The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-02-28

Rolls last year.
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the conduct of national affairs exclu.
sively in the hands of the vastly rich,
while 1t is now an accepted fact that
none but men of great fortunes can
represent this republic at the capitals
of other great nations today"
Function of Wealth.
Wealth is all right in its place, and
is an Important factor in our prog,
ress; but that's no reason why 1t
should side rough-show over Drawn,
brain and honest poverty.
We are beginning to find out the
public has been paying dividends to a
gang of Wall street gamblers, who
have been using your savings as
pawns on the chess board of their wild
speculatIons, and juggled with for
tunes like a cyclone with a straw
stack.
Dishonesty In High Places
The recent discovery Of brazen dis.
honesty of men in high places all over
this country, of men prominent in
church and society, is an expose Of
rottenness which would have stagger-
ed our forefathers.
In 1900 there were 1O624 failures.
with a total loss of $4,000, o0o-the
principal cause was fraud and dishon-
esty. 1t is alleged E. H. Hartman
swindIed the Chicago and Alton Ry.
out of $4,000, 900. =
Startling Figures.
Ten per cent of the population own
80 per cent. of all the property in
America.
Twenty million people face want ev-
cry day.
Ten million live below the hunger
line.
Four million are public paupers.
In Chicago there are 10000 prosti-
tutes-1OO,OOo adulteries a week and
10000 aborttons a year. Twenty-Five
thousand deserted wives, earning their
daily bread.
In 1903. IA per cent. Of all the fam
lilies in New York were eyIcted for non
payment of rent.
Every year 10 per cent. of all who
die are buried in the potter's field.
The average factory hand earns
$3.50 year, and 1t costs US $1,000 a
year for each of our criminals.
uniouism as upllfter.
4 I am no alarmist or Calamity howl
err" but while we are surrounded with
evidence of great wealth and prosper.
ity, 1t is evident that the masses, who
produce all this, are not paid com
mensurate with their needs and worth.
Unionism is going to prevent the
workIngman from sinking lower in
poverty.
Unlonlsm gives power, Send one
man out to fight an army and he could
do nothing! But send out million
and there is power.
UnIonism has lifted the dignity Of
labor. It was only as labor organized
that you were able to better your con,
dition.
Jesus Christ sympathizes with the
working man. His hands were cal
Ioused with honest toll. He was the
first friend of the laboring man. His
prayer will settle all trouble: "Give
US this day our daily bread"
The church must never lose sympa-
thy with the working man. It should
lead the world In Its defense of the
cause OF the man who tolls. The pow
er of the Trusts and 'Monopolies will
never be curbed unless some one leads
In forming public opinion against their
heartlessness and forms some great
organization. with sufficient power to
demand the enactment of laws that
win give the poor man a chance.
Cause Of Wrecks.
Look You have all heard express
sions of surprise at the number of
railroad wrecks and fatalities occur
ring in recent years. 1nquests have
been hold over them with due official
or judicial formality, and various caus-
es have been discovered for them; but
in no instance, in my opinion, has the
true one been assigned.
Need of Rest.
II there are any men under the heav-
ems who need rest and plenty of 1t,
they are the locomotive engineers, fire.
men, brakemen. conductors. and. last,
but by no means least, the man at the
keyboard in the office Of the train
dispatcher. The length of the freight
train OF the present dayiis an imposi-
ton mon railroad men and the pub.