Newspaper Page Text
GOLD STANDARD PAY.
A COMPARISON OF WACES IN
VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
In Many Trades TVatfe# Are Higher In
silver Countries Than In All the Gold
Standard Countries of Europe —
1 Inures Deceptive.
One of the arguments, or rather as
sertions, upon which the advocates of
the gold standard lay peculiar stress is
the alleged low rate of wages in silver
countries as compared with those of
gold countries. We have often noticed
that while this assertion is made with
a great deal of emphasis, the relative
rates of wages in the two classes of
countries are never actually stated and
contrasted. We know now why they are
not. It is because they do not bear out
the claim of the gold standard orators,
We have before us the very tables so
often referred to, but never quoted, by
the gold monometalllsts, which show
the weekly wag*, paid to the general
trades In countries whose currencies are
on the gold and those whose currencies
are on the silver basis. We observe in
these tables that such gold standard
countries as Egypt and Turkey are
omitted from the tables, doubtless be
cause their wages were entirely too low
to show up to advantage In a gold
standard argument. Nevertheless, espe
cially prepared as these tables were for
a campaign of gold monometallism,
they arc utterly destructive of the argu
ment based on the comparative wage
rates. While these tables show that in
a number of the general trades wages
are higher in the gold standard than
they are i„ the silver standard conn
tries, they also show that In a number
or others the wages in the latter conn
tries are higher than they are In nearly
all the gold standard countries of
Europe, and that they compare favor¬
ably even with the wages paid in Eng¬
land and France. Thus the tables show
that in Mexico, bricklayers receive $10
per week, while in Germany they re¬
ceive $4.21 per week, in Belgium $4.58
per week, in Holland $4.89, in Italy
$4.20, in Spain $3.80, in France $5.74.
Jn Mexico masons get $10.80, and in
Peru, also on a silver standard, they
get $14.70 per week. The same class of
laborers in England get $7.08 per week,
In France $5.33, In Germany $4.67, in
Belgium $5.22, in Holland $4.80, in Italy
$3, in Spain $3.30, in Switzerland $5.27.
In Mexico the wages of a carpenter
range from $1.50 to $4.75 per day, In
Peru they arc $9 per week, and in Vene¬
zuela, which was on the silver standard
when the table was prepared, they are
$9,84. In Germany carpenters get $4.11
per week, In Belgium $4.07, in Holland
$4.80, in Italy $4, In Spain $3.90. Brass
founders In Mexico get $10 per week, in
Germany they get $4.38, In Holland $4,
in Italy $4, in Denmark $4.82. In
Mexico the wages of a cabinetmaker are
$10 per week, in Peru they are $14.76
per week and in Venezuela they are
$14.45, both of these latter countries be¬
ing classed In the table as silver coun¬
tries. In Germany a cabinetmaker gets
$4.25 per week, in Denmark $4.58, In
Belgium $5, in Holland $4.80, in Italy
$3.40, in France $6.14. Tinsmiths get
$7.50 per week In Mexico and $14 per
week in Venezuela. In.Germany they
get $3.55, In Holland $4, in Spain $3, in
Belgium $4.40, In France $5.50. in Eng¬
land $0.50. Tailors get $7.14 per week
In Mexico and $12.50 per week in Vene¬
zuela. In Germany they get $3.41 per
week, in Italy $4, In Spain $4.90, In Hol
land $5, in France $5.02. What is
there in these figures to justify the
claim that high wages go with the gold
standard and low wages go with the
silver standard? Reduce these wages
all to their gold value, and it still ap¬
pears that the earnings of the work¬
ingman In these despised silver coun¬
tries are higher than they are in nearly
nil the great and enlightened gold
standard countries of Europe. When
among the "great enlightened” nations
of Europe, despite the blessings of a
gold standard, you find laborers work¬
ing for from 20 to 30 cents per day, as
the reports accompanying these tables
show to be the case in Italy and Switz¬
erland. when “skilled labor” can be had
in the German textile industries for 48
cents per day, what exeftse is there for
all this howl about low wages in silver
countries?- Memphis Commercial-Ap¬
peal.
