Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-01
Recalling the Soup Houses.

There is a unique Democratic cam
paign banner over one of the streets
of lower New York where the Tam
many thugs are trained to vote early
and often. This banner urges those
who pass to take a night off to see
for Bryan and Kern and bring about a
change in these conditions
The suggestion that change in
conditions would be brought about by
the election Of Bryan and Kern is true
enough, judging from past experience
If Bryan should be elected, and a
Democratic administration inaugur-
ated, New York would have soup
houses in addition to the bread line
and a good many other places would
have soup houses, too. For many
years, in times prosperous or otherwise,
there has always been bread line in
New York. With inhabitants num-
bcred by the millions, with flotsam and
ictsam from all parts of the Union and
ali larts of the globe, New York has
the bread line represents part of the
charity which relieves the immediate
wants of the homeless wanderer and
the utterly destitute.
For more than quarter of CEN
fury, however, the soup house has been
specially characteristic OF Demo-
cratic national administration. In
1S34-5-G. when the Democrats We're last
in control of national affairs, and had
succeeded in bringing about revision
Of the tariff, according to Democratic
ideas of what the tariff ought to be, in
dustry was paralyZed. business at a
stanlstill, factories We're closed, and
villages that had been flourishing I'M
der Republican protection, became
scenes of hunger and suffering. Manu-
facturers who had been hard hit in
pocket by their own operatives who
had voted to blast the very industries
that supported them We're called upon
to contribute, and did humanely con-
tribute to start soup houses and other
aids for those same operatives Bust
ness men IN New York and other cities
also contributed largely. and the soup
house continued to be a national nstl
tuition until the Democracy went out of
pIn let,
tion started the nation again on a ca
rccr of prosperity, gave employment 10
labor. and abolished the soup house by
aholishing the causes which made the
SOUP house necessary.
The election of Bryan on his platform
of Il tariff for revenue only would halt
American industry in its steady prog
rrSs toward better times, it would shut
the gates now opening to unemployed
labor, it would close the purse of CAPT
tai, and stop the march of enterprise
Two classes would benefit by Bryan's
elcctiun-thc class of absolute leisure,
with money to burn" who could spend
that money on European made goods
without having to pay the duty which
Republicans have imposed to protect
the American worker. and the worth
less vagrant, who would not work I'M
der any circumstances, and who could
get free soup at the Bryan soup
houses Every element contributing to
the industry, activity and vitality of
the nation would suffer from the
Bryanite blight and for the honest,
s,If-respecting wage-earner free soup
doicd out as charity would be miser-
able substitute indeed for weekly
wages and happy home.
The election of William II. Taft
means that prospects already bright
will continue to grow brighter, that
there will be work for all and pros
perity for all. Henry c. Hunter.
Commissioner Of the National Metal
Trades Association. has publicly stated
that there will be no cut down in
wages because business is improving
The savings banks report that deposits
are increasing. and they are gaining
many new dcpositors All signs point
t. steady bctterment, provided there
shall be no obstacle placed in the path
of Improvement. The election of Taft
and sherman will assure business con-
tideno", industrial prosperity, and in
creasing employment for labor The
vision Of bryan and the soup house will
give place to the reality of the weekly
wage. the comfortable home, and the
growing savings bank account and
thai is why intelligent labor sees Its
hope in Taft and refuses to be led INTO
chaos and despair by Bryan.