Montana news. [volume], October 25, 1905, Image 1

About Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
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MONTANANEWS.
PtvyYour^LocaJ DUES
VOL.IV.
HELENA,MONTANA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBEB 2.'). L906.
NO.6.
MiddleClass^In Small Cities
BVJOSKI'M WANUOI'K IN NEW Vnkk WORKER.
Itnot infrequently happens that^some reformer who in a ireneral and^almost ha/v manner accepts Social^^ists views, becomes discouraged or^perhaps disgusted with the apparent^apathy of the working class to take^an active part in the general emanci^pation from capitalism, and begins^to trumpet forth the praises of the^middle class as fighters and parade^them as the real champions of what^he considers Socialism.
Arelatively small Socialist vote^in a city where a vigorous agitation^has been carried on during the^campaign usually gives the indivi^^dual an opportunity to expatiate^on the prowess of the middle class^wnen they wake to the danger that^threatens. The* apathy, which it^cannot be denied, characterizes^many outdoor and business meet^^ings of Socialists, and the apparent^dumbness of organized labor, its^seeming inability to grasp the cause^of a long series of defeats, afford^him also additional material for the^same purpose.
Thisawakening of the middle class^is already here. So far as that^helpless aggregation of would-be ex^^ploiters can be aroused, they may^be said to be awake. For the past^year the most infernal racket has^beeu sounding in their sleepy ears^from the popular magazines that^form the cheap literature of the av^^erage bourgeois home. It has^awakened them, sure enough, but^what has been the result^ In the^words of William Morris, ^What is^the foeman, but the dream strong^wakened and weak.
TomI awson has been emitting^his blood curdling war whoops for^lo, these many months in the col^^umns of ^Kverybody's Magazine.^^The destruction of ^the system^^was a foregotie conclusion in his^mind when the ^people^ were made^acquainted with ^the crime of Amal^^gamated.^ And it must be admitted^that I.awson has told enough to^awaken a class that was presumably^asleep. The Tarbells, Steffens, Rus-^sels, and the lesser magazine ^ex-^posers^ have all been adding their^quota to the clamor and the result^has been that the sleeper has been^awakened only to demonstrate that^he is paralyzed also.
Itis perhaps in the smaller cities^where this can be best observed.^The middle class business men and^storekeepers fear and hate the trust^knowing that sooner or later, their^business will go down before it, but^this knowledge in nowise stimulates^them to concerted action of any^kind against it, nor even to propose^or discuss such action. In the com^^petitive fight with each other, and^their struggles with the local unions^they find the immediate and only^outlet for their fighting energies.
Theyare inveterate foes of trade^unionism and supporters of the^blacklist. Socialists and the mili^^tant trade unionists they consider^undesirable and conspire in their^business men's exchanges and citi^^zen's alliances to boycott these un^^desirables to the point of forcing^them to get out of town. Their^feeble bourgeois intellects never^seemingly rise to the point of com^^prehending that this procedure^merely shifts the agitators from^place to place, and gives them new^fields in which propagate their ideas.^The small businessman is a hopeless^individualist. He draws a mental^ring fence around the little burg in^which his property interests are sit^^uated and waxes intensely patriotic^about the locality. His civic de^^votion apparently knows no bounds.^His political candidates for city of^^fices adopt such mottoes as ^Let^Squedunk Flourish,^ or ^I'unkins-^ville First, Last and All the Time,^^and in general he takes care to let
itbe known that every act of his^is undertaken with the sole objec t^of benefiting the community through^the extention of business.
Betweenall provincial cities of^from ten to a hundred thousand^inhabitants a constant competitive^struggle goes on with the object of^inducing outside capitalists to lo^^cate industries ^in our midst,^ as the^local papers express it. Wordy^battles are conducted in the local^journals over this matter, and each^city vies with the others in calling^attention to the desirable locations^for manufacture within its limits.^Offers of free sites, exemption from^taxes and other advantages are^made to attract capital. Haseball^teams, Fourth of July orators, who^read the Declaration of Independ^^ence ^in an impressive voice^ stroll^ing showmen posing as ^carnival^companies,^ free exhibitions of fire^^works, labor and political conven^^tions, picnics and excursions from^neitfhoring cities are subsidized or^otherwire pressed into service with^the object of attracting people to^the city who have money to spend.^Let the local labor union propose to^take its picnic out of the city on^Labor day and a reproachful howl^ROM instantly from the local husi^ness interests. Only a few months^ago two provincial cities were at^daggers drawn with each other over^the hanging of a murderer, which was^expected to draw a crowd of some^thousands of people who were in^turn expected to liven up trade 1^\^their presence. The fortunate lo^^cality that eventually secured the^gruesome spectacle was abused for^davs afterwards for its hoggishness^and greed by the press of the un^^successful citv.
