The Wealth makers of the world. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1894-1896, September 19, 1895, Page 6, Image 6

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THE WEALTH MAKERS.
fcptember 1 7, 1895
- .. l I
CASUALTIES OF A DAY.
THE WORK OF THE DEADLY
BICYCLE.
Entomologist Riley Fatally Injured In
Washington Illi Head nits the Curb
stone With finch lores that Hla Skull
Waa Fractured.
Washington, Sept 10. Professor C.
V. Riley, for many years entomologist
of the department of agriculture and
well known among scientists in this
country and Europe, while riding on a
bicycle to-day, was thrown and his
head hit the curbstone with such force
that his skull was fractured. His in-
Juries, it is believed, will cause his
leath.
Professor Riley was a man of consid
erable means and, since he resigned
office, had lived in the suburbs of
Washington.
Shot by Her Little Slater.
Fort Scott, Kan., Sept 16. Bessie
Bruce, the 12-year-old daughter of W.
R. Bruce, a leading grocer of this city,
and her 8-year-old sister Ervin, were
in the dining room this morning when
the younger sister picked up a Win
chester shotgun, which her father had
left there upon his return from a hunt,
and playfully pointed it at Bessie's
head. Not believing that it was loaded
she touched the trigger and the gun
was fired and Bessie fell dead.
The Marshal Shot the Wrong Han.
Chillicothb, Ohio, Sept. 18. Tim
othy Burns of New York, a tramp,
was cut six times in the region of the
heart by Ernest Myers, another tramp,
and City Marshal Stanley shot a man
twice before he found out that he was
not Myers, but Frit Morloch of Buf
falo. Myers was cactured, Burns will
not live and Morloch is in a critical
condition.
A Wreck In a Town.
Marshall, Mich., Sept. 16. The
iocomotive of the west-bouud North
shore limited track on the Michigan
Central jumped the track on a curve
here yesterday and after tearing uOO
feet along the track, landed in a street
adjoining. George Peppitt, the en
gineer, waa badly injured.
SPAIN'S CUBAN PLANS.
Spanish Minister Da Lome Talks About
the Hatter.
Washington, Sept 10. Senor Dupuy
4e Lome, Spanish minister to the
United States, to-day expressed the
Opinion that the rebellion in Cuba waa
nre to be crushed, but it was Impos
sible to say just when, because of the
conditions that exist He character
ises the methods employed by the
rebels as guerilla warfare, and de
clared that It would be Impossible to
have a deoislve battle under such con
ditions. A great deal of 'misinforma
tion, he aald, had been Bent out by the
rebels.
"It is easy to account for the efforts
now employed by the Spanish gov
ernment," said the minister. "The
cllmatlo conditions of Cuba are very
Kculiar. July, August and Septem
r are the three great generals for
the rebels. Two are dead and the
third Is fast dying. These months in
clude the rainy season in Cuba and the
most unhealthy for the Spanish
troops It is impossible to carry
on successful warfare amidst pour
ing rains. But the Spanish govern
ment has been preparing for an
active campaign. The second corps of
J3.000 men have been landed in Cuba.
It is probable that active movements
will not begin, however, until
the 1st of October or some time
during that month, according to
the conditions of the weather. It is
sometimes asked why troops are now
landed in Cuba, when they are not
to be called into active service for
some time. The answer is plain.
From the 20th of September
until the 20th of November is the cy
clone season in the West Indies, and
there is great difficulty in transporting
troops, as well as great danger of loss
of life. Before the 20th of September
all the troops necessary to crush the
rebellion will be landed, and as
soon as the rainy season is over an ac
tive and vigorous campaign will be
begun. There can be no donbt as to
the outcome. The small force under
tie insurrectionists will be scattered
and the rebellion ended."
Partisan Activity Decried.