{•tttlng Rlvh Without Work
If you held the title to ten thousand
acres of good land, couldn’t you get
rich-without work?
If you could borrow money from the
government at 1 per cent and loan it
to the farmers in your county at It)
per cent, couldn't you get rich—without
work?
If you happened (0 be born rich, had
plenty of money, lived in a country
where men were made cheap and mon
ey was made dear, couldn't you get
richer without work?
If you had obtained a monopoly on
some natural product, like coal, or oil,
or lumber, or silver, or gold—things
that you could not make and million?
of people wanted them, couldn t >o,i
get rich—without work?
If you have brains and can think for
yourself, hadn’t you better think”
Coming Nation.
Will some of the Napoleons of
finance please explain how Uncle Sam
can redeem the $811,031,490.44 paper
money, now unredeemed, with $107.-
236,486.79? No use to deny these fig
ures: they are exactly as given by Sec
retarv Carlisle. Just think of it’ Only
a little over 13 cents in go’d to cover
$1 In paper. The national banks in
the United States and the national
treasury together have only about
$275,000,000 in gold, while they have
obilgatl out :r notes to the
mon n
Mercury
AFTER THE CAMPA1CN.
Net Keauit* of the Special Election in
Georg la*
1. Mr. Black holds his two counties
and we hold our nine. Considering
that in each county a majority
of the registrars were Democrats
and that in most of the coun¬
ties their conduct was strongly
partisan, our holding^f the nine coun
ties demonstrates that our lines cannot
be broken.
2. To hold his two counties Mr.
Black had to register at least 1,200 fic
titious and illegal Voters in Richmond,
and had to throw out at least 1,500 of
our legal voters in Hancock, Jefferson,
Columbia and Wilkinson,
The committee of Democrats headed
by Jesse Thompson ought to be good
authority on illegal registration in Au
gusta, and they filed a list of 1,200 with
the registrars.
3. Mr. Black now stands elected by
an illegal majority of about 1,500,
whereas last November it was upwards
of 7,000. Therefore our task on a con
test Is much lighter now than It was,
then.
4. The registration law gives us a
record to go by; heretofore we bad j
none, bT
We can get up the proofs of 1895
much more fully than we could have i
done those of 1894; for the reason that
all the frauds of 1894 were committed
upon one day, In the hurly-burly of an
exciting election, while the frauds of
1895 were committed from day to day
during the term of one month.
And they were committed under the
eyes of men whom we had engaged to
watch them. Our proofs are, therefore,
ready.
6. We can get to congress just as
quickly with this contest as we could
have done with that of 1894;and get
it decided just as early. We have lost
absolutely nothing by giving Mr. Black
another tilt—nor have our people lost
anything,
7. By holding this special election
we have familiarized ourselves with the
workings of the registration law; and
when the grand battle of 1896 opens
we will be veterans instead of raw re¬
cruits, We have had some valuable
experience with the law, and we will
use it In 1896.
8. We have demonstrated beyond all
dispute that the purpose of the Dem¬
ocratic parly in Georgia is to get rid of
the vote of the poor white man and
the negro. This fact will not strength¬
en the Democrats.
9. We have demonstrated that the
nine Populist counties belong to us of
right., because after all the efforts of
the Democratic registrars to cut down
our lists to a minority standpoint, we
still held our ground.
These are the net results of the elec¬
tion as we see them. All the advan¬
tages are with ns, and we are in bet¬
ter trim for the contest before con¬
gress and In better trim for the great
fight of 1896 than we were after the
November election of 1894. T. E. W.
