The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-19
DENVER COLORADO SATURDAY. JANUARY ly 1883

DOurgoOlo0- -sho MAMMAL enemies OF labor.
This not being, strictly speaking. : be
nevolent society, but IN association Of
sristocrats, for mutual admiration and
agprandilement, te shall pass it without
further comment.
The objects, ayowed or implied, of se-
cret or benevolent societies is to protect
the poor and weak against the rich,
strong and unscrupulous. To provide
for . rainy day.
The poor man. BY promising to do the
Same for others of his kind, insures to.
himself and his family in case of sick
ness or accident, small allowance to
procure the necessariea Of life, and, in
case of death, decent burial, and in
some instances bonus to secure the sur
yiving dependents from immediate star
vation.
In making this partial and uncertain
provision, the poor man, with little
knowledge of the social question, almost
totally ignorantsos bis worth and his
rights, and of the duties Of society. has
builded as well as he knew how-as we'll
as the circumstances would permit in
fact, as well as he dare to build for had
he gone to bedrock and laid his founda-
lions broad and deep and attempted to
rear his structure proud and strong, he
would have been defeated at the outset
by the bourgeoise- the governing class,
the money power; for these tyrants very
well know that as labor becomes intelli-
gent, united and aggressive, their power,
influence and wealth decrease in the
same ratio.
Under the Social state there would be
no need of benevolent societies, as it
would be the duty Of the state to pro-
vide for all who were unable from any
cause to provide for themselves.
"A man can produce in ten years, from
the age Of twenty to thirty years, work
! ing six hours per day, six days in the
week, more than he can consume with
out Wasting in lifetime of seventy
years.
/. By natural right, therefore, the state
should hold in trust for him his surplus
produce, to be drawn on at any time the
necessity arose, and also to be utilized in
educating and training others to become
intelligent and useful citizens. In thus
providing for all, out of their own, the
state bestows no charity, and the recipi-
ent incurs MODIFICATION, and loses no in
dependence or selfrespect any more
than if he had personally boarded his
surplus earnings and utilized it to his ad-,
vantage in case of need. ..ss
| Hoarding, saving, squeezing, SO as to
make provision for the future is one of
the most degrading phases of human
endeavor, and the prolific parent of a
Thousand forms of crime, to say nothing
of its baneful effects on social life and
national character. -H
Socialism in this regard would make
the individual superior to his fate, supe-
rior to the conditions that thwart and
wreck solitary effort in the achievement
of security and independence.
Bees hive no honey where perennial
flowers abound, and if wandering
swarm from frigid climes, seeking, should
find those southwark fields where fruit
and blossom blush and bloom together
on one fragrant bough the whole year
Through, their thrifty instincts for
while would hoard the teeeming nectar
of exhaustless sweets, but when expert
ence taught that summer never went or
winter came, they would cease providing
for stormy time, and change laborious
days for joyous ease, the miser's scanti-
ness and care for generous life and. free.
Man, by association and cooperation,
could abolish the rainy day, the winter
time in every individual life, and relieve
him of the necessity of stinting, starving
aud pinching himself to- make very
small and uncertain provision for the
evil day by inventing, fostering and sup
porting benevolent societies based upon
the capitalistic idea and radically wrong /;
narrow, prejudiced, bigoted, incompetent
and idiotic in their conception and oper-
alton. They are capitalistic, because
every man before joining must be cap
itallst to some extent; he must have
means to pay initiation, dues, and assess
ments. however small. ~. g.. IL.
They are narrow and conservative, be-
cause there are certain qualifications OF
faith, race, nationality or morality re-
quired of those who would join,
They are unjust, because no matter
I how much man may have paid in, or
how hard he worked for the good OF the
order, or how muchiin need of assistance,
if he break certain arbitrary laws, he is
i debarred from all benefits, they take his
money time and labor, and give nothing
i in return-nay, worse, If he incurs great
displeasure by any breach of faith, they
i blackmail him and hound him down un-
til death delivers him from their accursed
clutches ;in some cases they even go so
far as to infict the death penalty, which
in, our opinion is less cruel and inhuman
than their system of espionage and
\ kblackmail.
il We need benevolent society, but it
4 should be one of universal good, where
each member draws benefits from the
cradle to the grave. We need Univer-
sal Brotherhood, based on Liberty,
Equality, Fraternity, and Solidarity.
Those who believe in and belong to
secret and benevolent societies are like