People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1893 — Page 4 Advertisements Column 2 [ADVERTISEMENT]

If one man controls the live stock industry of the nation; fifty, its transportation service; ten, its coal output; twenty-five, its transmission of intelligence; a few hundred, its means of exchange; and one, its oil supply, would it not be wisdom for the other sixty-five millions to adopt some measures for self protection.

Foreigners hold the larger portion of our bank stock, foreigners own our railroads, forieners own our elevators, foriegners own our breweries, foreigners own in fee simple large bodies of our land and have mortgages on much of the balance, and foreigners dictate our financial policy; so sing, Hail Columbia, happy land; if we ’aint a set of fools then I’ll be jumped up. The Industral Legion does not supercede, antagonize, nor in anyway interfere with the Alliance, F. M. B. A., Grange, Knights of Labor or any other labor organization. It object is practical politics, pure and simple. It will seek to have men vote right, than have that vote fairly counted and correctly reported. It will labor to unite and solidify the urban and the agriculturist into a compact political force to carry out the principals of the Omaha platform, relating to money, transportation, land and taxation.

At the time of the consideration of the Fee and Salary Bill it was claimed that it could not be made to apply to the then acting officers nor to the then officers elect for it was claimed that there was an implied contract between these officers and the voters that their salaries should be the same as their predecessors. No, the law was not to be in operation till the officers elected in 1892 took their seats. If there was an implied contract between the officers and the voters at the time of the passage of this act, is there not an implied contract between the voters and the officers elected at the recent election? Implied contracts are just as binding at one election as another, and no legislation this winter should lessen or increase the salaries of officers elected in November. Our newly elected officers knew what their salaries were to be and were willing, yes anxious, to get the places. As many and as good men offered themselves candidates before conventions this year as usualall knowing salaries were re-, duced. The people are in no mood for an increase of salaries and woe be to that party which makes it.

Our party has no office holders to draw upon, and we ought not if we had. Millionaires don’t rush into our rank, there are no attractions. Bankers do not come, for we oppose their business, and so of railroads, trusts and combines, hence we have no one to draw upon for campaign funds but the people, and they are poor. In the late conference at Indianapolis, one county reported an expenditure of 75 cents, the national committee said they had less than $3,800 and our State committee had less than $500 and are in debt. In view of these and other unpleasant facts, it was resolved by the last conference that the Industrial Legion should be organized in order to meet and overcome these very defects. Our labor organizations are all non political, hence cannot raise money and turn over to the People’s party, but members of all labor organizations can join the Legion, and women can hold fairs, and the men and women can hold picnics, and make it an object to raise an ample campaign fund. Can’t the People’s party women of Jasper lead off in this work and raise a couple hundred dollars this winter and spring. Charge a small admittance, sell various articles, have a good People’s party speech and a good time socially.