THE PEOPL E’S TICK ET OI* 1828
An Interesting Kell© Picked Up in Co¬
lumbus*
Sound Money: Mr. Fishback, chair¬
man of the People’s party of Franklin
county, presented the office of Sound
Money a photograph of the ticket used
in the presidential election of 1828, in
Ohio, the original of which is owned
by Mr. David Herr. East Seventh street,
Columbus, O. Strange as it may ap¬
pear to our latter day Democratic lead¬
ers, it did not bear the name of ' Dem¬
ocrat,” but was known as the People's
ticket. The following is an exact copy
of the ticket, together with the names
of the electors:
THE PEOPLE'S TICKET.
For President.
ANDREW JACKSON.
Gratitude. Glory, Patriotism.
For Vice President:
JOHN C. CALHOUN.
Electors for Ohio:
Robert Lewis, Pike County.
Benjamin Jones, Wayne.
William Piatt. Hamilton.
Joseph Hough, Butler.
John Devor. Darke.
Thomas Gillespie, Greene.
Robert Morrison. Adams.
Valentine Keffer. Pickaway.
Joseph Barker. Washington.
John McElvain. Franklin,
George Trout, Perry.
George Sharp, Belmont.
John Patterson. Jefferson.
George McCook, Columbiana.
William Haven, liunibull.
Hugh Mel ee. Richland.
A simile of the original will ap
P ear in oul ' IU ' xt week s issue. The
Democrats.of 18-S must h.no been tine
tured with populism to have adopted
the motto: "Gratitude, Glory, Patriot
ism.” It ts in striking contrast with
their motto of Gold, Greed and Plutoc
racy, for 1S95.
The upward tendency of the market
for silver is attracting close attention,
both here and in Europe. The head¬
quarters of the speculation in silver is
in London, but its price among other in
fluences has a distinct bearing upon the
securities of several American railway
as well as those of the Mexican
lines. The rise in silver, if continued.
would affect th last mentioned prop
erties In three separate ways. Kirs: in
their gross earnings, as the predomin
ant industry in Mexico is the mining of
silver, which has been continued,
despite the fall in its price, and would
naturally be stimulated by an increase
;n the earnings of the roads which tra
verso the mining districts. Secondly,
the roads would be benefited by a re
auction in their operating expenses,
about one-third of which are paid in
gold. Thirdly, a high price for silver
increases tn e capacity of the roads to
meet their fi xed charges, which are pay
able in gold
ie n order to a«k ihe Roth>'
y ant next.
LETTER FROM DEBS.
SAYS THAT TAGCINO IS DE
CRADINC TO LABOR.
-
t
Next will Come the Branding iron—He
Pronounces the System an Invasion of
the Liberties of Americans—Keduced
to the Level of Cattle.
Chicago Daily Press: From time to
time plutocratic employers of laboring
men spring the question of the advis
ability of tagging their employes as
^ f- stern ranchmen brand their steers.
These plutocrats claim that the em
Plojment of vast herds of human cattle
makes it necessary to tag and number
them, that their business may be con
ducted more satisfactorily to ttfem
selves; and with an impudence tba.tde
fi es exaggeration they round up then
-attle and submit to them the proprietv
of substituting tags and numbers^for
f ame8 ’ ° ne of the straa S e features oi
this scheme of degradation is seen in
the f act that th * men ^hom the pluto
ciatlc employers propose to tag an
number as if they were penitentiary
convicts deem it prudent to discuss the
s,lt >ject as if it were a business proposi
tion rather than a shrewdly devised
scheme to ignore their manhood, destroy
lht ’ lr individuality as men and ciuzfns,
aa<1 make labor unspeakab y o ious.
at this isthe case, advices rom - 1
waukee, Joliet and Chicago fu y es a -
18 ’ * n these localities, v> ere corp^
Hons are engaged in iron and s e«
manufacturing enterprises, and a large
of workmen are employed, the
proprietors have unblushingly proposed
to tag the men,and the men are dismiss
ng the proposition; but so confident are
the plutocrats that the men will Con¬
the > r own degradation that the
a ^ s iave een ore ere an are
for use.