Washington, Sept 16. Replying to
I eharge that a member of a local civil
service board of examiners was guilty
Of Improper partisan activity in con
nection with a recent political conven
tion, the civil service commissioner
says: "While attending at political
convention as a delegate is not in itself
a violation of the civil service rules.
the commission holds that partisan ac
tivity sufficient to impair usefulness as
a representative of the civil service
commission is sufficient cause for re
moval from membership in any of its
boards ol examiners."
Judge Stuart Resigns.
South McAlkstkr, Ind. Ter., Sept
JO. Charles B. Stuart judge of the
United States court of the Central dis
trict of the Indian territory, sent In
his resignation to the department yes
terday morning. His action is a com'
plete surprise to his friends. It is be'
lieved he has accepted the position of
general solicitor for the Choctaw, Ok'
lahoma and Gulf railway. Yancey
Lewis of Ardmore, has announced his
candidacy for the vacancy, and at a
meeting of the South McAlester bar
he was unanimously indorsed for the
Position. -
Women's Belief Corps Officers.
Louisville, Ky., Sept 16. At this
morning's session of the Women's Re
lief corps Mrs. Plummer of Michigan
was chosen as chaplain and Mrs. Ellen
Daniels of West Virginia as chairman
and Mrs. Ellen B. Aldrich of Kansas
and Mrs. Charlotte B. Wright of Mas-
., sachnsetts as members of the executive
board.
Foreign Socialist Must Leave.
Beblut, Sept 16. The government
has decided to expel all foreign So
cialists irom tne country. The Boer-
t--. H.ii - i "
sen 4eung predicts ine advent of a
military dictatorship.
NO SETBACKS EXPECTED.
The
Reduced Estimates of Crops
Not Affect Business.
New York, Sept 16.-R. G. Dun A
Co's trade review says: A slight set
back, which may mean much or noth
ing, according to the final outcome of
the crops, is not unexpected at this
season. If the government crop re
ports were correct the situation would
not be encouraging. But not much
confidence is placed in the reduced
estimate of corn, none at all in the
estimate of wheat, and even the most
enthusiastic bulls do not think it
worth while to quote the government
report as to cotton.
The fact is that we are beginning to
market not far from 3,200,000,000
bushels of corn though about 500,000,-
000 bushels will be moved from the
counties where it is grown; about
450,000,000 bushels of wheat, of which
the farmers are very unwisely holding
back a large proportion, and about
7,800,000 bales of cotton, if the latter
indications are not erroneous, as they
may be, to add to the stocks carried
over.
The wheat crop Is evidently larger
than the department has estimated,
though nobody knows how much
larger, and is coming forward with
more encouraging rapidity, no less
than 5,773,173 bushels having been re
ceived at Western ports against 5,446,-
001 bushels for the same week last
year from a much larger crop. The
farmers have undoubtedly been keep
ing back wheat under an agreement
among themselves. It does not seem
a profitable operation for them. Ex
ports from the Atlantic ports for the
two weeks of September have been
2,417,873 but hels (flour included)
against 5,810,926 bushels last year.
The price declined sharply, about 3
cents per bushel, with little indication
of recovery. The price of corn has
also yielded with a strong prospect of
the largest crop ever grown, and at 38
cents at New York a large proportion
of the crop will be of little profit to
farmers.
THE ENCAMPMENT ENDED.
The Old Soldiers at Louisville Complete
Their Labors.
Louisville, Ky., 8ept 18. So far
as the veterans are concerned, the
twenty-ninth annual encampment
closed last night with as many, attrac
tions as on any other night of the
week. The ladies, however, will con
tiuue in session to-day. Yesterday
there were over 70,000 at the old Ken
tucky barbecue, and last night the
campfires were largely attended, with
the principal events at Music hall,
Phoenix Hill garden and National
park. Among the sperkers were Gen
erals Gordon, Buckner, J. W. Burke,
Cassius M. Clay, Senator Burrows,
Colonels M. D. Wickersham, Samuel
McKee, II. C Russell, John II. Leath
ers and others.
