The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-08-08


tify it, but it does oppose he issue OF
an Injunction merely for the purpose
of bringing the court into the discus
sion of an Industrial dispute What
nroportion of the real business men OF
the country find a menace in this part
or any other part of the labor plank CT
the democratic platform?
Mr.. Van Cleave asserts that TINS
plank arouses a class spirit and con-
stitutes a demand for "class favors
But this is not true, 1t is declara-
tion that the writ of injunction hould
not be used for the purpose of creating
a class or favoring a class. The labor
ing men resent an attempt to dlscrln-
mate against them in favor of any
other class.
Now. as to the second question:
Have the business men of the country
no concern in the other planks of our
platform? Is the labor question the
only question in which business men
feel a vital concern?" What about
honesty in elections? Have business
men an interest in this subject? Are
thev not vitality concerned in the pub
LEGATION of campaign contributions pc
fore the election? Can they be indif-
ferent to the corruption which has Ioi-
lowed the domination of politics by the
great corporate interests?
And the election of senator's by the
neople: is this not matter of I'M
nortance to the business man? Is lie
not concerned in bringing the govern
ment nearer to the voter and making
if more responsive to the will OF the
neon,e? Is the tariff question entirely
lost sight OF in the business man
agitation over labor? Does IL MAKE
no difference to the businessman
whether his taxes are just ar UNJUST
1t is hardly to be expected that
business man, who has opposed
protective tariff all his life, Will I'M
mediately forget the inquiries OF
high tariff. whenever the labor ques-
ton is mentioned.
And are there no trusts for the DUST
ness man to fight? Does he view WIN
Indifference the encroachment OF the
private monopoly upon his own DUST
nasso Are not the small merchants the
victims of the rigid rules which tne
trusts are laying down and enforcing
VIII tho email manufacturer be recon
ciled to gradual determination, if he
can onlv bury the democratic labor
plank? Is not industrial independence
a matter Of vital concern to the
manufacturers who are outside OF the
trusts. and to the merchants who must
deal with the trusts.
These, too. is the railroad question
Are not rates, rebates and discrlm-
nations a matter of concern to the
business man? Is he not interested il
knowing the value of the railroads ano
in stopping the over issue of stocks
and bonds?
| The business man is al bank deposl-
! tor. and he loses when a bank becomes
/ insolvent. He is also injuriously af-
fected by a bank failure in his com
munity. Would he not be greatly ben
Gifted by a banking system under whicf
/ the banks would be compelled to con-
/ tribute to a guarantee fund and thus
protect depositors?
The business man has an opinion
upon the subject of government. He
knows that imperialism is antagonistlt
to the doctrine of government, anc
| he knows what an expensive burden
imperialism has BEEN
| Must he forget all these because
forsooth the laboring man asks fol
remedial legislation?
| There are a number of other planks
| in the democratic platform that pres
ent issues which concern the business
| man. Very few business men have
swollen fortunes and all of them are
interested in the reforms that have
| for their object a more equitable dis
tribution of the proceeds of human en-
deavor The business man, the little
one as well as the big one, contributes
to the countrys welfare, and he is vi
tally concerned in such a readjustment
of conditions as will secure to eacf
man a reward proportionate to his
work
Mr.. Van Cleave is entirely too mar
row in his definition of the business
man. and he does the business mar
an injustice in assuming that his
waking hours are filled with fears OF
| the wage earners and that his nights