The Labor enquirer., 1886-03-13
uNvARN1sHED TRUTHS.
Some Pointed Statements Froma Work
ingman Who is "Only
Foreigner"


Foreigner
For the ENQUIRER.
I often have occasion to discuss Social
ism, or in other words the labor question,
with men that meet. 1t may be my
misfortune to be born on foreign soil, and
in the course of the discussion with nv
opponent, the objection is made against
me: 'Do you foreigners want to make
laws for us Americans to go by 2" / say
no, we do not, but the American society
is divided into two elasses-the honest
industrious and the thieves and drones
of society. I have tried to escape from
the blood suckers of the old country
and do not lise surrendering myself to
the same gang in this country. Does
not the foreign capitalist come to this
country, with the same in ention that
urged HIM in his own country, to help
enslave the other class-the producers
of this country My opponent will re-
plv: "Do you want to discourage capl-
tai that helps to develop our resources
If we keep capital and enterprise out it
will make our country poor" The fol-
lowing Illustration will meet this ques-
ton: A London or any other foreign
capitalist h1s the sum of 100000 with
which he wishes to speculate. He turns
over $4,000 to his agent, who invests
this amount in land, and the other
$4,000 we will say goes towards buying
cattle, to pay necessary expenses. law
suits, etc. Now it makes no difference
to this agent if the land he bought is
already occupied by honest industrious
American farmers. Under the label
mark of Flaw" they have to quit their
homesteads and are at liberty to move
on.
Now, the business of our foreign capi-
talist begins to flourish, and who profits
by his investment? Who derives the
benefit therefrom? The money he
makes goes to a distant country to be
spent there in some way, while his very
transactions, his very capital, his very
enterprise robs the poor but industrious
farmer of his chance to obtain a llveli-
hood Nor is this all He watches his
chance, getting the necessary informa-
tion from his agent and hen he thinks
his time has come, he orders his agent to
divide the land, or part of it, in small
tracts and offers them for rent, and now
you Americans, whose forefathers helped
to deliver this ground from the English
woke, YOU are welcome now to rent this
land. You won-or rather your fore
fathers won-the victory, but he carries
off the booty. So our children will have
to ask he foreign capitalists agent for
the privilege of occupying a piece Of
land for one year or more on rent, the
same as the poor Irish renter has to do
to-day.
20, yes, but what are you going to do
about 1t ?"
"Open your eyes and wake up from
your long sleeep, and make up your
mind that YOU were born int this world
to do some good for Yourself and not
that you should be somebody else's
slave, that he may live in Injury of
your labor"
"Well, no will you do itr
"Join the Socialists"
"Oh, no, they are lot of outlaws"
"That is your opinion, but you have
no proof; perhaps you do not know
what it means"
"Oh, yes, have heard a good deal
about them"
"pll bet you that if you knew what
the Socialists want you would be in
favor of it."
"What do you say that Socialism
means" ?"
Socialism means Justice, equal chance
to ALL"
ave have equal chance now," is re.
piled.
mo, we have not. Let me gave you
an illustration. You have got to work
and from your earnings you lay aside ~
each day, and in sixty years this would
amount to $4,000: put 81, 900 out at in
terest at 8 per cent, and in sixty years il
amounts to $135,OOO. There you see
where the 81, 900 got the best of you. Dc
you think YOU have an equal chance tc
millionaire /? Do YOU see what is wrong
about the wage system? One Thousand
dollars in course of time win eat up youl
labor seven times. The interest system
is one of the greatest branches of rob
berry. The next is the wage system"
"Well, don't see anything wrong
about it."
sis it right that any one should re
ceiye three-fourths of the fruit of YOU
laborp
"No; no one gets the benefit OF three
fourths of my labor"
Il refer you to the Tribune Republl
can. The census report of 1885. which
is the most reliable report that we know
of shows the following, in round mum