Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-28

I this country would have given you I'M
| grudging praise.
Since, then these theories have
brought depression upon the industries
| OF our land and idleness for vast hosts of
the working class, upon whom we place
| the responsibility for that result? 1t
must come to you. 1t rightly belongs
there. From that responsibility you can
not escape and somebody ought to be
brave and patriotic enough to squarely
say SO.
We assure you that we write this let
ter from no critical attitude and that 1t
is presented in spirit that is free from
all political passion. Unfortunately, our
last letter came to you in the midst of
heated political campaign, and for that
reason you may have gained the impress
sion, as others did, that it was written
for political purposes. No such suspicion
can attach to this communication. The
election is over. We are not in the
midst OF campaign or even approach
ing one. There can be no questioning
the fact now that we write to you as dis
tressed and shackled business men, as
disheartened employers of labor:
I'VE have no desire to lay before you
disastrous conditions for which there is
no remedy and thus to merely annoy
you We lay these conditions before you
for the very good and solid reason that
you can correct them. We dare believe
that in the presence of the want and
hunger that now stalks abroad in this
land patriotism demands remedy, even
though the cost of that remedy may IN
volve such humiliation as goes with a
confession of experimental failures.
What If this shall be the price to be paid
for the prosperity of the Nation? Shall
the servants of the people hesitate to pay
it? Indeed, your petitioners hold that in
paying that price the altar OF such
sacrifice will glow with true patriotism
and flash with great statemanship. If
We demand sacrifice we offer an oppor.
tunity. If We call for a confession OF
failure we present, through that confess
sion. the way TO honorable and enduring
success
1T may be that this. letter will no
more move our President than did cur
former letter. We trust il Will. Ii, now
ever, his ears arec losed to our appear .
if the wasted energies of our industrial
leaders. the idle hands of vast multi
tude of willing workers and even the cry
least may be held blameless. We have
asked for bread. If stone is the peo-
pies portion the bitterness Will surely
eb intensified when they reflect that tiny
might have had bread. But we will nope
that this second appeal will not be in
vain, for we have now laid before you
concrete evidence that the cry OF munger
is in the land. With that cry ringing
in the ears of our President and the Con-
gress about him, we dare oeheVe that
that for which we prayed in our former
letter shall not be denied us now.
1T ought to go on record that the
business men of this country have met
the new laws enacted in the spirit or
honorable citizenship. They have met
them with determined purpose 10 Wrest
success and prosperity under their domi-
nance. If their faith IN some cases was
weak their work at least was sincere
and determined. That they have failed
is not their fault. Success was not pos
sible. The new theories have, under
practical pressure, collapsed. The busl-
ness men of the country now issue
clarion call for chance to live ana a
chance to live without the remedy IN
voIved in a reduction of pay to their en-
ployes, which foreign competition Will
Shortly necessarily demand In drastic
measure.
&c f. Williams,
president Manufacturers Association
of Montgomery County. ,,,>,>,
"SecretarY.