The .veterans are going to other
army events further south, and to the
Atlanta exposition.
General Lawler and staff leave Sun
day night to spend the first part of
the week at the national encampment
of the Sons of Veterans and the last
of next week at Chattanooga and the
Chicamauga battle-field.
Independence hail will be the per
manent ' depository of all books,
records and relics of the Grand Army.
Past Commander Wagner of Pennsyl
vania, offered this famous old building
in the name of the people of Philadel
phia, ' at the encampment and it was
accepted. '
Dr. J. l- Whiting ol Janes vine,
Wis., was elected surgeon general by
acclamation. Rev. E. J. Hill of New
Jersey and the Rev. Thomas C. Iliff of
Utah were nominated for chaplain-in.
chief. The vote resulted in the elec
tion of Iliff.
CRACK ATHLETES MEET.
Oram Is Defeated by Wlfers In thm 100
Yard Race.
New York, Sept. 16. The athletio
tournament to decide who will be the
crack athletes of the United States to
meet the British athletes next Satur
day was held this afternoon. The in
field and track were in perfect con
dition.
In the 100 yards, first heat, W. J.
Wefers of New York was first, T. 1
Lee of New York second, W. W.
Goodwin of Louisville third. Time
10 1-5 seconds. In the second
heat, J. V. Crum of Iowa was first,
F. W. Jarvis of Pittsburg second, D,
iJ. Coville of Syracuse third. Time
10 1-5 seconds. Crum ran like a deer
and turntd his head as he finished,
winning very easily. In the final,
however, Wefers beat Crum from start
to finish and won by three vards in 10
seconds, Lee third, Jarvis fourth.
Iu the half mile run C. Kilpatrick of
New York was first, W. S. Hippie of
New Jersey second, A. M. Remington
of the Suffolk Athletic club third.
Time 1:36 2-5.
The one mile walk was taken by S.
Liebgold of the Princeton Athletio
club, L. Liebgold of New Jersey sec
ond, 1). Fox of the Princeton Athletio
club third. Time 7:16 2-5.
la the 120 yards hurdle Stephen
Chase was first, E. H. Cady of Yale sec
ond, George Hatch third. Time 15 3-5
seconds. Chase led all the way and
beat Cady out by a yard. Hatch finr
ished about hve feet behind Cady.
Burying Michigan Mine Victims.
Calumet, Mich., Sept. 16. Every
hearse in the county was pressed into
service to-day to be used in burying
the bodies of the recent victims of the
Osceola mine nre. lhe mines were
idle, the miners going from one
funeral to another. In addition to the
thirty killed in the Osceola a week ago
lour miners have since been killed by
mine accidents.
Crowds Gathering at Chattanooga.
Chattanooga, Tenn., Sept 16. By
to-night there will be 10,K)0 people
here to attend the dedication exercises
of the Chattanooga-Chickamauga na
tional military park, beginning next
Wednesday. It is expected that the
crowd will number 50,000 Thursday,
but Chattanooga is prepared to take
care of them comfortably.
Mrs. I T. Yeomans of Oneida. N.
Y., sister of President Cleveland, says
the president would not acceDt a third
term. She adds that he is opposed to
POINTS FOR THE PEOPLE.
The chameleon is a snail when 1
compared to some democrats who have
changed color on the money question.
The bond syndicate is preparing 1
for another grab Immediately after the
first of October. They will not have (
long to wait Nonconformist
If every dollar's worth of property
In the world was put up for sale it
wouldn't near bring enough to pay the
debts. How long can labor pay inter
est on such an obligation? Chicago
Express.
Four hundred patriotic men
marched out of the democratic conven
tion in Iowa, when it indorsed Cleve
land and a gold standard. Of course
they will join the populists, where
they belong. .
