The Labor enquirer., 1885-02-21

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) = M ~ |;
p = r 8 { & = II b - !onI
md 5sshic WI
IS I Z; i - ID nankind.
: rs 80 i a hi'j - =, s s,lcs WI lesen=
! ~ tS - 4 ~ "a rhIeh been.
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p I:hS1isv6 q FSe eo6iine of the
d Il ~ = + vAsn intsrll y 6btlE ces)e 70 eaash,
3 = = l Z ~ and ptlile shr \ be unknown ];
I ma shall no mare feeard bis
ls1r = his enemy; whlm poverty
u1sSIi IS wiped from tho hce o. the
se;6sth, md dlsease shali ny weaken
ahkind. and when IA shall be wise,
aId IL, and humanel / believe that,
81 3he .unlbldment OF this grand plan,
sssn i bat the agent; shat Ills boasted
npedom Of will Il subotdinats to an all
4"
: -pewtsful superior will that he is but
fhs czeeturs Of circums Eances. the child
u sfsts, the instrument by which alone
q uniyersal plan can be broueht'about.
That his petty likes and dislikes, his
stzieeles, his victories and iefeats are
fhe result Of conditions over which he
bas absolutely no control. That he can
not determine his own destiny any
more than the sparrow which fntters
shsys his heed Of the fish that swims in
The water at his feet that the very OPP
position which he meets is but sent as
- incentive to spur him on 10 renewed
exsrtions and triumphs. All these
things are beyond his control. He is
brought into the world without his con-
sent. He is simple or wise, q knaye or
! saint, fool or genius through no
fault and without any merit of his own.
He is IN all things the creature of CIR
cnmstances; of conditons which existed
prior to his coming on to the theatre Of
life, and of conditions which surround
him while ne plays his part in the great
world. Man cannot add one inch to his
stature. He cannot change the color of
his complexion, nor determine what he
shall look like. If born Of weakly par
entage he is weak. If paced amid
vicious surroundings he is criminal.
Ifa child Of love, and surrounded by
love, wealth and beauty, he is lovely in
disposltion and gentle on account of his
surroundings. His destiny may be to
startle the world as the expounder
of new doctrine, or it may be
live and die unknown, neglected and
poor. He does not know bis destiny /;
he cannot control his fate; but genius or
fool. rich or poor, notorious or obscure,
he has fulfilled his destiny. He has
played bis part in the theatre oflife, and
he has not lived in vain.
What does all this teach lis? What
lesson may we learn from the contemp-
lation of this Almighty plan and its mys
terious workings?
Is it not that our final relations to-
ward one another will be changed, and
that this change will consist of total
revolution of the systems under which
We live . Does it not prove that as pro-
Rfessive beings We cannot forever exist
under the system of competition, greed.
strife and sham which now prevails 2
That the system of private ownership
in the means Of life must give way to a
more equitable arrangement? That CO.
operation will take tho placs of compe-
tition, and mutual trugt and love be sub
stituted for mutual jealousy and hate.
Is it not plain that the result must be
the abrogation of all restrictive laws,
the destruction of ereeds, sects and
classes, of strife and warfare, and of ex-
tremes in the conditions Of life2 Let
the beasts of the field and the fishes in
the sea devour one anoGher man is des-
tined for nobler pursuits and higher
end than this.
The system of private property and
competitive industry is nearly ripe, and
soon the axe will be laid at the root of
this giant and aged tree. Il has already
outlived its usefulness, and nothing can
save it from destruction. We have out
grown present conditions. and our very
necessities demand a change. Our in
creased intelligence and growing human
ity rebel against conditions which pre-
vent our further developement. We
need more liberty, more Of the good
things of life, greater advantages, in
creased facilities and more room to grow.
We want homes for the homeless, food
for the hungry, clothes for the naked,
and the opportunity snd means to avail
ourselves of the beautiful in art and nat
ure for all. We see the change coming.
We hear the rumblinl. of the approach
ing storm, and we see 3bevond it the
dawning light of the new civilization;
civilization which Will give us peace,
and harmony. and lore, and open to us
possibilities which we cannot even
picture in our widest flights of imagina-
ton. CARO-.
Minersuille.
by Associated Labor Press
MlEERsvILLE, Pa, lseb. ia bill has