The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-21

the relations of life; but when this principle
has been abnofmally developed it constitutes
selfshness This unlawful tendency appears to
have been prevalent among all nations. just as
grain of quicksilver will attract and hold the
free gold in the sands we pass ovet.
Different men seek the appropriation exclu-
sively of the essential conditions of production.
L. has always been so and it will always be. Cap
ital naturally accumulates. The privileged pos
session of great of land led to the arbitrary
control of the soil In that condition of
things we find powerful selfish motive, which
created, and for many years sustained, the AT
rican slave trade. for centuries kept the dark
races of America in bondage. In the gradual
progress of affairs, first the introduction OF
slaves was interdicted; then the area of the hab-
itat was prescribed, and we declared that slaves
should not be carried beyond certain States,
and, eventually, the institution itself was
overturned and destroyed. Has selfish
ness lost its power or relinquished its
efforts, or abandoned its hoce of maintaining
the interest of the few at the expense of the
manya Capital to-day is organized into great
corporation with the view of increasing its
strength and efficiency. limiting its liability,
lessening its insecurity. The motives leading
to such organizations are legitimate. do not
object to them, and the results in majority of
cases are beneficial, not only to parties inter-
ested but to the community in general, many
great benefits in the facility for the creation and
handling and disposing of values. So, with
working people, united action will secure re-
spectful consideration and fair dealing at the
hands of individual, and corporate capital to-
ward individual and corporate labor. Mr..
Powderly regard to-day as the brightest. most
intelligent, and with all the most Conservative
man in the country. In an interview at the re-
cent Cleveland convention he said that if strikes
were discouraged and working people through
out the country were given to understand that
strikes and boycotts must cease, much mischief
might be prevented. Since that time more than
two hundred lockouts have occurred. | cannot
here insist that the capitalists responsible
for these lockouts. 1t may be Shat they were
compelled to close their firms hope at some
time when such men as Powderlv and others
are doing all in their power to bring about bet
ter feeling between capital and labor, there will
be no foundation for two hundred lockouts oc-
curing in that length of time"
Speaking by request, upon the condition of
the colored race in the South, he said:
"The principal want in the South to-day is
education. 1t underiies every other want. We
have violence and communism there. If you
can find panacea for all evils, believe you will
come near finding it by placing spelling book
in every mans hand. The slave was not edu-
Gated. The Bible was made sealed book to
him, and it was crime for any man ito
teach him to read. The States. South
done something in that direction, but outside of
the great cities there are practically no schools
in the South for colored children. More than
40 per cent of the colorcd children of the
South enjoy no facilities whatever for education.
Growing up in illiteracY, they will go through
life handicapped by ignorance for which they
are not responsible. say, in view of this fact,
and that those people we're emancipated by fiat
of government, that the government should
make adequate appropriations SO as to remove
this ignorance. Bills looking to this end have
passed the United States Senate, but, having
gone to the House of Representatives., there
they sleep the sleep that knows no waking.
There is good cause for discomfort and disquiet
among the colored people of America. There is
something wrong in their condition. Something
is wanting. AS much as has been given, they
ask for more they demand simple Justice
Continuing, Mr.. Bruce urged that the colored
race had no desire to step beyond the bounds of
propriety; they only ask business, not social
equality. They want the right, without un-
friendly discrimination. to participate in all
business transactions for benefit of themselves
and families. They do not care about the social
question They want every man to stand on his
merits and be governed by his tastes.