Morelocal population to exploit,^more wage slaves to rent the house^property and trade at the stores^^these are the things which the typi^^cal middle class man of the smaller^cities has set before him to accom^^plish. Lvery thing else is sacond^ary to this. The local papers with^out exception giva the impression^that if only the population were^doubled the city would become a^paradise. Like the middle class^property owner and storekeeper,^they hate the trust also.
Hutlet the trust decide to esta^^blish a plant in their midst and be^^hold the consequences. Does the^property holder of the middle class^and his mouth piece, the local jour^^nal, attempt to repel the intruder^^Not mm h. They don't even pre^^serve a sulky silence. Their im^^mediate interest prevails. In ima^^gination they see a thousand wage^slaves drawn from other localities^^wage slaves who will rent prop^^erty and become customers. And^down they get, metaphorically speak^^ing, on their bellies, and grovel like^spaniels before the newcomer. There^is no question about tainted money^no dread of the crushing out of com^^petition. That is to far distant to^enter into calculation. Sufficient to^the day is the evil thereof. This is^one of the ^good trusts.^ If it^were not ^good^ it would not dare^to ^come into our midst,^ for above^all things we middle class people^and local property holders and tax^^payers are ^moral.
Thesame consideration is shown^for the ^customer^ The writer out^of sheer maliciousness, hat often^tormented on of these little wretches^by inflicting on him a talk of Social^^ism, which was patiently borne with^smirking and the rubbing of hands^on the part of the victim, who was^sustained by the expectation that his^torturer might possibly purchase^articles to the amount of a dollar or^so if properly placated.
Amongstthis type, Lawson is^widely read. Their tables are gener
allywell supplied with all this class^of magazines which now find their^profit in exposing some damnable^phase of the capitalist system. Your^middle ^ lass provincial will readily^admit that ^something must be^done,^ just what, he is not prepared^to say. Socialism might do. but he^puts forward a timid plea that it^might possibly be ^too radical.^ On^the whole, though, he is willing to^agree with you with an eye to busi^ness, either now or in the near fu^^ture. The same evening he will^go to the local business men's ex^^change and plan with his associates^to stop the local Socialist street^meeting, or get out lists of ^Radi^cals,^ labor agitators and other^dangerous characters who are to be^starved out of the town by de^^nying them employment.
Thereare, of course, exceptions.^Hut the class predominantly is of^this type, fawning and servile to^^wards the strong, secretly vindictive^and treacherous towards the weak,^but always complaisant towards pos^^sible customers. Our provincial^cities are filled with them. They^constitute what might be termed the^rank and file of the middle class,^and are essentially ^the people^^whom Lawson expects to rise in right^eous wrath and exterminate the^^system.
Whilethe Boston stock jobber^may perhaps be excused on the^score of ignorance in supposing that^this class could ever be spurred in^^to anything remotely resembling a^fight against capitalism, it is impos^^sible to conceive how a Socialist,^who at least is supposed to be ac^^quainted with their characteristics,^could make a similar mistake.
Suchmen as Post and Parry are^not of this type, for they fight more^or less in the open. But the ordin^^ary middle class lacks their courage^and candor. At best he is a fol^^lower who will join secretly against^trade unionism and Socialism, when^he is satisfied that a winning fight^( an be made locally on them, but^a quitter when they display strength^that he imagines might injure his^business, the success of which is his^sole being, end, and object, and b\^which all his actions and beliefs are^guided. When confronted with the^trust he lies down at once. Though^his economic ignorance is monu^mental, he at least knows enough to^keep out of any real open fight^against it. That is the one thing he^will not do.
Nohelp may be expected from^this class as a class. The conipeti^tion which still rages amongst them^forbids united and open action on^their part even in their own class in^^terests. Their connection with citi^^zen's alliances and business men's^associations they keep more or less^secret, and the programs they de^^termine on there entirely so. They^may agree with the Lawsons, Tar^bells, and Russels, of course, just as^they w ill agree outwardly with any^thing else that seems popular for the^moment, even Socialism.
Atwo years study of this type in^the smaller cities has given the^writer an opportunity to judge what^mav be expected from them by So^^cialists, and the result can be summ^^ed up in one word^ nothing.
AmericanGirls Sold^To Chinese Fiends
Thelocal immigration bureau to^^day gave publicity to investigations^which reveal an atrocious slave-^trade which has been going on for^months, and of which American^girls have been the victims.
