Bisbee daily review., 1908-09-13

But why the closed factories? Why the idle mills? Why the unused freight cars? Why the maintenance | of high prices in the face of falling demand? Where is the abounding, ! marvellous wonderful unparalleled,
 widespread prosperitys Haven't we | got a republican administration
 Haven't we got a republican senate and house of representatives? Haven't
 We had them unsnferruptedly foI twelve years? Haven't the republi cans made the laws, state as well as national. and haven't they been charged with their enforcement? Then what Is the matter? IT the laws are ! defective, why haven't they been al. tered? If defective now, were they not equally defective eight and four years ago, when you assured us, all is we'll and leave well enough aloneg
 Why the depression we ask? Haven't We had seven years of Roose- welt, who, according to republican ora tors and assistant republican, as well as republican newspapers, is the greatest, wisest and best president the country ever had? Haven't we had twelve years of -standpatism, with Hanna, Aldrich and Cannon sit ting on the brakes to prevent the en- actment of legislation not desired by the gentlemen who are so conspicuous in their support of Taft and Sherman Morgan, Rockefeller, Carnegie, liar riman, Schiff? Do these men ever make a mistake when they select can didates2 Which is most likely to be misled, these men who say Taft IS all right, that he is conservative, or the Western farmer who is told that Taft is a radical?
 where is the 'abounding prosperi- ty? Wealth has certainly increased enormously, or, at least, prices have been boosted to a point that ought to have satisfied the most ayaricious. The fortunes of the few have become gigantic-bounded out of sight Mor- gan, we are told, has three hundred or so millions, Carnegie as much; while Rockefeller is credited with a billion: a few thousand others having from one to a hundred millions each. These seem to have had their full time and keep going carcs in opera tion, while; they are generally credited with having in OctoDer-November last gathered in nearly everything in a large way in the shape of banks, trust companies, industrial and railroad combinations, which had so far es- capped them. In fact, the bulk of the people have been set a lively pace to pay the increasing prices for the nee essaries of life these and few others control.
 But what has happened to the masses. whom you ana other boosters of Mckinley and Roosevelt assured were to share in the prosperity? With a total estimated wealth of some one hundred and ten billions tne per capi- ta tables work out all right, there should be enough to go round, for that's equal to about $7,000 per family. But who has it? How many of the millions of toilers have a tenth of that sum free and clear? How comes 1T that the bulk of the people are shy their proportion of this enormous wealth? Have they been lazy, thrift less, or improyident, during these twelve years? If lazy, then who creat- ed the wealth? Has the average farm CT, mechanic, salesman, clerk, teacher or laborer squandered their portion in riotous living? Did they spend 1t for automobiles, steam yachts or even for diamonds? If not, what has become of it? What has been the unseen, sub tie, but apparently alI-powerful force that has taken it from them? Why have matters become so appalling In America that the so-called effete coun- tries of Europe have felt impelled to take official cognizance of the deplor- able conditions in which so many of our toilers are compelled to live? The Italian government (as a result of the shocking reports that reached it) hay ing sent a commission to investigate. Most reyolting conditions were shown to exist. Whole families were found crowded into one and two-room apart ments, while not only the women, but little children not much more than babies, were found working in filthy, unhygenic quarters, helping to eke out a scanty living for the family. Overcrowding was shown to be the rule not the exception. In one case seven adults and seven children were living in a dark, middle room, and a large, bare rear room.
 The daily press also tells us that since October, thousands of entire families have been out of work, as a result, they have used up all their savings. not their proportion-S7OOO. as above-a paltry $50, ali they had been able to save during the years of boasted prosperity. The president of the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, R. E. Cutting, says: I cannot remember such a condition existing before. Not even In 1899 and 1894 did the depression per sist so long While, according to Sen ator Foraker, on July l, 22,000 skilled workers are cut of employment here in Cincinnati Presumably the mum ber of the unskilled was greater yet. These illustrations of unparalleled prosperity have been duplicated all over the country, no section has es- caped the blight. There nas been a tremendous exodus of those wlo could not find employment, a half million more having emigrated to Eurdpe than have immigrated here.
 Again we ask why! You say, re gardless of politics, once the manufac- turers of this country join universally in this movement, depression will l cease Who are they to sell to? How can the masses buy when their say ings are gone? With wages reduced
 how are they to pay monopoly prices
 and yet live? How are you going to bring prosperity to the toiler without
 destroying monopoly and special prv | ileges. Using the force-pump won't al
 ter conditions. the people want some l thing more than wind. Why not prick the monopoly bubble, let oul some of the wind and water, bring the I necessaries of life within the purchas ing power of the people. The croI of millionaires may not grow, but ar ! equitable distribution of the wealtf
 produced according to the part tha I oo.b hoe contrfhufed 10 ifs production