About the funniest thing one hears
. , i .i . L
now is tne statement mat an euuru
will be made to insert a free silver
plank in the democratic platform next
... , . i .
year, A he goia-ougs ana mey muue
will control that convention. .Non
conformist We want tried and true men for
our standard bearers in 1896. No ex
periments. The man who is not now
outspoken enough to let the people
know where he is with the people or
the money power will not da Mis
souri World.
Productive toil Increases in wealth
at the rate of 8 percent per annum.
Unproductive toil, through the power
of usury alone, increases at the rate
of 9 per cent per annum, now long
can a 3 per cent, increase stand a 9 per
cent drain? Think this out Road.
Pennsylvania republicans have de
clared against silver at its present ra
tio. Another nail in the coffin of the
hopes of western republicans who are
still clinging to the delusion that sil
.... ,
ver will be remoneuzea at me nanus
of the dear old party. Missouri World.
God save the countryl Calvin
Brice, a noted corruptionist, who
openly bought his seat In the senate,
in control of the democracy in Ohio,
and Senator Quay, another conscience
less scoundrel, leading the republican
party of Pennsylvania! Nonconform
ist At the close of Rev. Jerry Botkin's
meeting at Washington, Kan., lately,
J. H. Choate, late chairman of the
democratic committee, and a promi
nent politician of the Fifth district,
made an address to his townsmen in
which he abandoned the democratic
party and cast his lot with the popu
lists. D. S. Troy, of Alabama, says: "It
Is better that there should be a dead!
man at every polling place In Ala
bama at the close of the election, Au
gust, 1896, than that white people of
Alabama should submit to the domi
nation exercised over them in 1894."
If the methods practiced in 1894 in
Texas are to be repeated in 1896 there
will be a few dead men in Texas at the
close of the polls in 1896 also. South
ern Mercury.
What can be thought of the de
mocracy of Ohio anyway? Once it
worshiped at the feet of C. L. Vallan
digham. Then it followed the ban
ner of sturdy old Bill Allen, the great
democratic greenbacker. Next Allen
G. Thurman, the silver champion, had
its devotions. Now Cal. Brice, the
New York gold-bug and sugar trust
millionaire, wraps it around his fin
gers. Rather queer sort of democracy,
isn't it? Progressive Farmer.
We are surprised at the activity of
the people's party in the east The
sentiment is growing strong on the
Atlantic coast Out there silver demo
crats and silver republicans know they
can do nothing within the old parties,
so they leave them and unite together
in the new. In the west these ele'
ments think thev can convert the old
parties and all the rest of mankind.
Our eastern brothers are showing the
most wisdom in this regard. Progress
ive Farmer.
The proposition to make the next
presidential campaign a short one,
which was sprung simultaneously by
the republican and democratic na
tional chairmen, is meeting with great
favor among the leading politicians.
They realize that it will bea bad year
for the discussion of political questions
and each one of them hopes that his
party will nominate the most popular
candidate for president, so that the
fool voters will elect him regardless of
the platform. -Topeka Advocate.
Some time ago Kansas City, by a
vote of 11,592 to 432 decided that tne
city shall own and operate its own
water works, and now comes JNewton,
Kan., with a vote of 499 to 60 in favor
of owning its own water works. This
is a step in the direction of the ower
ship of all public utilities by the peo
ple. If the people of a city can own
and successfully operate its own water
works, light and transportation sys
tems, a nation of people can own and
successfully operate their railway,
telegraph and telephone systems. II
not, why not? Tecumseh (Ok.) Leader.
WILL WE WIN?
Humanity Makes Its Last Stand for Free
dom In the Kanas ol tne reopies rany.
The people's party is now about
2.000.000 strong, well organized for so
young a party, with as able a set of
speakers as ever took the field, and a
press that is full of argument, fight
and enthusiasm.
The people's party stands squarely
opposed to the progress of the money
power. The populists nave maae
themselves felt everywhere; they have
spoiled many a scheme and plan ol
trading politicians and treacherous
statesmen, so-called.
