The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-11-25
MrHE R1aHTs or MANI

~ HAVE sworn upon the altar God, eternal hos
tlllty to every form Of tyranny over the mind OF
man. THOMAS JEFFERSON.
Election is over; and without regard
to the result, few words concerning the
rights and liberties Of the people may
not be out OF place. a
As the basis Of our social and political
fabric is the right Of individual judg-
ment and freedom of action, it becomes
important that no interference with this
right and this freedom should be toler'
ated.
Statutes exist in all the states looking
to the protection Of the citizen in these
rights. "All men" says the Declaration
of Independence, "are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable right;
"among these are life, liberty. and the
pursuit of happiness; that, to secure
"theee, governments are Instituted
'among men, deriving their just powers
from the consent of the governed"
1t will be seen, then, thaa serfdom is
not contemplated in our system; but that
equality of rights before the law, is the
rule. In this way Justice is the safety
lamp of our political fabric.
The political party, therefore, that
builds up monopoly; disregsrds justice
projects" the few by robbng the peo-
p e, is not the party of the Constitution,
not really ar American party.
But to bring this nearer home, let us
say; there is danger of serfdom in an.
othershape, in this country. IflaboriDg
men are to become the subservient tools
of their employers; if these employers
and bosses are to act the petty tyrant,
and CoerCe their employees by various
ways and schemes to be their voting
slaves-what becomes of individual free.
dom of thought and aCtion2
The assumption and arrogance of scme
men, just before election, dressed in
their little brief authority, would be
laughable, were it not contemplate. One
employer calls his workmen together, of
course, his important self citing as chair
man and spokesman, his men being ex.
pected to listen carefully to the learned
words of tEeir lord and masterl Does
such man regard his employees as his
equalP Does be regard them as entitled
to the same rightsP His actions about
election time do lot 80 indicate.
Another employer, acting as superin.
tendent, busles himself in using personal
appeals. Few ofhis workmen are not en-.
dowed with more general information
than he; but realizing he difference in
position, they knew it would hardly do
to try and convince him of his error. Nal,
information is more hopeless than non.
information, for tits probably more diff.
cult to haVea man unlearn his errors
than his knowtergA, as he, in his ignor-
ance, regards his errors knowledge. Ig-
noranCe is a blank sheet, but error is
scribbled one. The former has no light,
but the latter follows false one.
We only refer to these instances to
show the utter Improperly in them.
Men guilty of such conduct have little
regard to the equality of rights among
citizens. An employer may buy a mans
time, and pay him therefor, but this
gives him no mortgage upon that mans |
mind, Judgment cr political action. The
man has the same political rights as his
employer, and should be left perfectly
free to exercise them.
The direct use of money in our eleo.
tions is a crying evil, fraught with dan
ger and this arrogant interference
with individual rights and free political
action is another. The specious clai m
that if one party prevails, all will pros
per; and if not hard times and panic
will come, /; potent, as we know. In
1872 it served to elect Grant and defeat
Greeley; but the DaniC came in 1873 all
he same, In 1875, when the Governor
contest was between Allen and Hayes, a
,anner was carried on shop wagon
rom Massilon, in a Republican process.
ion-"In Hayes we trust; in Allen we
,ust." Hayes was elected, but that con.
ern "busted" "alee samee."
This shows how little reliance can be
'laced on these false Republican proph.
3. Their light is the light of a destruc.
i've Condagration. 1t lights the way to
uin, and not to safety. The safety of
he people is the supreme law. The only
afety is to follow the pathway of jus.
ice, which involves the equality of the
itiz9ns.