Thatgirls of tender years have^been sent by procurers in this coun^^try to be slaves in Chinese harems^hundreds of miles distant from civ^^ilization, where it is absolutely im^^possible for them to escape, and^where their only hope for delivery^from their degraded slavery is in^death, is vouched for by United^States officials in today's revelations
Severalof the young women find^^ing what fate had in store for them,
tooktheir own lives rather than^submit to the outrages practiced up^^on them by the scoundrels who in^veigled them into slavery and the^barbarous savages to whom thev^were consigned.
Ithas been found that an under^ground railroad, such as was^adopted in slavery days to get the^negroes beyond the American lines,^has been established by these trad^ers in human flesh. Their head^quarters are in this city but they^have agents in numerous western^towns, including San Francisco anil^Seattle.
InShanghai they have a receiving^agent, a woman who is known to^the Amreican government and who^turns the betrayed girls over to their^pirchasers. These American girls^betrayed into the hands of the rich^Chinese bring from $500 to Ji.ooo^each.
Chinesegirls have also been^bronchi to this country for immoral^purposes. They bring from $250
toS400.
TheAmerican girls are immedi^^ately taken from the ships when^they reach Shanghai to interior^towns aad after they leave Shanghai^there is no chance for their escape.^They are subject to the whims of^the mandarins who purchased them,^until their death.
Theimmigration bureau only re^^vealed the facts after receiving a^complaint of the sale of Louise^Miller of Montreal to the agent of^a Chinese official. The girl was^first taken to this citv and then for^^warded to the (^rient.
Uher evidence indicates that^Eva Campeau. Maggie Brouin and^Victoria Stamour, all waitresses,^were induced to come to Chicago^from Montreal to meet the same^fate.
Thenames of ten other young^women of Chicago and surround^^ing cities who disappeared and have^been shipped to Shanghai to be^^come slaves have been reported to^the immigration inspector. J. W.^Burst. Most of these girls were^selected because of their beauty.
Thegovernment officials s*ite that^the people of Chicrgo must rely up^^on the state goverments and the^police to punish the procurers of^these poor girls because there is no^federal law against exporting women^for immoral purposes. The Ameri^^can consul at Shanghai, James L,^Rogers, has enlisted the co-opera^^tion of the Knglish and Chinese^authorities of that city.
Kvidenceof sales of many Ameri^^can and Canadian girls has been secur^; ed. The authorities are now certain^, that at least 1 2 out of the 49 girls w ho^j were shipped to China were incar^^cerated to force them to comply^with the demands of their captors.
Onegirl, Hilda Anderson, com^^mitted suicide when she learned the^purpose for which she was being^sent to China.
Alltrace of many of the unfortu^^nate women has been lost because^they have been taken to points in the^interior where white men have never^yet penetrated. Two of the intend^^ed victims escaped in Shanghai and^sought refuge in places frequented^by Americans and other foreigners.^They were rescued by Knglish sail^^ors and taken to officers of the^United States navy, to whom they^told the awful story of their ex^^periences.
Theystated that girls often^brought more than $1,000 to their^betrayers. The price paid fluctu^^ates according to their beauty and^accomplishments.
Severalof the women's societies^of Chicago today announced that^they will demand that every step^possible be taken by the authorities^to put a stop to this criminal trade^and to rescue the unfortunates al^^ready in captivity. The federation^authorities will make every effort^to apprehend the procuresses who^have been engaged in the unholy^traffic.
ArthurMorrow Lewis
LeadsStrenuous Life
1ueoaonAmerica, l\;^^ olorado
pO-edt^
throughPram
HOW
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-^volt. President of the United smte^ of^Hawaii and Porto Bico, Mid Emperor ^^f^0 islands beyond the Sea-. i^ generally sup-^the ^Strenuous Life.^ But if he had ifmie
10tribulations of Arthur Morrow Lewis, of San^nice lie arrived in Canada a week ago, lie would^liking^ for Sunia-. in an effort to get aero-- the^(observed.
nrade Leu-is arrived in Vancouver ^^n Wednesday, Oct.^ad spoke tliiit evening from the soap hox on the corner
otordova ami ( anal street*, amid many interruptions,^whieh had all the earmarks of being premidiated. and chief^among which were those furnished by one of our little I'our-^JSQUS, who displayed a photographer'- shingle a short way^Up the street.
TheC. I'. If. also contributed its quota of noise by running^a puffing engine hack and forth on the crossings at Cordova^street and the persistent ringing of the Inevitable hell. The^-peaker. however, provided as persistent as the freight train,^^which some irreverent wag alluded to a- the Dominion^Government on wheels^ and before closing -old a number of^copies of Sociali.-t literature.
