The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-06-09
The Wall of the Poor.

And why do they wall? Because
three-tourths Of their hard earnings are
filched from them by monopolies. First.
the landlord must have his slice. Then
the railroad companies have theirs.
Then the Spectator has his. Then the
banks, drawing interest on bonds-for
nine-tenfhs OF which they have paid
use the money they receive for the bonds
to fleece merchants and manufacturers
by shaving Their notes. But who are
the ylctlmsY Are they simply the hard
working mechanic and farmer. and
( laborer and clerk, or the poor man and
( woman wlthoutwork, or the widow and
her fatherless ctildren9 By no means.
+ Though, thes were all, the calamity
would be sufficilntly appalling. Every
i merchant, eYeEs 1aanufseturer, every
lawyer and ph1EcinlI-- III short, every
one who worl 'iivfng and is not
7 landlord, srailss# Iagnate or a specula-
! tor, bank or Id owner, suffers. A
large proportion d1. the earnings of the
capital and labor Qf the merchant or
manufacturer is absorbed by the land
lord, the railroad companies and the
banks; and in nine cases ont of ten, he
is forced, at some time during his exper-
ience as business maa into bankruptcy,
while the land ownel and others who
toll not reap the benefit of his labor
and capital
Some one asks, What is a civiliza-
tion which produces such lesults worth {?
Evidently nothing. Under Il one in ten
thousand accumulates vasts sums by the
labor of the other nine thousand nine
hundred and ninety-nine, and these are
reduced to a condition of semi-slavery.
Says another. Where is the remedy? E?
1t is in the hands OF the people, the very
ones who are being robbed of their
earnings. LeAthem stop voting for So
called " Republicans and so-called
Democrats" whose only principles are
the spoils and nothing but the spoils,
and who are boughtup and used by the
very monopolies which rob the people.
Let US have men III Congress and IN our
State Legislatures who are III sympathy
with the people, and not with the rail-
road companies, land grabbers and bank
leeches, and the evil will gradually be
abated and finally annihlated.
The Creator gave the earth TO man as
he gave him sunlight, air and water
Every one is entitled to all he earns.
But he does not and can not earn land.
This is given to the people, and it is the
people that make it val liable. Without
the people there wouldbe no value to it.
Then why should the people not have
tie benefit of the value?
A hundred years ago lot on Broad
way could have been bought for few
hundred dollars. The same lot to-day
will bring hundred thousand dollars.
Who enhanced its value? The people.
Who should be benefited by this in
creased value? The people But who
is benefited? +? The so-called land owner,
who charges a rent several thousand
dollars for the mere use of it for
year.
What Is the state of things in this
city now. a single nan holds thousands
of lots, all of which ere made valuable
solely by the people, r~sti cfrr.rsss@. ssrS.--,
nous rents for them, in many cases far
more than he does or can get for the
buildings upon them, and all his tenants
must pay his charges, and while the
worker be he merchant, manufacturer,
laborer, mechanic, clerk or professional
man, Is ground out Of his hard earnings,
and grows poorer and poorer as the city
increases in population and its business
advances.
Wake up, men, and change this state
OF things, or, not many years hence, this
land of the free" viii be merely a
nation of hard-w orking paupers -Nei0
York Truth