It is difficult to grasp the ineffable in¬
famy of this degrading scheme.
If it were devised for convicts, gal¬
ley slaves, criminals transported to
penal colonies, it might be regarded as
prudent; but that plutocratic employers
should suggest the infamous practice
for American workmen is to emulate
the policy of the Russian despot, who
tags and numbers the victims of his
wrath whom he consigns to torture and
to death in his Siberian mine.
The scheme of tagging and number¬
ing workingmen proposed by the Il¬
linois Steel company and kindred cor¬
porations leaves little more to be done
to reach the lowest depths of wage
slave degradation in the United States.
The tagging and numbering infamy ac¬
complished, the branding iron and the
iron collar will be in order.
Will American workingmen quietly
submit to be tagged and numbered?
Indeed, will they accept the degradation
under any possible circumstances or
conditions?
Confronted by propositions and prep¬
arations to degrade workingmen to the
level of beasts of burden, to the level
of "dumb driven, cattle,”, is k' .ot tit
j or j^ mer j can workingmen to protest
and rewist to the death, if required, to
maintain their liberty and their man¬
hood, to rescue their home from being
numbered as stalls for cattle, their
wives from the degrading designation
of "dams,” and their children as the
progeny of some sire known only by his
tag and number?
If American workingmen have not
abdicated their manhood, if the fires of
liberty and high aspirations are not
totally extinguished, they will give cor¬
porations to understand that at any and
every sarciflee they will resist this last
and most Infamous invasion of their
rights and liberties, and that with their
wives and children they will go down
to honored graves rather than live the
tagged and numbered slaves of corpora¬
tions. EUGENE V. DEBS.
Augusta Frauds By An Eye Witness.
People’s Party Paper; I was in
Augusta on the 2d of October and saw
some of the damnable work that was
done by Mr. Black’s friends to defeat
Mr. Watson. The twenty-one-year-old
negroes were divided into squads with a
couple or more “heelers” in charge who
would vote the scions of Democracy in
one ward, and then take them to an¬
other. vote them under another name;
then move on to the next ward and con¬
tinue the work indefinitely. For fear
a mistake would be made, young Demo¬
crats stood near the polls with polling
lists and the heeler would approach
with his man; be given a name and vote
him. The gang of twenty-one-year-old
negroes, instead of leaving the polls
WO uld squat around and wait for the
g(juac | t0 jj e moved to the next ward,
Electric ears were used to transport
^^5.3 an( j their men from ward to
W ard. When voting lagged at any pre
cinct. some good Democrat would bring
word that so and so must regort im¬
mediately at the First, Second or such
ward as was lagging. While the regis¬
tration list was adhered to, any man
with half a brain could see that a few
ignorant negroes were used to poll Mr.
Black's majority. I advise that Mr.
Watson contest the election and do so
as vigorously as possible. Sincerely,
JOHN A. SIBLEY.
A grand reception will be tendered
to Eugene \. Debs next month at Chi
cage, on the occasion of his return from
Woodstock jail. It will be under the
auspices of the various labor unions
as a protest against judicial and cor
porate tyranny. Delegates from labor
unions throughout the country wi'l be
present, to dement rate to the world :
af greed and arrogance that the heroic 1
champion af the love of of labor his has not been robbed j I
fellows by being in
eareerated in the plutocratic bastile
Debs stands higher today in the hearts
of the masses than any labor leader in i
America. All friends of humanity and i
*
iustiee delight to do him honor.
j
The peopl an !
made the pin
THE MEN AND THF1R BOOKS
iV
A
i
y if m
KJ * ?
s' y
m.. 4 y
i- f
a
* 4 / ■
—-ii W .fl J*
V
m I us
m O
Vfr 1 ?
. Wm
? :
■ I
mhk & •; fir: ike? :
■
r.-ngff ........*£
i i r
r “si.?” vr ■
m,
7
HARVEY—I dedicate my book to the cause of the American people
of this generation and of generations yet to come.
