Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-02
TAINTED PROSPERITY.
The Rich Growing Richer and
the Poor Poorer.
PARTY IN POWER RESPONSIBLE

The People Must Combine to Over
throw n System That Gives to Prf-
vate Monopoly the Benefits of Their
Labor-Au Honest Voters Should
Join With the Democrats.
The cost Of everything we need keeps
going higher and higher, and the av-
erage advance has now reached AZ
per cent. Only wages remain compare
lively unchanged. This means that we
are all growing poorer and poorer if
we rely upon wages for a living and
not upon the profits of stock jobbing
or private monopolies. For his condi-
ton the party in power is responsible.
1t claims credit for everything else;
let us give it credit also for tie hard
times produced by its ad;.lterated, one
sided, tainted prosperity. which is
breeding mllli0naireS and puu:.rrs. ty-
rants II slaves, concentrate; wealth
and widespread poverty. The times
are ripe either for honest reform led
by Mtn OF -enuinA Democratic lrinci-
pies " else LOT Revolution rel by Gait
lines and Caesars. The in"ict..cnt of a
few Burtons and M.,clp!lS, Il few Gil
lettes and perkirS'.s. and ille like will
not suffice. The people mast and will
overthrow Il system! which gives to
prlNat" mOnolO.!eS the heAGEtS OF their
labor. If Democracy is too week to re-
sist the powers that have gror,n up by
reason OF Republican policies. .ilen So
cialism. springing from those same
policies, will rise VI and c~onfsrate all
wealth for the government. If YOU be-
lieve in the right of private property
and personal freedom. join With the
Democrats in bringing about the need
ed reforms.
When men say let we'll enough alone;
when they say stand pat; when they
say that the prosperity of the country
is safe only under Republican rule, re-
member that the policy of inactivity is
the policy of the Bourbons. the policy
of grafters. 1t is negative graft. The
great interests adverse to the people
are no longer demanding legislation.
They have their lands, their charters,
their franchises, their we'll nigh uncon-
trolled possession of regulation Of the
rates for the services which they rem
der. They are asking nothing except
to be let alone.
The result is that we have legisla-
tive assemblies-city, state and nation
al-in which men who in ancient times
would have poisoned wells or dehled
temples are engaged ostensibly in pass
ing laws for the communities which
they represent.
Nothing would please the beef pack
ers, the railroad rebaters, the bank
wreckers, the insurance thieves, the
land grabbers. the p%ostotfce robbers,
the coal barons and steel barons better
than to be let alone. The author of the
slogan stand pat was the worst cor
ruptionist of modern times, and his tri-
umph in politics was due to lack Of
that vigilance and jealousy of popular
rights which are the price of liberty and
peace. Down with the stand patters!
They are the pestilential brood of adul-
terated prosperity. Of abnormal. n
sided prosperity, which is inconsistent
with the general welfare of the coun-
try. I Your tents, O Israel. Look
to thine house. David.' Apathy now
means moral ~degeneracy and political
suicide. 1t is only the enemy of the
people who breaches apathy.