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Illustrates The True Spirit Of The Trusts

Illustrates The True Spirit Of The Trusts image
Parent Issue
Day
29
Month
August
Year
1902
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The spirit which actuates the great monopolies was never better-illustrated than in the answer of President Baer of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad to a certain minister who had appealed to him as a Christian to use his influence to settle the great anthracite coal miners strike. His answer is filled with the bigotry and divine right of great wealth and the spirit of "the people be damned." He simply says that he and his ilk are the people favored by divine decree and the men who work for them must be satisfied with the bare necessities of keeping soul and body together. His idea is that the workman must be like the dog that is given a bone. His words are that these miserable workmen must suffer their predestined lot in peace, trusting themselves to the tender mercy of "the Christian men to whom God, in His infinite wisdom, has given the control of the property interests of the country." It is by such men that the great trust organizations of the country are manned and yet we are told that these monopolies are a good thing. What a mockery the theory of our government that all men are equal before the law becomes when it is so largely controlled by this spirit, a spirit which would make any of life's blessings enjoyed by the laboring men of the nation a matter of the bounty and condescension of such Pharisees as this man Baer. Such men as he is are responsible in more ways than one for the anarchistic spirit which exists in this nation today. Not only do they create this spirit by assuming to be superior by divine right but by violating the laws of the nation by bringing into the country the anarchists which have been made in European countries under the conditions which men of the Baer ilk have created. In pursuance of the idea that working men should be content with the bare necessities of life, men of the Baer stripe have imported the worst elements of the decaying nations of Europe to take the place of American workmen when these American workmen would not accept this doctrine. And because of this law-breaking on the part of the Baers, the mining regions of Pennsylvania have become new Bohemias and new Hungarys. And these same men who are responsible for these tigers in human form, known as anarchists, are today engaged in a warfare with organized labor, because of the unwillingness of labor to recognize the position assigned it by Baer, which is paralyzing the industries of this nation and placing burdens upon millions of our people that are most grievous to bear. And yet it is held that there is no power in the government, alleged to be by and for the people, to interfere and put an end to this warfare because of the great injury it is bringing upon the people. Our people are a good-natured people, but they will not always tolerate this anthracite coal monopoly, nor the spirit which actuates the Baers in the conduct of the industries of the country.

The Republican Campaign Text Book is silent as to reciprocity with Cuba. It is afraid to make any pretensions along that line. Those who made it know full well that the administration's words 'are not backed up by deeds and is silent. The utmost reference to Cuba is contained in the assertion that the groundwork of a republican form of government has been laid in Cuba under a republican policy. But what of the failure of Congress to furnish the new government with the means of making that experiment a success? What of the policy of McKinley which President Roosevelt at Schenley Park affirmed would be carried out "as sure as fate." With half dozen of the leading republican state conventions declaring unqualifiedly for the President's policy, why should the congressional campaign committee overlook the necessity of discussing that issue with the people?

One of the signs of a popular uprising for Durand, is the frantic way in which the republican press shout "Republicans of Michigan, stand firm and support the entire republican state ticket as a democratic victory in November might mean a Democratic U. S. senator." The Kalamazoo Telegraph, for instance, is one of these papers, lts editor is supposed to be an intelligent man. He knows that under no circumstances can a democratic senator be elected and yet the republicans must vote for Bliss for no other reason that a new U. S. senator must be elected. It must be the learned editor takes his republican readers for fools, or else he is terribly hard up for Bliss ammunition.

Reports from Adrian in last week's Detroit papers say that Mark W. Stevens was there Thursday and convinced the kicking democrats that Judge Durand was in line with the democracy in the campaigns of 1896 and 1900 and supported the tickets loyally. These reports state further that as a result of this convincing proof given by Mr. Stevens. Mr. Durand will receive the support of all democrats in the present campaign. Similar evidence was given and by the most undoubted authority at the state convention when Mr. Durand was nominated. Thomas E. Barkworth stated from the platform during the convention and while he was making a speech against the nomination of Durand that he, Barkworth, in the campaign of 1806 went to Flint, called on Judge Durand, and asked him to state his position on the issues of that campaign, that the judge was very frank relative to the matter and that his statement of his position was satisfactory to him, Barkworth. Judge Morse stated just as positively that Judge Durand was loyal to the party in that canvass, and Mr. Ed. Wook, a close personal friend of Judge Durand, went farther and declared that the judge contributed financially to the campaign. It would seem that such evidence ought to have convinced any man who was at all open-minded. Yet there were some in old Lenawee who were not satisfied. But it appears that Mr. Stevens has given them proof that is convincing even to those who were not convinced before, and it is well.

If any proof was needed of the fact that there is not a ghost of a show for any democrat to succeed Senator McMillan in any event, that proof is now before the people. Senator "Tip" Atwood and United States District Attorney Gordon have furnished it. They say that in the event of the election of a democratic legislature this fall the governor would undoubtedly call the legislature together to elect a successor to Senator McMillan. The democrats will be very unwise, therefore, to give this subject any consideration whatever. They should, however, name the best men they have for legislative positions, for if they should happen to gain the legislature there will be most important work to perform in purely state matters. In the event of a democratic legislation, there is the promise to the people of the enactment of an effective primary election law. The Democratic platform also demands a more equitable system of taxation and a number of other important departures from existing conditions. It is very essential these reasons that able men be selected for legislative positions. But there is no occasion to waste any of the force of the campaign on the rainbow chasing project of electing a Democrat to the United States senate.

The Argus-Democrat has news from all over the county. $1 year.

Every time a Republican tells about the commercial invasion of Europe he is furnishing the best sort of argument why the tariff should be revised. If we can ship our goods to Europe and undersell her there, how in the name of reason can there be any danger of any destructive competition here? Every article almost that is exported to Europe is sold at a good deal lower figure than the same article is sold for here. The Republicans tell us that they are sold at less than cost. Is it possible that they squeeze their own people so hard that they can go into the charity business after they get to Europe? It is either that or else they do not sell at less than cost there. The republicans are welcome to either horn of the dilemma. If they do not sell for less than cost, why should they charge us so much more for the same article?

Secretary Shaw says that it will not do to talk about revising the tariff now, that although it is a fact that there are unjust schedules in the tariff they must be let alone, for if an attempt was made to pull one of them out the beneficiaries of those unjust schedules would pull the whole structure down on the party. How is that for an acknowledgment of servile obedience to the trusts? And then it comes from an administration spokesman.