SHERMAN—I dedicate my book to myself that my pocketbook may
be well filled.
THE PEOPLE'S CANDIDATES.
The Only Advocates of Honest Legisla¬
tion for the People.
In the absence oi any argument they
can offer against the Coxey bills, an
occasional Republican or Democrat will
say: “I’d be ashamed to vote for a
hobo, horse jockey, a man with wheels
in his head, etc.” Gen. Coxey does own
a stock farm where he raises fine blood¬
ed horses; he did conduct an army of
poor men down to Washington to fur¬
nish congress with an object lesson,
showing to what end their legislation
was tending, (filling the country with
tramps and pauperizing the farming
and labor interests); he does believe
that the poor people of this land have
some rights that should be sacred even
to congress, and that they should be
furnished with steady employment at
fair wages, and that they be exempt
from paying further usury to the Shy
locks who have already reduced them
to a state of slavish beggary. Is there
anything in all this to be ashamed of?
We are ashamed of some things, how¬
ever. We are ashamed that we have
given so many of our votes in the past
to perpetuate in office such men as
John Sherman, who has become a multi¬
millionaire by repeatedly selling his
vote in the senate to the Wall street
sharks in order that their pet schemes
for controlling the currency, as w’ell as
the government itself, might be perpet¬
uated. Certain it is, he has not become
so wealthy on a $5,000 salary, and that
he voted for the sharks he does not
deny, as the congressional record stands
out against him too plainly.
The whole country is ashamed of
Grover Cleveland and his administra¬
tion, and yet the financial views of that
gentleman are In perfect harmony with
the golden calf idol (Sherman) set up
and worshipped by the Republican
party.
And who is it who is not ashamed of
Cal Brice, Mr. Coxey’s opponent for
the governorship of Ohio, in the meth¬
ods by which he is conducting the cam¬
paign?
No, we are not ashamed of Mr. Coxey
and are not afraid to compare his rec¬
ord with any of the gold bugs. He
stands today the only advocate of hon¬
est legislation for the people of the
three candidates for governor of Ohio,
and should have the support of every
poor man in the state.—Press-Review',
Payne, O.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC OUT OF IT.
Huntington Announces that ltoail Will
Eight Only for Protection.
C. P. Huntington says that the South¬
ern Pacific railroad is out of politics,
but “if any candidate announces that
he intends to cinch the road, we will
fight him and try to defeat him, but we
will do it openly.”
Concerning the action of the railroad
commissioners in reducing local rates,
Huntington declares his purpose to test
the issue in the courts. He says:
“An arbitrary reduction in rates is an
illegal assault on railroad property
which the courts can not and will not
permit. I will trust to the courts for
protection, and throughout my life I
have relied upon the cold, impassioned
injustice of our courts to such an ex¬
tent that I have always tried to impress
upon people the great need of intelli¬
gent, honest men tor the judiciary.”
From his first statement it may be
fairly inferred that the Southern Pa
cifie ^ as been "in politics.” and fur
ther that it has heretofore done its work
secretly. A great deal of its secret
w °rk has been exposed, however.
of course, *be courts will not allow
an T su ch petty officials as the railroad
commissioners to interfere with the
rates of a ™igbty company that pays
we B for decisions in its favor.
Thc Associate Press dispatch, from
which we quote, makes Mr. Huntington
sa >’ that be has always relied upon the .
“in-justice” of the courts. We presume j
that this word is a slip on the part of !
the reporter or some printer, neverthe- ,
* V. r.
The idea of a man who has pur¬
chased as many court decisions as C.
P. Huntington advising the people to
elect an honest judiciary.
ECKELS IN ENCLAND,
Conferring with London Money Gam¬
blers—Teaching Finance.
Eckels, Grover’s comptroller of the
treasury, better known as Grover's
monkey, is over in Europe.
He doubtless received a free steam¬
ship pass from Wall street.
The Britishers are certainly gaining
valuable information from young
Eckels.