Will we win? If right wins, our
cause will succeed. But when? That
is something no one can tell; for the
right seldom wins in a day, a year, and
sometimes not even in a century.
If we lose, everything is lost, for
there is no other political organization
In existence that contains the elements
of regeneration.
Other great nations went down to
their death, ours may die in like man
ner throusrh the weakness and cor
ruption of its people. Nevada (Ma
Director.
Only 20 Cents !
If you are not coming to the con
vention please send 20 centa with
yonr delegate, for The Wealth
Makers until the election.
Six Names for $1.00.
We will send The Wealth
Makers to six persons until election,
for f 1.00
10,000 Men.
We want 10,000
near subscribers
to send
Wealth
election.
20 cents each for The
Makers from now nntil
Two Dimes.
If your Republican neighbor ia In
favor of free silver get him to read
ing The Wealth Makers.
20 Cents till Nov. 1st.
The Wealth Makers,
Lincoln, Neb.
At Hennessey, Qk., a Cheyenne In
dian, Mouse Trail, received 100 lashes
on his bare back and was banished
from the tribe for brutally assaulting
Violet Manny, daughter of Chief
Manny on the Cantone reservation.
At Omaha W. D. Whitney, traveling
man for a New York publisher, went
into an alley with a negro woman and
was robbed of $100 in currency and
98,500 in certificates of deposit. He
did not know of his loss until the
woman had disappeared.
Keir Hardie, the English labor lead
er, sadly disturbed the usually sedate
weekly meeting of the Chicago Meth
odist clergymen by a heated Socialistic
speech, and was greeted with such a
storm of ministerial disapproval that
he was compelled to abandon the floor.
In refusing a pardon to C. N. Boyer
of Mississippi, sent to prison for fifteen
months for pension fraud, the presi
dent indorsed the application as fol
lows: "Denied. I shall refuse all
applications for pardons in cases in
volving violations of the pension laws,
except when very strong and unusual
reasons are presented."
At the First Presbyterian church in
Chicago, the quartette had just risen
and stepped forward to sing when a
large section of the front ol the organ
fell out and crashed down into the
chairs, whtch the singers had been oc
cupying. The congregation arose.
while women screamed in all parts of
the house. Clarence Dickinson, the
organist, saved his life by dodging.
Kate Kane, the first female to be ad
mitted to the bar in Chicago, and who
has since gained a national reputation
through her defense of noted crimi
nals, is a bride, and has been married
for nearly two months. Her husband
is Signor Vincenzo Rossi, who is said
to be of rich and distinguished family.
The couple were married in Kenosha,
Wis.
Examining Military Highways.
Washington, Sept. 10. General
Miles, commanding the department of
the East, is taking active steps to se
cure for the use of the army, accurate
information as to the condition of all
roads between large centers of popula
tion and places of strategic importance
in his department, which might be re
quired for the movement of troops in
an emergency involving the incapacity
of the railroads.
A Veteran's Double Crime.
Clinton, 111., Sept. 10. George Cap
linger attempted to kill his wife by
firing two shots at her and then plac
ing the revolver to his own right temple
sent a ball into ins head, lie was an
inmate of the Soldiers' home at Quincy
and came home a few days ago on his
wav to the national encampment at
Louisville. JHrs. capiinger win re
cover.
An English Battleship Agronnd.
London, Sept. 10. The new battle
ship Majestic started on her trial trip
this morning, but ran aground on the
sands at Spithead. She was floated at
High water, but a further trial of the
ship has been postponed until ner nun
can be examined.
Shot Dead In His Office.
Phoenix, Ariz., Sept 10. Jay H,
Miller, the commercial freight agent
of the Maricopa and Phoenix railroad,
was shot late last night near his office
He died almost instantly. Some think
it is suicide, but it is probably a mur
der. '
A SAMPLE.
