Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-09-28


dent intimates; and when it comes,
it must be general
Here is the naked truth in the
matter. The Advocate probably has
not a person on it's entire subscmp-
tom list whose cost of living will
not be boosted when normal times
return to help pay the traimman's
big increase in wages. Then why
does the Advocate stand afar off
shrieking "Unclean. Unclean," when
others tell the truth about
the matter? If it is trying to di-
vert its readers attention from
the "rotten deal'' that was handed
to them by the administration, then
it is destined to get rude awak
ening. The stand that it wishes to
take I'M the matter is of course it's
own business; yet it seems that it
might have chosen better part.
In making it's stock accusation
that the Journal is fighting the
railroads S battle, the Advocate dis
closes another of it's many illusions.
Evidently, it thinks that the rail
roads are still in the fight. But
yone heard a "cheep" from the
railroads since the eight-hour law
was passed? Not a word, of course.
Why is this? The reason is as
transparent as air. They have Of
i ficial assurance that mo obstacle OF
(, law will be put in the way of an
{, increase in, rates when they need
/ it; and it is thoritatively
! stated that the president has pledg-
ed his word of honor as a gentle
man" that he will sign the bill pro-
!viding for such increase when it is
passed. Then what fight do the
railroads. have with anybody? They
are simply out of it. They know
1 where the money is coming from
{, to take care of the increase i'm wag-
es that confronts them.
| You, dear reader, are going tc
dig up a part of it. Make no mis-
take about this for it is the exact
truth. You are going to pay a part
| of it whether you like ii
Or not Notwithstanding the fac
that you may not be making as
much as the trainmen are already
getting. Is it right or JUS
that you should be required tt
pay it? God knows. Mr. Wilson
doesn't. Neither does Congress-; TO.
neither was allowed to make any
investig gatiom whatever. They 'stoot
up and delivered d"-you-bound ant
helpless. And the Advocate express
es its unqualified approval of tht
whole miserable affair.
Why did the ADMINISTRATION dt
this thing? Who can tell The Cold
hard fact is that no one knows
how serious the threateend strik,
would have been. The trainmel
claimed they could tie up all traf
fic. The presidents Of the road
stated positively that they would b.
able to run, consi derable part o
their trains; and they backed thei
judgment by calling off most o
the freight embargoes before amy
one knew whether Congress woul,
take any action or mot. Who knows
then, what would have been the re
suit? Where is there man wis
enough to say?
One way to keep out of troubl
is to raise the white flag and sur
: render before the trouble begins
This PLAN was followed by the ad
5 ministration in this case. No on
: knows whether the surrender wa
5 necessary or not. Yet by it, a ney
5 and undeseryed burden was laid up
f on the public. 1t is inevitably t
4 fall most heavily upon the farmers
! who originate or receive most o
? the railway freight traffic of tn
r country, and who in either Cas-
4 pay the transportation charges. N
D one in Washington seems to low
a the farmer.
t Later-In a speech delivered sine
e the foregoing was written, the pres
S ident flatly states that he doe
not consider the eight-hour day al
Q bitrable.
: The Journal will not quarrel wit
t him on this score. But the ques