Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-12-28

tTulH inuSJ no our Buiue' Injustice
rests on selfishness, and selfishness rests
on the misconception of truth. The
great truth is that GAN are parts of one
stupendous whole - and every individ-
ual of the race is as much part of uni
versal nan as the little finger is part
of the body. That we can see injustice
and wrong, inspires the hope of it.
removal; and the fact that the attens
ton of the civilized world is now turned
upon the question Of Capital and Labor
is sufficient evidence of great injustice.
Politics, which to the Greek who in.
vented the word was the science Of
citizenship. is to us, in this country at
least, the science of securing votes and
office. Money, which in the reign of
justice is an unchanging measure Of
price and a mere tool OF trade, has he
come commodity with shifting values
and source Of traffic. Labor which
il the very energizing power of
the universe, is in great measure
degraded as mental service; and
capital, which, rightly defined and
used, is only a means of facilitating the
producuveness Of labor and of bringing
to the laborer greater reward is now
exalted to the head of affairs and made
to become the dictator and oppressor of
its creator. Politics, money, labor and
capital are all out of joint in the present
age; and TO these we are compelled to
add a fifth great wrong-the private
ownership of land. The earth belongs
to the race, and not to one or more in
dividuals. If to-day the earth has four
teen hundred millions of inhabitants,
then one fourteen-hundred millionth
part of the earth is the just, natural
heritage Of each; and it is, and must
be an undivided share, for it is impos-
sible to divide the Ocean, the mines,
the lakes, and the rivers. The earth and
! all natural productions belong to the
entire race. For theologians the Ian
guage is, "The earth is the Lords, and
the fullness thereof :" and 1.-The Lord is
no respecter Of persons" Even in law
to-day the right of eminent domain
$50 called gives society the right to
appropriate for public use any land or
natural product.
These principles must be taught to
our children until all shall know and do
the right. We need not wait idly for
evolution or the march of events to
| bring Justice. Our own minds and efforts
are the enginery to bring in the dawn of
peace. We must continue our meet
ings; our agitation. That men of noble
minds and noble impulses have died as
malefactors for this cause, here on
Americas soil, once "the land of the
free and the home of the brave" ought
to rouse US with sleepless vigilance to
unwearied action. Very few will, like
Washington, resign place and power
except at the command of the people
and how shall the people command, un
less qualified? We need education
We need to understand the fundamental
principles of our cause. Zeal lacking
intelligence must more or less waste it,
energies.
Organization without truth and intel
ligence will also fail. But the truth vii
unite us; the truth will make us free
We must dethrone capital and bring i
to the feet of labor, not by fire and plum
der, but by ditfusing truth among thu
people, whose right 1t is to command
better knowledge of methods and
wiser political economy. We must dig
Nifty labor by lending helpful hand OIL
all proper occasions to every usefu
work, We are slaves slaves to an un
just system of taxation slaves to {
fraudulent government, which we hav,
, allowed. if not created. BY politica
intrigue and corruption at the ballot DO.
, thrice at least has the will of the peopl
been thwarted in the choice of
President. We are slaves, because W
can neither eat nor find wholesome shel
ter unless we sell our labor at price
made by others, when, in justice tn
price should be fixed according to tn
, entire product which such labor creates
; Equal opportunities belong to all
whether weak or strong, and no ma
can justly eat who does not work. Blu
, no man can work without opportunity
j., We are slaves to a fraudulent and vi
just system of banking. We have II
fixed standard of value, and cannC
Justly pay interest on money. 1t is tn
T business of the people to provide thei
own money, and if any interest whateve
is allowed, it must return to the entir
+ people, or be subject to their will, Muc
is said about competition both for an
against. But what can be said for CON
petition when it is a game played on on
side with loaded dice? Under the pre-
, ent system the free-born and homes
a citizen must work for such wages as al
! other compels him to accept. Til
wage-system must go, because it is III
q just. Every man and every woman hay
! a natural right to equal opportunitie
To work for WAGES is slavery"