Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-09-07
DEMOCRATS SACRIFICED
THE FARMER

t~~-~'-
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5th--"The
boast Of Mr.. Gompers that there has
been no substantial reduction in the
scale Of wartime wages paid in in-
dustry will occasion some timely re-
Fiction" remarks the Republican
Publicity Association, in a statement
issued through the President Of the
organization, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr. an the prosperity Of the wage
earners---in the PROSPERITY Of any
class--the whole county will rejoice,
provided that prosperity has not been
accomplished at the expense Of some
other class against which undue adj
vantage has been taken. In this con-
nection, it is worth while to reveiew
some of the record Of the Democratic
party, which is now seeking return
to power through election Of Sena-
tors and Congressman in November.
I'm the latter part Of 1919, the
railroad brotherhoods were demand
ing an increase in wages and threat
ened to tie up the railroads SO tight
they will never run again. unless the
demands were granted. President
Wilson pleaded with the leaders not
to call a strike and promised that II
they would defer action, all the pow
err Of the government would be ex-
erted to reduce the cost Of living.
Immediately after that promise
was made, the Democratic adminis-
tration started it's campaign to cut
the prices of farm produce, which
make up large part of the cost OF
living of the railroad workman. The
defation program got well started
in July 1920, and before the harvest
Of that year was completed the bot
tom was knocked out of prices OF
grain, livestock and other farm prod
ucts. Hundreds of thousands OF
farmers were compelled to sell their
crops at far less than it cost to pro-
duce them. They were still paying
wartime wages for labor and war
time prices for machinery and sup
plies. They were sacrificed in or
der that the Democrats President
might keep his promise to exert all
the power Of the government to re-
duce the cost Of living.
"Nor was that all. The defiation
Of the farmer meant a tremendous
reduction in buying, and what was
calIel the buyers strike hit the re-
tai merchants, who had their shelves
filled with goods bought at wartime
prices. Many merchant took losses
that wiped out practically all the
profits Of his war trade.
cat the same time that these loss
es were being sustained, by farmers
and merchants, every holder of stocks
and bonds suffered a loss through
depreciation Of his securities. A
glance over market prices as report
ed in the daily press shows the enor-
nous fall in market values of securi-
ties in 1920-1921.
1T it be true, as Mr.. Gompers
boasts, that there has been no sub
stantial decrease from wartime
wages of men employed in industry,
that class Of citizens has ben spe-
fore, no one will begrudge anyone
cially favored class. Asremarked be-
else prosperity, unless enjoyed at the
expense of others. The Democratic
administration, always arraying class
against class, turned all the power
of the government against the farm
err, the merchant and the security
holder.
"This is fact that will not be
overlooked by all those voters who
believe in equality under the law and
under governmental administration.
They win keep it in mind when lis
tening to the pleas of Democratic
campaigners between now and No
vember.