East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-02-28
THE REAL BEGGARs.

East Oregonian. Under the cloak Of
1 the New York chamber of commerce
/ Eiihu Root, J. P.erpont Morgan
Senator Depew and many other ds-
I tingaished guests sat down at a great
feast German and English ambas-
I sadors We're there. together with many
other desirable gentlemen of high Of
| flee. Most OF you will be surprised
when I tell you that at that dinner
there was assembled the biggest coll
/ lection OF beggars that ever sat down
I together. Yet The New York police
did not disturb the gathering and even
the agents OF the Charity Organiza-
ton society made no attempt 10 run
them in.
They met this time To beg for a
ship subsidy Senator Root made a
most pathetic appeal. He said the
great commercial communities Of
history. the Phoenlcians and Atheni-
ans. Venice and Genoa Holland. Eng
land and Germany, have sent their
ships 10 every port. Commerce has
carried their flags 70 every shore and
has. made their merchant princes
known TO the people of every land
And then he asked tearfully. Is II so
with US? He then pointed out that
our merchant marine is on its uppers,
| that it is in a tragic state Of helpless
destitution. Competition has crush
ed II. The survival OF the fit. that
inexorable law. has put it on the
bum
Morgan and all his crowd are help
/ less and the senator with hoarSe.
, choking voice, pleaded for little
charity, at which his soup house COM
! rades applauded violently. Morgan
wept with joy and even the aged De-
( pew wiped a tear from his eye.
The facts are, Germany and Eng
I land made ships of their own. doing
most Of the ocean carrying for the
entire world. America has nothing
and all the power of our merchant
princes cannot create a merchant ma
rine. So. Mr. Root standing at the
/ head of the New York chamber Of
commerce, puts out his little sign TO
I the people. Please heir the poor He
wants the rich farmer. stockman and
/ day iaburer through the government
| to give him and his friends aims to
/ buy them a few ships and set them
/ up in business. He wants you to do
/ again for these same gentlemen what
you have done many times before
! Through your government you helped
( them to build their railroads your
/ government has given them immense
ly valuable rights and privileges, it has
/ turned over 70 them the richest mines
/ forests and lands. Ii has given them
/ grants To help them start to work
: and it today gives them millions 10
! keep them from bankruptcy. 1t plac-
, ed tax upon every man. woman and
T child in America TO protect these gen
/ tlemen. 1t brought them up on the
bottle, supplied them with every at
I tenJiOH and care and now at a time
when they ought 10 be self-support-
ing they still stand begging for aims.
And il is the same old cry of al beg
sars. just give us a little more and
we viii soon get on our feet.
Give Us another start. \ little ship
subsidy now and then We will be all
right. We viii stop begging and 90
to work. Now, in my opinion, we
ought 10 deal severely with these ha-
bitual FOUNDERS. They are really be-
coming menace to the country and
this continual begging is most an
noyins. 1 believe We ought 10 say to
these gentlemen that we do not intend
to have paternal government. We
are opposed to all this socialistic talk
Of dividing our wealth. We are ever
lastingly opposed TO having the gov
: Is.rar ne
of the people supporting the govern
ment. II is ruinous TO the character
. of the people for them whenever they
want anything TO run TO the govern.
ment and ask for IL. They mus
learn to depend upon themselves, OF
their own energy. If they do not We
q shall be encouraging the develop
ment Of the unfit. Really our aim.
are pampering these gentlemen VIII!
not let them get out and earn thel
: bread instead Of advocating govern
ment aid whenever they fa.l to sup
port themselves?
Aims from the government destro!
their incentive. They are becoming
! idle and shiftless. living rlotously
when they get little ahead and beg
ging of the government when they are
in need. 1 ain not sure that a labor
colony where these men could be pu
to work would be the best thing bu
, something should be done by th'
good citizens.
Ship builders. Did you ever hear oI
such impertinence? Why the mex
thing these men will be asking for Ole
age pensions. The ideal
Respectfully,
J. p. DESPAIR.