Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-08
New York Mayor Asks
What is Wrong With
Our Own America?
JOHN r. HYLAN SAYS WEALTH
CONTROLS AND DICTATES
IN u. S. GOVERNMENT

In answering this question, there is
no need of seeking refuge behind SEN
timental pIatitudes and fine but mean
ingless phrases. The trouble with Am
erica today is: a small group of exces
siyely wealthy individuals, members
of the Republican and Demo cratic
parties alike, nave through the exer+
else of powerful, sinister and too often
unlawful influences, usurped the gov
eminent and seized its agencies on
so vast a scale that they have become
the virtual dictators of the destinies
of our one hundred and ten million
people.
If the wealth and power concentrat
ed in this group of human wolves We're
devoted to the betterment of humanity
instead of increased power and great
er financial gain, the sun would shine
upon no land with a more contanted
body of people than these United
States Of America.
But what do we find?-a cruel eco.
monte seldom, a widespread oxploi
tation in the necessities of life and
a crushing oppression in almost
every city and state On the continent
This is the unhappy fate of millions
whose toll and labor, blood and sweat
have made possible the enormous
riches garnered by the favored few in
the fields of production and trade.
The means by which this system
of tyranny, oppression and distortion
is carried on year after year is ocr
casionally disclosed in a few of our
magazines and newspapers, which, De
ing independent and fearless, do not
have to fawn and lick the hands OF
corporation masters.
These disclosures have made clear
that one of the ways by which the
wealth lords have been enabled to
dominate the government and ride
rough-shod over the people has been
through their control of political par
ties.
Through such control the small
group of wealth lords, comprising in
ternational bankers and money lend
ers, public utility exploiters and tar
if beneficiaries, have actually dictat-
ed the nomination of the offices up TO
the president. They have placed the
slickest, cleyerest and most cunning
manipulators III official posts even in
the minor places, where they could be
of service to the invisible government
Do not imagine that these wealth
lords are content merely to dictate
nominations. They nave, without hind
rance, written the very platforms and
pledges of political parties; and be
cause of substantial contributions to
campaign chests they have arrogated
to themselves the right so dictate the
governmental policies of the admins
tration elected to office regardless Of
the political complexion of such admin
istration
Woe to the public official. be he
high or low, who dares to resent their
dictatorship! If such there be, then
the fIoodgates of lying press propag
anda are released, sweeping the un-
happy public servant to an earthly as
well as political grave, or compelling
him to compromise with his con
science and become their subseryient
tool to the end of his term.
Some of our international bankers,
the protection of whose foreign invest
ments, loans and credits abroad was
one of the moving causes of our enter
ing the war are now urging that we
remit the ten billions of debt which
these European governments owe tc
the Liberty Bond holders of the
United States.
They would have these debts defer
|. red, scaled down or cancelled alto
gether In other words, tho payment
of the billions rightfully belonging tt
the American government and which
would go d long way toward reducing
taxation, setting the wheels of indus
try humming, and giving to the solo
iers their just demands, is to be de
ferred or possibly cancelled in order
that the International bankers may
be repaid their loans, plus large bon