The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-19
Under the Auspices
of the
OGDEN TRADES ASSEMBLY
THE CATS AND THE MONK.

A few weeks ago we wrote little
story on the above subject, and asked
some Of the school children to write a
story, and apply tho moral to be
drawn from my story. to the industrial
conditions of the country, AS no one
has attempted to write the story, l
will give my version Of IT, Away back
yonder In the misty past. we find not
only working conditions for the work
ing people bad. and very bad, but con-
ditions for the majority of the people
were Just as bad The small business
man, as we'll as the worker. was at
the mercy of the governments under
which they lived, as rule. The gov
ernments were In the habit of making
acquisitions on the people for the pur-
rose of building great castles and pal
aces for the particular benefit Of the
selected few; and this the people were
compelled to do without compensa-
ton. But as time went on this be-
came less and less. or Mt least less
openly practiced, until the great revo-
lutionary war, when 1t disappeared al
together. Then Ii was that the two
cats" appeared upon the scene. The
farmer mechanic and the miner on
the one hand, and the manufacturer.
mine-owner and the land speculator
ON the other; or in other words. cap
ital and labor. (Not but that they had
existed before, but they each as
sumed a new and different shape)
Each saw the great possibilities
stretching out before them. and each
began TO make strenuous efforts to
outdo the other. But as the capital
lists. or men with comparatively small
amounts Of money, working independ-
entity OF each other, were not making
the progress they thought they should,
in cornering the wealth OF the uni
verse, they becams very bitter toward
the workers. And labor-the farmer.
the minor anl the working
independent Of each other. and each
individual working independently, or
for himself, and not being able to Sc
cure just compensation, nor proper
working conditions, nor adequate re-
muneration for the fruits of his toll.
In turn became embittered toward cap.
ital. And thus, each divided amongst
themselves. and bitterly opposing
each other, they fought on for many
years, greatly retarding the progress
of natural development and the
workers, getting the worst OF it. until
the new element-the monk" in the
form of the trusts was injected
into the scheme. Now the trust
spirit" said to the small capitalists.
why oppose each other longer. Don't
you see that by combining our forces
IIna Nl1t
expense and by getting a high tariff
paced upon these articles of mer-
chandise. and by limiting the OUTPUT.
we can control prices, and make more
money, and at the same time prot ct
the workingman? And the working
man was fool enough to believe il. and
hurrah for it, and even vote for II.
but his part of it did not materialize.
so the trust of today has swallowed
I'D the small capitalists, killed compe-
'ltion, n0lluted the servants of the
people and placed a grievous burden
upon the whole land. And if someone
pas the temerity to engage in any I'M.
dertaking in opposition 10 the
trusts he is allowed TO 60 inst so ,,
lar' then Is offered so much for his
plant. and If he does not come to
line ne Is ruined; and to labor they ,,
'alu; You may take that which we :
0iler, or we Will close our doors and :
you may starve." And so Mr.. Monk
'the trusts swallowed the whole ,,
,neese And not until it was too late :
I'D the two cats" realize their plight. +
lnu now the small capitalists. inde. 6
Dehdents, and the workers have to r
wage an unequal fight or dance to the .
sacred music OIL Praise John (and ?
'thersl from whom OIL (and otherl 5
blessings flow" =