Profits of a leather Trust Shown Up Fig
ures That Startle.
The Shoe and Leather Reporter has
been prompted by the attacks on
rTn1t.Al States leather stock to do a
little figuring upon the profits of the
eomnanv. The results are as follows:
4.000.000 drv hides. $4.05 $16,200,000
1,280,000 wet salted hides, J6.30 s.uoi.uuu
2.720.000 wet salted hides, $6.30 17,136,000
Cost of hides.. $11,400,01)0
Tanning 4,000,000 dry hides 7,700,000
Tannins 1.280.000 wet salted hides.... 3,686,400
Tannine 720,00'J wet salted miles. . .
Cost of tanning expenses $17,261,600
Net cost 16,000,000 sides 68,661,600
a.noo.ooo sides hemlock, from dry
hides zb,uw,uw
SMO.000 sides hemlock, from wet
hides jj,su,ow
B.44O.O00 sides union crop and oak
leather, from wet salted hides 33,783,400
Net nroceeds of leather $74,992,000
Net cost of leather &,ub,isih
Net profit $16,330,400
Th eomnanv have outstanding de
benuture bonds amounting to $3,520,
000. the interest on which is 6 per
cent, payable semi-annually on May i
and November 1. This fixed charge
amounts to S331.200. leaving the net
profit applicable to dividends 815,999,
200.
Iowa democrats have fallen into
the gold-bug ranks, and Brice has cap-
tured Ohio and the white metal lan
guishes in that state also. Independ
ent,
T, T Tlnvia. lfnl 1st over Rock Inland
tirkpt office, cor. 11th and O streets,
Itrirlsmaiul Crown Work a specialty
KEIR HARDIE'S ADDRESS.
The Socialistic Theory Ably Presented and
Cogent Reasons Given lor Its Advocacy. -
The following extracts convey some
idea of the nature of Mr. Keir Ilar-
die's address before the Chicago labor
congress recently:
Let me first define what I mean by
the labor problem. Side by side with
the growing accumulations of wealth
we have a mass of poverty that does
not tend to diminish. It is frequently.
asserted
that the condition of the
worker is better to-day than it was
fifty years ago. This statement I must
emphatically deny. It is true that a
certain section of labor, together with
the middle and upper classes have
benefitted by the development of me
chanical powers applied to industry,
but on the other hand there remains a
considerable proportion of workers
whose condition is one of continued
poverty. Fifty years ago in England
education was much neglected; to-day
it has spread through all sections of
the community, owing to our public
schools and free system of education.
This fact, good in itself, tends to ag
gravate the miseries of the poor, inas
much as new desires and new aspira
tions have been awakened in their
minds which are impossible of realiza
tion. To stimulate a mind's energies
without providing the means of meet
ing the demand which the freshly
awakened powers seek is to add to his
sufferings. .
On the other hand there is a ten
dency for wages to sink lower. Wom
en are more and more entering the la
bor market as competitors with men,
and child-labor does not tend to dimin
ish to any appreciable extent Capi
tal, following the law of self-preserva
tion, is combining to produce on a
large scale. Within the memory of
men still living the relations between
employer and employed were of a per
sonal kind; each employer knew his
workmen and talked to them and
mingled with them, and there was
thns a human relationship established
between them. Now, however, the
great corporation which, as has been
said, has neither body to be kicked or
a soul to be damned, has . taken the
place of the individual employer; it
has no bowels of mercy, its sole con
cern is to make profits and dividends.
The relationship between it and its
employes is purely commercial. To
use Carlyle's words, 'the cash nexus is
all that binds one to the other.'
The personal freedom of the worker
tends to grow less, while capital, as
represented by the great trusts and
corporations, does not hesitate to use
the powers of government to shoot and
club men down when they refuse to
blindly obey its commands.
