The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-03-20

right to live upon the earth and that
right carries with it the natural right
to just share Of the life-giving ele-
ments Of nature, providing he is in
enough to use them and is
a peaceable citizen. But these great
natural rights have been subverted
to pamper the passions and and whet
the appetite Of greed. Our nation
and our legislation encourages the
accumulation Of property by gigan-
tic monopolies. which, under the
guise Of enterprise, is waving above
our heads q cloak Of deception be-
meath whose sitting folds the liber-
ties of the people are fast ebbing
away. They hold the keys to the
wealth of states and reach with their
subtle bribery the avenues to public
opinion, sway the acts OF legislatures
and maintain formidable deputations
at the doors Of congress. The indus
tries of this nation are concentrated
in the hands Of few, and the organ
lied brains Of opulence are fast be-
coming monarchs. Distributed bust
ness is dying out, and society is tend
ing to produce the results OF the labor
managed by vast mechanical associ
ations. Combinations Of capital and
brain are reducing men from indie
pendent laborers to mere wheels in
the machinery of great manufactor-
les. To meet this exigency society
must have higher conscience, and
craftsmanship keener sense Of jus
tice, and the church truer brother
hood, and there must prevail q wider
loftier, purer public spirit. The ad-
lninistration OF government should
be a model of the highest type of hu-
man character and promote the cre-
alton and distribution of wealth in an
abundant and beneficial manner. Let
the ownership and possession of nat
ural gifts be limited to US. Let the
government assume the operation of
the teleeraphs, telephones and rail-
roads. Let the government issue q
volume of currency ample to the
needs OF business and the employ
ment of labor, without the interven-
ton of banks, and make the dollar at
production return greater reward
than the dollar at interest. Let the
millions Of little children who disease
their bodies and dwarf their intelects
in the dark and unwholsome rooms
Of our factories be giventhe blessings
of the schools and the virtues of the
home. Let the women who make the
shirt receive the same pay received
by the man who wears it when the ser
vices are of equal value, and apply
the same rate to all avocations Of hui
man toll. Let the hours of labor de-
crease in proportion to the increase
of mechanical devices for production.
Let the markets Of the world be free
and forge no more chains to enslave
commerce under the insidious pre-
tense Of protecting labor. Abolish
convict contract labor. Abolish the
truck stores. Abolish labor's pollti.
cal master by the substitution of q
secret ballot, and let the voters elect
representative men to the council
chambers Of state and nation who
will place the honor of country and
the interests Of the people above par
tisan prejudice and the sordid inter
ests of sell.
Do all this and indulgence is cured
and the earth will grow green under
the hand OF honest toll and a nation
once blinded and stultified and daxed
by the bigotry and superstition and
and intolerance of the cruel past will
reverberate with the anthem Of brigh
ter homes and resound with raptur
Gus melody to charm the ears Of al
unfettered world.
The moral philosophy and philan
throphy that is handed down to u
from the graveyard Of dishonored ma
tions teaches contentment under in
justice that can be prevented, but al
the npbier qualities Of lllind and sou
condemn it rs crime. They ais,
teach us that an honest laborer il
rags il better than dishonest idle
in broadcloth, We grant 1t, but con
denim these teachers for their oMis
sions. Labor demands higher an,
more progressive standard Of mora
ethics. A standard that will Intro
duce the laborer in rags as begga
to be pitied and treated with charity
!. and the idler in broadcloth as THE
!. to be hated and disfellowshiped, an
then teach that an honest laborer i
broadcloth is better in the sight Z
God than either OF them. The fewe
dishonest idlers in broadcloth "
have the fewer will be the homes
. toilers in rags until finally CHART
balls will not be necessary appent
= age to social amusements. Let u
i strive to reverse the existing order b
: endeavoring to put broadcloth on e,
cry honest toiler and let the dishol
: est idler wear the rags. In othe
words let us use our talents and GU
= ballots to elevate labor. 1t has n
u legitimate master on earth.
!. The father of capital is labor.
>. The passport through the gates {
heaven il labor.
The barometer of human happine,
is labor.
~. The profits Of all honest business
based on labor.
II The property rights of everythin
4 on earth is founded on labor.
y. The colossal column upon whie
II rests the peace and prosperity Of e
"a cry civilized nation Is labor.