The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-08
Darien, Wis.,, Letter.

Darien, Wis.,, Letter.
Dear Advance:
1t is with pleasure that we extend
the hand of greeting to the new
editor, who, through the leader Of
August 25th, favors us with an in
PRODUCTION to himself, and his views
to certain extent upon some of
the points incident to the labor
question. And presuming that he
will accept of us without further
formality as co-worker in this d.
rection, we hasten to make his &C.
qualntance, that in future we may
be ready, when the inspiration moves
US, to contribute our humble mite
and support to those questions that
are Of vital Importance to the Ia
borer.
Monopoly has become despot
in a free land, and from its aggran-
dizements has arisen a species of
slavery that, to our mind, is not
much less offensive than making
cbattels of humanity. BY its tariffs
and percentage the value of the raw
material is so consumed by trans
portation and manufacturing, that
the compensation left for the agri-
culturist's labor is merely nominal,
thus robbing him of all chances nee
essary to enable him to keep pace
with the world in its mental devel-
opment. Now, we ask what condi-
ton Of life IS worse than that which
stultifes the intelligence and keeps
shaded the outgrowth of mans de-
sires in the direction of a natural
unfolding of the faculties ofhis being.
We hold this to be very much the
case with the masses that labor for
a living, of course, with its excep-
tons; and all know, who reflect at
all upon these questions, that every
Improvement, whether of physical
or mental character, has to be
brought down to a money basis.
And if what man wins through indus
try and toll is robbed by speculation
and he has not honest remuneration
for what he has produced, then, as
an inevitable necessity, he cannot
attain that intellectual refinement
that advanced civilization demands.
Here arises a question for those
interested in the development of
civil government. AS law is sup
posed to justify It's action from the
plane of moral jurisprudence, in it's
administration Of equity and justice
to the governed, why should not
the authorities look more to the pro-
lection of those interests that are
mutual and sympathetic with the
masses, in preference to throwing
the whole weight Of their influence
in the direction of what dethrones
the greatness as we'll as the integrity
of government. OF course, politi-
clans are not expected to deal with
questions that are purely humanita-
ria.t, but those who pride themselves
upon being called statesmen, should
make these matters primary to all
other considerations. History has
proved to us that the concentration
of wealth has ruined other Govern
ments, and by the same rule we are
liable to be judged and eventually
60 by the board in a state of corrup-
ton and debauchery. We think
there is an out cropping to that ef-
feet visible today, and, Mr.. Editor,
to our mind, the Anti Monopoly
movement, judiciously manipulated,
as the only means Of saving grace.
SO let us pull strong and hard that
the end may be attained; and if we
fail to bring that refined bearing
which the critic may demand of the
scholar in the process of revolution,