As the result of these conditions
we have drunkenness, vice, immoral
ity and unnatural conditions of life
prevailing in our midst, and all that is
best and most worth preserving in our
common community is being sacrificed
at the shrine of Mammon.
"I wish to observe at this point that
no reform in our system of government
will even appreciably mitigate the
faults I have been referring to.
Whether it be under the autocratic rule
of the czar of Russia; the imperial
sway of the emperor of Germany; the
limited monarchy of England; the free
republics of France and America, no
matter what the form or system of
government, the condition of the wage
workers remains as stated above,
"There is one evil greater probably
than all the others named above put
together, to which I have yet to refer
to I mean the number of men unable
to find regular employment I have
made this question a special study in
the old country, where we have op
portunities of arriving at approximate
ly correct results which perhaps do not
obtain here. The evil is not confined
to the number of men permanently out
of work but to the irregularity of em
ployment to which an over-stocked la
bor market inevitably leads. lhe
wages of the tradesman may be nomi
nally $10 per week, but his earnings.
owing to broken time, through no
fault of his own, may not exceed $5
per week. Now in the old country
were we to take 25 percent of the able
bodied workers and transport them to
th moon, we would still have suffi
cient to supply all the demands of the
labor market by working eight hours
Der day. This fact constitutes a sen
ous mentce to tne weu-oeing onuo
. , , , . M i 1
worker. It is not only the poor fellows
nnt. nf wnrk whose cause we have to
consider, but the effect which their
beinir out of work has upon those in
work. T ask vou whether it is not a
fact well within the scope of your own
knowledge that the long hours and the
lnw veneres which Drevail to-day in so
many industries are the direct outcome
of the knowledge that where those
who have work are not prepared to ac
cept those wages and work those hours
that there are plenty outside the work
shop who' would be only too glad to
take their place. It is surely a scandal
on the boasted civilization of the clos
ing years of the nineteenth century
that a man should be able to work,
willing to work and the right to work
denied him.
"Many are the remedies suggested
for this state of things. All agree on
the evils, but the weakness of the posi
tion lies in the diversity of opinion as
to what constitutes a remedy. Thrift
is highly recommended by a well-
meaning section of the country. Thrift
means spending less man you earn.
But before recommending you to prac
tice it I want to be assured that your
income is sufficient to enable you to do
so without robbing yourself and your
children of any of the comforts, re
quirements, or even luxuries of civi
lized life. Intemperance is Irequentiy
spoken of as the cause of all the miser
ies of the poor. Asa life abstainer I
desire to see a great reform on the
part of the people in the matter of
drinking, but I do not find that the
drinking habit of the rich precipitates
them into the depths of poverty, and
- if drinking does not make the rich
- poor, neither should it make the work-
er. My investigation goes to prove
that drunkenness is as frequently the
rr-snlt of novertv as Dovertv is the re-
suit of drunkenness.
"Bimetallism, both in the old coun
try and here, is advocated as the solu
tion for the labor problem. It is said
that to limit the coinage to one metal
is to deprive the nation of one-half of
its purchasing power. If by adding
silver to the legal coinage we double
the purchasing power, of the commu
nity, by adding copper and other
metals we might treble and quadruple
it What seems to be overlooked is
that the purchasing power of a nation
rests in its wage-earners. When wages
are high the demand for manufactured
articles is good; when wages are low
the demand falls off, and so long as
competition fixes prices and rules
wages, it matters not to the worker
whether there be one metal or a dozen
in circulation, his wages will descend
to the starvation point.
" 'Protection' and 'free trade' are
battle cries in America still. In 1846
England ceased being a protected coun
try, and threw wide open her portals
to the commerce of the world. From
then till now she has been developing
her free trade principles. You here
on the other hand have been seeking
to protect yourselves by tariff laws.
Several of the old nations of the world
have been doing likewise, but whether
under protection in America or free
trade in England the fortunes ot tne
rich continue to grow, whilst the
miseries of the poor do not decrease.
