office stands on an evil :
equality Of corruption with the man ::
who debauches others for financial
profit; and when hatred is sown the -:
crop which springs up can only be
:eH1l. !. T.. Z = ''
.'''.. ......
The plain people who think-the
mechanics, farmers, merchants, workers
with head or hand, the men to whom
American traditions are dear, who love
their country and try to act decently
by their neighbors, owe it to them.
selves to remember that the most dam
aging, blow that can be given popular
and sinister agitator on a platform Of
violence and hypocrisy.
# we ever let this government fall
into the hands Of men of either of
these two classes, we shall show onr.
selves false to Americas past. More
over, the demagog and the corruption
ist often work hand in hand. 80 ..