The Labor enquirer., 1884-06-28
HELD UP TO LIGHT.
The Hydra-Headed Monster Of
Finance Of the Nineteenth
Century.
Editor Labor Enquirer.

Editor Labor Enquirer
LEADvILLE, June 23.-I fancy | hear
you exclaim: "Well, well, the old
Hermit cannot write about the explo-
sion of powder magazine taking place
in Denver without Juggling in his favorite
theme, finance as he has done in this
letter" That is true, | could not, and
for reasons which will try and set forth
in this one.
Now l admit that you are a Socialist,
and that you are perfectly honest and
sincere in being so and in your advocacy
of the doctrine you charge those taking
an opposite view from you on that sub
ject that they have never taken the
trouble to get to the fundamental facts
underlying Socialism. You do not charge
them with dishonesty, except in so far
as they make statements about Socialism
without understanding the ultimate ends,
without having given the subject the
smallest investigation as to its bearing on
the moral and social elevation of the
toilers of this as well as all other nations.
And you never weary in trying to set
before your readers the facts as you see
them, in support of your theory. Now
this is right, if you have but a grain of
truth or but small ray Of light to show
b hof 10
with your theory, thereby showing that
pre- existing views are wrong, would you
not look upon yourself as kind of cow
ard if failing to take advantage of any
argument or circumstance coming within
your theory j ust so is it with me. ANY
circumstance coming within my reach
whereby I can show that the present
financial theory is false and subversive
to the best interest of the toilers, l take
hold of it and try and show them where
it is wrong and detrimental to their COM
fort and well being.
Now, there is this much difference be-
tween you and l on the subject of Social
ism: You seem to ignore the
tremendous power the finances, or in
other words, the financial policy of
nation has upon the condition of the
working masses, treating it as question
of secondary importance, while, on the
contrary, treat the financial theory OF
the nations the world over, as the first,
the fundamental one, taking precedence
over all others, as think this one can
be conclusively proven to- be at the root
of nearly all of their calamities. While
l claim to be with you in your ideas 80
far-short of Revolution-of how to
better the condition of the working
classes, claim this much in advance OF
your position: That 7 can show them
without any peradventure where the
POISON of the present industrial system
is to be found, which is spreading with
such alarming rapidity throughout the
social body, as will eventually cause its
death. (By death mean the degrada-
ton of the useful members of society to
state of vice, misery and crime of all
sorts including intemperance, ignorance,
etc.,
Then, again, there is this clearly de-
fined difference between you and / on
the subject: You seem to think that the
present anomalous state of society can
not be brought back TO its normal state
of peace, plenty and contentment with
out a Revolution taking place in the
social body and, therefore, you, as well
as others of your way of thinking, have
lost all faith in the ballot asa means oi
redressing or correcting those anomolies,
while /, on the other hand, contend that
| the ballot is all-sufficient for the purpose
the moment the toiling masses seewhere
to strike with their ballots effectively, sc
as to destroy the law-governing finance
and substituting in its place the true
theory. You take society as you find II
and deplore the consequences and tino
no better solution then social Revolu
ton, while take society as | find it ant
, try and show them a peaceable solution