Protection protects rents and interest,
but not labor. Free trade enlarges
the area over which the trader may
barter his goods, but does not free the
worker from the dominion of capital.
Trade unionism has done much for the
worker and is calculated to do even
more, but we cannot shut our eyes to
the fact that trade unionism does not
find work for the unemployed; does
not restore the land of the nation to
the people, and is at best a barrier
which protects the worker against the
more glaring of the evils which capital
ism would otherwise impose upon him.
It is the first step toward the organi
zation of industry, and the workman
who is not a trade unionist is the ally
of the landlord and the sweater.
Now I come to sum up. We have
seen that the oppression of the worker
is not due to the form of government
under which he lives, therefore, we
conclude that no reform in the system
of government will materially improve
his position. It is not due to the
absence of thrift, nor to his intemper
ance, nor to any cause over which he
has hitherto had any control, but to
the fact that the land, without which
he cannot live, and the instruments of
production, without which he cannot
produce wealth, are owned by a sec
tion of the community, and are used
by that section to make rents and
profits. Labor in the hands of the
capitalists is a commodity to be used
like a piece of machinery. To state
the case in this fashion is also to sug
gest a remedy. There are certain
things indispensable to life food and
raiment and house accommodation.
We should laugh to scorn any proposal
to make private property of the air we
breath, or the sunlight we enjoy. In
like manner I submit that all things
essential to life 6hould be owned and
controlled by the community for the
community.
"Competition, it is stated, is neces
sary to the development of the people.
That may be so, but competition in
the production of our food supplies is
suicidal, and when you come to think
of it, all our trade and commerce has
for its foundation this fact, tliat peo
ple must produce food and raiment if
they are to live.
"I am not a stickler for form. I care
not by what name you call that sys
tem of industry under which the idler
at both ends of the scale would be
eliminated. It may be named social
ism; it may be named collectivism; it
may be spoken of as a co-operative
commonwealth or an industrial com
monwealth. The name to me is noth
ing, but I am concerned in seeing an
attempt made to realize a happier con
dition of life for the masses of the peo
ple than is possible for them to-day.
The application of the remedy here
outlined is a matter of some impor
tance. "The state, I have already hinted,
protects property, even at the sacrifice
of human life; the whole of the ma
chinery of government from the senate
down to your city council is in the
hands of the owners of property. Why?
Because they have succeeded in divid
ing the workers into two hostile camps,
which they call respectively democrats
and republicans. I wish you to observe
that within your recollection demo
crats and republicans have in turn
wielded the scepter of power, but the
great tide of human misery has flowed
on all the same unchecked and undi
minished. A rich man, whether he
calls himself republican or democrat,
is first of all a property owner in the
house of representatives to which
you send him and will naturally give
preference to the claims ol property
when these conflict with the claims
of labor. I ask you, there
fore, to have done with party politics
in the present accepted sense, and
party government There are but two
parties in the state, the rich and the
poor. This division runs through so
ciety, runs through religion you will
find it in your churches and should
run through politics. Democrats and
republicans alike will use workingmen
to prop up their system and support
themselves, but the moment labor
combines to assert itself then demo
crats and republicans alike will com
bine to oppose it. Socialism I believe
to be, then, the only remedy, the only
permanent remedy for the releasing of
our industrial system and independent
political action, the chief method for
realizing our object Within five years
from now the organized workers of the
world will have their international
organizations, seeking to secure the
active co-operation of the people of all
lands, all nationalities, all tongues, in
resisting the growing arrogance of
capital. Capital knowsno nationality,
neither should labor, and I call upon
the workingmen of America, the coun
try which has pioneered the world of
political freedom, to take their place
in the vanguard of the industrial army,
which is seeking to emancipate the
workers from tne bondage in which he
is held by capital and to secure eco
nomic freedom, without which polit
ical freedom is but a shadow." .
"V
no tmra term idea altogether.
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