Onbeing persistently interrupted by a particular indi^^vidual who was trying to hide his sinister motive- behind the^pretense of inebriety, the lecturer finally appealed to ;i duly^appointed and appropriately uniformed officer of the ^law.^^who was visihle on the outskirts of the gathering to remove^the Quisanse. Hut his reply consisted of gome sneering re^^mark- which showed him to be well qualified for hi- job of de^^fender of capitalist interests.
OnThursday evening Comrade Lewis spoke in New West^^minster after first viewing the Exhibition. Some of the pro^^duct- of the IV ('. workers, ^which were on exhibition at that^place.^ and returned to Vancouver that night.
OnFridnv evening, Oct. 8th, the secretary of the Local^remembering that he had frequently witnessed large crowds^attending to the commercial interests of various patent med^^icine men, ^Magic soap vendors, and lightning calculators.^^at the corner of Abbott and Cordova Sts.. and noting also that^the same locality ha* occasionally served as the battle-ground^between the Salvation Army, and the Prince of Darkness,^without intervention by any third parties advised the visiting^Comrade to try that place, ami the innocent soap box was ac^^cordingly carried to the liallowed pavement in front of the^Ow l drug store at eight o'clock that evening.
Everythingwent all right here until the -peaker made^some reference to the movement in Oermanv, when one of the^^loyal British objects,^ who frequent our fifteen cent re-tau-^rants and other tough place-, asked why he did not confine his^remarks to the British Empire.
Thelecturer Informed him that Socialism was a- interna^^tional and world-wide a- Capitalism itself, and that we were^prepared to recognise Renins and scientific advancement^wherever it may he found, and that despite the fact that the^nilers ot' Germany are doing all they dare to suppress, the^science of Sociology and practical advancement, the*iieople of^that country are foremost in those sciences. That a German^was a man. as well as any Englishman, an American, or any^other descendent of the race and that they were even more
entitledto the name than most of the inhabitants of other^countries from the fact that they already had eighty-one re^^presentatives of the useful class of society in the parliament
oftheir country.
Attin- .juncture Patrolman Deptford evidently consider^^ing it time to show that he was a faithful servant of the capi^^talist class, Interfered with the meeting, informing the -peaker
thathe would have to desist.
Beingasked for a reason, the officer informed him that^ho was obstructing the street, hut on being questioned further^seemed to he unable to point out the exact location of the ob^^struction and walked away.
ComradeLewis, ^who i^ an Englishman himself^, then^informed the bystanders that he always insisted on whatever^lights the Working people were .-till supposed to have unde^^the law. and added that he knew of no other place on this con^^tinent where such a thing was likelv to occur, and that if he^had to stop speaking there that evening it would he to go to^the local gaol.
Avoice in the background then remarked, ^You can't do
itill Seattle.
Yes we can.^ answered the speaker, ^thev did try to^suppress us there, hut we heat them in the courts.
Thespeaker then again took up the thread of his discourse
onSocialism, hut had not proceeded very far when sir Dept^^ford again appeared at his elbow, accompanied by another of^^ficer^whom he Undoubtedly meant to keep between himself^and the comrade who carriers the ^dynamite^ and again in^^formed him that he could not speak any more. Comrade Lewis^could not see the proposition from the same point of view,^however, and informed the over zealous guardian of the^^peace of mind of capitalism,'' that he could only stop if^placed under arrest, and on getting a further assurance that^lie was formally arrested, he stepped down and walked away^with the officer,
Arrivingat the station, he was turned over to the tender^care of the somewhat celebrated Mr. 0'Grady, whose ^over^(lowing sense of virtuousness compelled him to express his^regrets that the prisoner had been so foolish as to ^break the^law.^ on hearing Of which, some of the comrades, who feared^that the ^windjammer^ BOW laying off the ('. I*. B. dock^might be short of an able bodied seaman, decided to resume^him at all hazards. On ascertaining that there wa- no practi^^cal way of blowing up the gaol without injuring the object of^their solicitude, a more peaceful course was adopted and ac^^cordingly the secretary of the Vancouver Local, ^who i- noted
forhis meekness,^ was sent to negotiate for his release, while
the^explosive^ element under the command of Comrade^Sibble. (who had sealed orders) kept an eye on the entrance^to Buirard Inlet, so as to prevent any suspicions craft from^putting to sea.
Onhis arrival at the station, the secretary could And no
onein charge who was qualified to fix the amount of hail re^^quired in such a heinous case as attempting to kill the whole
capitalistclass, and thereby leav e no one in the count ry but the^few workers who, of course, would soon starve t^| death for
Continued on pa^e 4. )