The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-17

TlereDV
directly or indirectly dismantle the walls
of his neighbor, or take single crumb from his
neighbours table. just as soon as one man must
pay tribute to another mans luxury or conven-
fence so soon wealth is illegitimate and a cursed
thing. 1t is all right for Vanderbilt and Gould
to formulate their syndcates and unite or di-
vide on questions of freight tariff and railroad
lines; 1t will do for them to travel the country in
their palatial cars, but when the trackmen, who
scramble up on the road again after the glitter
ing train has passed, mingle curses with the
thud OF their hammers and the ring of their
crow bars, because of the grinding of low wages,
because their own children are hungry for what
is wasted out of those Luxurious saloons then
there is a curse on these palace cars and some
time that train will draw up in a depot whose
description is left to the inspired pen of the
Evangelist John, in the Book of Revelations
All wealth is illegitimate, sensual, devilish,
cursed by God, which glinds out its dole from
anothers life That is robbery of the first order,
which takes from one and gives to another
without a just and reasonable recompense.
The principle of give and take is all
fair enough, when there is fair exchange, but
when the mastitf takes all the bones from the
terrier then the mastiff should be we'll whipped
for his meanness. When the bull dog lies on the
hay and won't let the cattle come up to it for
their rightful portion, then it in order for the
cattle to lock their horns, and by cooperation
toss him from his eninence.
When the capitalist gets large profit on his
iron and coal, good dividend from his stocks
in the little circle in which he revolves but as WELL
also, should these result from increased profits
increased wages for the laborer and the means
for the addition of comforts in the operatives
home. Prosperity that is enjoyed and greedily
devoured by few, is in almost every case a
prosperity that is built on money evolved out of
injustice the fruit of oppression. That pros
perity which touches every true worker in the
community or the nation, giving severally to
each man according to the scale of righteous
proportion, such prosperity is the smile of God
upon the works of men,
The financial relation of man to man is sub
ject of the greatest Importance, and the most
careful balancing
Honest competition in trade and all business
is right 1t is the life of trade, it is the sinew
of progress it is check upon extortion, it is the
stone buried deep in the head of the giant
monopoly. But if / undersell my neighbor, and
the GODS palm off are shoddy instead of true
blue, then l am growing rich by fraud and Gods
curse is on my wealth.
If / underbid my neghbor for piece of work
and get the contract and then put into the build
ing salmon brick or green lumber. or into the
trenches for the watermains honey -combed
pipe ito the railroad rotten ties and brittle rails,
am a scoundrel have stolen with both hands.
/ have not only pushed my competitor off the
plank but have defrauded those whom it was
my sacred duty to serve honestly. Whoever
gets rich by selling article that is not as rep
resented; whoever increases wealth by slurring
work. is a counterfeiter just as much as he who
Whoever takes advantage of his neighbours
need, and by shaving his note or by driving him
to the wall when little patience would save
him from bankruptcy and ruin; whoever
is what the world calls hard money lender,
a merciless creditor, deserves the contempt
of every honorable man, woman and child The
curse of God he has already Hear it, "Woe to
him thai gaineth an evil gain to his house, that
he may set his rest on high, that he may be de-
livered from the power of evil. Thou hast CON
suited shame to thy house by cutting off many
people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For
this shame shall cry out of the wall, and the
beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe
unto him that buildeth his house by upright
eousness, and his chambers by wrong; that
useth his neighbours service without wages and
giveth him not for his work"
II then said search the heart and try the
reins, even to give every man according to his
ways and according to the fruit of his doing"
What have we then2 l. The common sense
principle that there is such a thing as legitimate
wealth. Acquiescence to that principle is the
common sense protest against every cry for
communism
2. The common sense principle that every
man has a right to his own, if honestly acquired
and justly kept. That is the common sense pro-
test against every form of socialism.
3. The common sense principle that honorable
protection of your rights, careful guarding of
yourself against wrong and oppression; the use
of all righteous means to overthrow tyranny and
to keep in check the greed and avarice of men,
man in confederation defensive against Oppres-
sion against the tyranny of capital, against the
abuse of power Gould, and Vanderbilt, and
Hatch enter into agreement that this shall be
the price on pound of freight, that this shall
be the line of railroad, that here town shall
be built and there seaport.
Well, let them. But the same right, and, if
anything, a higher right is it for the men who
puddle the iron in the furnaces, and the men
who dig the coal out of the earth,
and the men who drive the machinery.
of the mandatory to unite in deciding upon the
price of Drawn, and muscle and phys strength,
and skilled workmanship. There is large ter
ritory wherein trades unions workingmen's asso-
Citations and mutual laborers' societies may OPP
perate within the boundaries of right and justice,
and morality. These societies are legitimate as
long as they remain what they claim in their con-
be simply protective Just as soon
as they become in their turn tyranical and forbid
liberty, or by unreasonable or unsea-
sonable demands, clog the wheels of progress or
dim the bright sky of prosperity. so soon
do they become communistc, the most
dangerous of all the enemies of societys
well being and individual happiness Ne
hemiah was stirred to great Indignation when
he saw the oppression upon the poor in his com
munity With characteristic promptness he
prepares himself to face the difficulty. Then
| took counsel with myself" He takes time for
prudent forethought and careful examination of
the subject, then, with vigorous decision, he
goes into the action He makes an open issue,
rebukes the evil doors and sets "a great assem-
bly, against them" What suggestiveness there
is in this act of setting a great assembly"
against those who were causing such great in
jury to public prosperity. Translated into
common, every day phrase, it was nothing more
than the arousng of public opinion He
awakened the voice of the people, he started
the avalanche of the masses against these greedy
money-lenders.
Wise man was this Nehemiah Single handed
he could have accomplished nothing, but with
public sentiment thoroughly aroused and brought
to united action victory for the right fore
gone conclusion; SO he set a great assembly
against them. There is no more formidable
force in nation or community than public opin-
ion and nowhere is this SO true as in republic
like ours Kings, by the force of their
armies may hold out for long time
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