The Labor enquirer., 1884-06-14
BEAST OF PROPERLY.
IConcluded nom First Page.

only daylight and air. Five hundred
million acres of land in the United States,
about six times the area Of Great Britain
and Ireland, have been divided within q
generation among the railroad companies
and the great landlords of Europeo-
aristocratic origin. Within q few decades
Vanderbilt alone amassed 500, ,0OO, 900
several dozen of his competitors IN rob
berry bid fair to outdo him. San Fran
cisco was settled hardly thirty years ago,
to-day it harbors eightY-6ye millionaires!
All the wealth of this great republic,
although established but a century, its
mines, its coalfelds, its oil-wells, ETC.,
etc, has been "taken" from the people
and are the property Of handful of dar-
ing adventurers and cunning schemers
The sovereignty of the people" falls
PROSTATE into the dust before the infu-
ence of these money kings, railroad
magnates, coal barons and factory lords.
These fellows carry the whole United
States in their pockets, and that, which
issvaunted as untrammeled Legislation
and free ballot, is farce, delusion and
a snare. q :
If this be the condition of the green
wood, what may we not expect of the
decayed timber? If this young Ameri-
can republic, with its nearly boundless
territory and its almost inexhaustable
natural resources has been, so fatally
corrupted and ruined in such short
time by the capitalistic system-why be
surprised at the results of long continued
abuses of similar nature in servile, rotten
Europe?
Indeed it seems as though this young
American republic had for the present
but,one historical mission, of demonstrat-
ing beyond controversy to the people on
this side of the Atlantic as to those on
the other by the presentation of bare,
tangible facts what an outrageous mon
ster the 'beast7 of property" really is,
and that neither the condition of the
soil, nor the vastness of domain, nor the
political forms of society can ever alter
the viciousness of this beast of prey
but to the contrary, it proves, that the
less necessity naturally exists for in
diYidual greed and rapacity, the more
dangerous to, and obtrusive upon society
it, t,becomes. It is not yoraeious to satisfy
its wants-it devours for the sake Of de-
votlring only!
Let those who labor to live understand,
that this monster cannot be tanned, nor
be made harmless or useful to man; let
them learn to know, that there Is but
one means of safety: unrelenting, pitt.
less, thorough war of extermination
Gentle overtures are for naught; scorn
and derision will be the result, if by
petitions, elections, and like silly at
tempts the proletsriat hopes to command
the respect of its sworn enemies.
Some say, general education will bring
about change; but this advice is as a
rule an idle phrase. Education of the
people will only then De possible, when
the distractions thereto have been re-
moved. And that Will not take place
until the entire present system has been
destroyed.
But let it not be understood that moth
ing could or should be done by educa-
ton. Far from it. Whoever has recog-
nlzed the villainy of t1e present condi-
tions, is in duty bound~to raise his voice,
in order to expose them, and thereby
open the eyes of the people Only avoid
to reach this result by scientific
reflections. Let US leave this to those
well meaning scientists, who in this
manner tear the mask of humanity from
the better class and disclose the hide
GUS countenanco of the beast of prey.
The language of and to the proletariat
must be clear and foreible.
Whoever thus uses speech will be &C
cused of melting disturbance by the
governing rabble; he will be bitterly
hated and prosecuted. This shows, that
the only possible and practical enlighten-
ment must be of an melting nature.
Then let us incite!
Let US show the people how it is
swindled out of is labor force by country
and city capitalists how it is euchered
out of its meagre wages by the store,
house, and other lords; how priests of
pulpit, press, anG party seek to destroy
its intellect; how brutal police is eyer
ready to maltreat and tyrannize it, and
with a soldiery to spill its blood.
Patience at last must forsake it The
people will rebel and crush its foes.
The revolution of the proletariat-the
war of the poor lgainss the rich, is the
only way from oppression to deliver
ance!
But, some interpose, revolutions can not
be made! Certainly not, but they can
be prepared for hy dire citing the peoples
attention to the fact that such events
are iminent, and calling upon them to
be ready for all emergencies.
Capitalistic development, of which
many theorists assert, chat it must pro-
ceed to the total extinction of the middle
class, (small bou1geoisie), before the con-
ditions favorable to a social revolution
are at hand, has reached such point of
narfantinn that ito farthor nronrars 10