The latest cable brings the news that
Eckels is letting his light shine on the
blarsted Henglish.
He is reported as devoting much of
his time telling the money gamblers of
London how financial matters are con¬
ducted in the United States.
Eckels ought to know, if he is capa¬
ble of retaining an impression, that he
is telling these English bankers some¬
thing about which they know a sight
more than he does.
These men whom Eckels is enlight¬
ening upon American finance are the
persons who evolved the present finan¬
cial system and forced our congress and
president to adopt it.
These English money lords know
more about American financial affairs
than our young comptroller. They
know all about it. They originated it,
brought it over here and planted it upon
these shores. The idea of Eckels ex¬
plaining to the money gamblers of
England the American system of
finances is too ridiculous for considera¬
tion. These money sharks will doubt¬
less, use Eckels for all there is in him.
They will conclude a country that will
accept Eckels as a financier is easily
buncoed, and will proceed to rob us of
everything left.—Southern Mercury.
Senator Allen on the Silver Party.
Senator Allen, of Nebraska, speaking
at Butte, Mont., on Labor day, said;
“I think that the disposition to put a
strictly silver party in the field is con¬
fined to the mining states, and I am
very doubtful of the wisdom of the
movement. Those who are urging it
are making a great mistake. There are
many silver men who believe the Pop¬
ulist party is simply a temporary
growth and that it will soon disappear
with slightly changed conditions.
Therefore there are many who urge the
organization of a straight silver party,
but they are making a great mistake,
in my judgment. The Populist party
is as well founded, and for its numbers,
as well organized, and as determined
as any other political party, and it has
come to stay. We will not be absorbed
by any other political party, and we ex¬
pect to open our doors sufficiently wide
to admit all honest men who want to
see a reform in our government. There
is no doubt that there will be an over¬
hauling of the Omaha platform to some
extent, but its cardinal principles will
be maintained. I think that the so
called sub-treasury scheme will be
eliminated. At least I hope and look
for some revision of the minor de¬
tails.”
The bankers are said to be playing
the same booby game that Secretary
Morton tried on the employes of the
agricultural department. They have
received advice from Wall street to pay
out silver to farmers w ho receive checks
in selling their produce. Thus it is
hopef to create a sentiment against sil
ver on account of its bulk. But the
farmers are wi.ling to take all the sil
ver they can get and only wish prices
were better so that they could get more
of it. Then. too. it is funny that these
“honest money' bankers would pay
their obligations in cheap dollars, when
gold is so plentiful.
-
The bankers seem to think that cheap
dollars will hurt the farmer, but the
farmer is willing to buy cheap dollars
with which to pay his debts and taxes
\ HORRIBLE OUTRAGE
1 ! • •• than 1,500,000 PEOPLE
PAY $ 1.1,000,000 TAXES.
v lull to Arms—Great Excitement—
< lxtt «ar Probable! Arm! Arm! and
t'efmiil Your Bights—Who Will Vol
nnteer?
We heard the other day of a nation to
>\ rich the foregoing figures fully apply.
Less than 1,500,000 people, men, women
and children, are taxed for $13,000,000
umualiy, and no one can tell what they
get in return!
It must 4ie Russia! Can we stand
idly by and see our fellow beings, even
though they know no more of English
than John Norrish does of French, rob¬
bed. plundered, impoverished in that
terrible fashion? They are human and,
after their own way, Christians. It is
our duty to defend them. Recruiting
quarters will be opened in the office of
The Representative, and volunteers en¬
rolled to march on Moscow and put an
end to this tyranny.
"Hold on, Mr. Donnelly,” cried our
foreman, “you have got the wrong pig
by the ear. It isn’t Russia at all. It is
true that Russia collects her taxes with
the cat-o’-nine tails, applied to the soles
of the farmers’ bare feet; and we have
not quite got to that yet; but we’re
getting there! Now we simply take
away the farm for one-tenth its value.”
