People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1897 — OH, THE IRONY! [ARTICLE]

OH, THE IRONY!

Our highways are flocking with moving outfits of the ever increasing population of tenantry who own not a foot of God’s footstool, and from whose ranks the floating purehaseable vote is being augmented year by year. One of the most cutting ironies that reflected modern conditions was the other day exhibited in form of a covered wagon, from the top a pipe protruded, a haggard wife and several kids huddled behind the seat but from the top floated a little 10 by 15 flag, the stars and stripes, and the entire community has been guessing ever since what that flag meant? to the inmates of the wagon. It certainly meant something. They have no home. It pledges the father no employment with which to feed and clothe the dependent ones; it will furnish him work on the rock pile if he begs or pilfers; yes, it will do more, it will give him a chance to fight for the honor of his country should our bonds fall delinquent and foreign fleets batter at our coasts demanding payment. It will do more than that, if by chance one of his countrymen refuses to get off the earth when the mortgage falls due he can be mustered into service to use a musket and force him into the same highway he is traveling. To him and that precious load with him does that flag mean anything better? If so, what?

The editor of the Pilot desires to thank those who have so generally received our recent output of “invitations” in the spirit which they were issued. Of course now and then a man figures that he can pay his mortgage by cutting off the expense of his weekly paper, but our friends have not often taken that <si view. They realize that a printer cannot pay his paper, ink, rent and labor bills when those who arfe being served regularly do not come in with occasional installments. We have been as forebearing and indulgent as any of you could possibly be under a similar pressure and we believe you are not blind to this fact. When it becomes neces sary for us to hire a conveyance and a man to go out in order to collect, it can readily be seen that little remains for us after paying such expenses. Won’t you kindly take this matter home to yourselves with a view to save us this expense by call-

ing in with what little you can possibly spare? Trans-Missouri railroads offer to ship free to the Pacific coast 1,000 tons of relief provisions for shipment to India’s starving people. It will be recalled that no concessions were offered for shipments from Nebraska to Chicago sufferers and it would be in order to charge at least full tariff rates if not more for Louisiana sufferers. How distance lends enchantment and appeals to the consciences of American donors. Willoughby, Hill & Co. one of the big Chicago firms, reaped their crop of gold standard last Saturday by going into the sheriff’s hands. If it were not for disturbing confidence during inauguration week, it might be appropriate to recall the fact that during the late campaign this firm took a leading part in importing Mexican dollars by the bushel and displaying for an object lesson in their store windows. The fee and salary bill lobbied before the legislation by the county officers trust has been defeated. The county officials must be content now with their salaries and learn to curb their appetite for rake offs ,iu shape of 50 per cent of fees. There appear to be a few members who wish to return home and mingle with the tax payers after this session closes. Our state legislature has moved in the direction of bringing suit to recover $1,000,000 due irom the Vandalia railroad. Let’s see, it does not re quire an act of the General Assembly to collect the taxes from a Jasper County farmer. But that only confirms the old traditional gag that all are equals before the law. A Union Reform Press Association was organized at Kansas City last week. J. R. Soveriegn Grand Master of the Knights of Labor was made president, J. M. Goss, editor of lowa Tribune, vice president, Warwick Sanders of Columbus, Neb. Argus, secretary treasury. Mr. Bryan, in New York the other day deprecated the an nounced purpose of the ‘‘Sound Money League” to continue their aggressiye propaganda work as we feared too much agitation of the financial question would tend to disturb and retard business revival. Another of Nebraska’s exofficials, the Auditor, is short $28,208.00. Another stain upon the fair name of that state as a result of Populist invasions. What a job awaits Populism in some of the states not so far west.

A short while ago the associated press announced the suspension of the patriots of America organized by “Coin” Harvey. The March Bulletin of the order is suggestive of any thing but death or suspension. Gov. Picgree of Michigan has been invited to deliver an address before the Chamber of Commerce in Indianapolis. He writes Gov. Mount that official duties will prevent in acceptance for the present. Agents for the Indiana & Ohio Co. have been trying to leu.?e lands for oil and gas in Fair Oak Twp., White Co. A field five miles wide on a line between Kokomo and Francisville is the coveted tract. Senator Tillman had his fork out again this week turning over the rottenness which surrounds the armor plate deals. He sent one “galled jade” wincing into the cloakroom for fresh aii. Democratic dispatches report sweeping republican overthrows

in all the lowa municipal elections held this week. Having been fought on silver lines the “big” dailies have not yet heard the returns. The suggestion by Senator Butler that the two reform press meetings unite under leadership ex-Senator Peffer, was magnanimous as it was eminently replete with good sense. Don't fight with your moth-er-in-law. The after results, for want of a better term are credited to blood poison and in a case this week provokes a desire for suicide. Dunn’s reports cite improvement in business as coming quite slowly, but assume there are “signs of that nature.” Failures last week 296 against 278 the year before. It will now be iu order for every populist in sympathy with the Memphis meeting held last week to read the Kansas City “traitors” out of the party, and vice versa. Two Belleville, Kansas, gentlemen who robbed a national bank were sent up for seven years. A roundabout way the banks have for suppressing competitors.

The bill introduced into congress placing a censorship on publication of prize fight Dews has gone to its resting place where it belongs. The recent high water in the Ohio river while very high has been higher on five different occasions. In 1884 it registered 10 feet higher. Gov. Pingree, by unanimous decision of the circuit court continues to hold office as mayor of Detroit as well as Governor of the state.

All of the aristocratic clubs of Chicago, one by one. have banqueted Mr. Gage, the incoming secretai’y of the treasury, to bid him good-by and Godspeed. If one were to take an accounting of these gatherings, at from $5 to S2O per plate, it would be found that a majority of those in attendance are stockholders in national banks, all in sympathy with Mr. Gage’s mission to Washington, to retire the greenbacks that cost the people no interest and replace them with national bank notes, based on interest-bearing bonds money which these same bankers will borrow from the government at the rate of one per. cent, interest per annum, or as much less as Mr. Gage and bis associates can get it reduced, and loan it to the public at from six to thirty times what it may cost them. And, while this class referred to has dominated at the Gage banquet boards, the remainder has been made up of a class that are the rich. And this latter class is an heterogenous lot. Some of them are trying to marry into some rich man’s family—or has a son or daughter for whom he has that ambition. Others want business relations with them, by which they may get some of the crumbs that may fall from the tables of the “Diamond match,”' “Biscuit trust,” “Bond syndicate,” treasury patronage, etc. And it is safe to say that there is not one in one thousand of the men who gather at these feasts who has an exalted idea that is not obscured by a study of selfaggrandizement. And many of them have no ideas of government or monetary systems LymaD JrGage does their thinking for them.—Patriot’s Bulletin.