“Well, what country is it? I cer¬
tainly saw those statistics somewhere.”
“Certainly; you saw them in our state
auditor’s report. The country referred
to is Minnesota! Only thirty of forty
years ago immigrants swarmed over
our fat fields, lying broad and open, the
magnificent gift of God; and they took
them as a free gift; and- now three
fourths of them are mortgaged, aud the
value of their products has decreased
one-half; and in the midst of an unex¬
ampled abundance, which neither bin
nor cellar nor crib can hold, the people
are in sore straits of sorrow, excepting
the money-lenders and the few who are
out of debt. They have tried every¬
thing* They tried the Republican party
for thirty years, and the Democratic
party for eight years; and they followed
the Howling Dervishes—the dancing
Judases—into the mud of the Dismal
Swamp, and they can’t go any further
in that direction!”
“Well, foreman,” said a typo, “will
we print that ball for volunteers?”
“Call for volunteers! The very men
you are trying to help would be the
first to hang you. 'The theory of this
Republic is: ‘Every man for himself and
the devil take the hindmost!’ And the
devil seems to have coralled the whole
nation.”
No; no; they will gather around the
shores of the Dismal Swamp and howl
for the macadamized highway that
ought to cross its dreadful depths;—
howl for promises, howl for lies, howl
for disappointments, howl for destruc¬
tion, howl for shame and poverty and
misery.”—Representative.
QUESTION OF LANDLORDISM.
The Land Question Is an Important
One.
Lord Scully, who owns 100,000 acres
of Illinois land, a whole county In Kan¬
sas, besides oth’er large tracts in Kansas
and Nebraska (42,000 acres in Nuckols
county and 30,000 in Gage), has decided
to become a citizen of this country and
will settle in New York city. He does
this because of the tendency in sev¬
eral states (where Populists are num¬
erous) to deal with alien landlords. He
will thus, through citizenship, retain
his lordly tribute and secure protection.
If rent to foreigners, tribute to an alien
power, is a bad thing, a dangerous
thing, which might lead gradually to
complete subjection to foreign owner¬
ship of the whole country, what better
is it to support landlords at home?
That is what 52 per cent of our own
people are now doing. Fifty-two per
cent of our people are renters, accord¬
ing to the census of 1890, and no doubt
tens of thousands of families have lost
their homes through mortgage fore¬
closures since then.
If rent is all right, a good thing,
Scully, the rack renter, is all right, Ire¬
land is all right, and America under the
present and increasing tribute to land¬
lords is and win be all right.
Scully never did a day’s work in
America. He bought his Illinois land
at $1.25 per acre and paid for much of
it in soldiers’ land warrants, so that it
cost him not to exceed 50 and 75 cents
an acre. Without putting on any im¬
provements he has rented it for an in¬
creasing sum and now gets $3 to $4 an
acre in excess of taxes. Renters build
their own hovels and live like dogs in
kennels. In Nebraska and Kansas the
same general plan is pursued. He
bought his land of the gbrernment and
paid for it in scrip. Wild land he first
rented out for a series of years, charg¬
ing the renter the first year the taxes,
the second year the taxes and 25 cents
an acre, the third year the taxes and 50
cents an acre. After that his agent
made such terms as he could. In all
cases renters have to make their own
improvements, which they can take
away with them or sell to renters who
take their places. Of course only the
most temporary, cheap improvements
are made. The renters live in hovels
instead of houses. The roads are not
worked, the country is not improved;
each renter cares only to get present re¬
turns and is not a citizen who takes an
Interest in the country.
But this is what landlordism leads to.
Let us not forget that the land question
is a fundamental and overshadowing
question. Wealth maker*.
"Keep off Ihe grans" has come to be a
slogan in the rallies of the populists.
The funny •rlldili-rx have dropped the
phrase, and now it Is rapidly march¬
ing into liiHioi v to live ns long as cour
age and p tirioilxtu Inspire the soldiers
of freedom.