Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-02-01

logically connected with our free polltl-
cal system, Indeed, the one is the com.
plement Of the other. Beyond all per-
adventure the true theory of politics is
that the machinery of government must
be owned and controlled by the whole
people; and similarly and in accordance
with industrial evolution Socialists say
that the true theory of economics is
that the machinery of production and
distribution must also belong to the
people in common.
This naturalization of capital is alb,
solutely necessary in order that political
liberty may be enjoyed in all its pleni-
tude. Without this nationallzng, this
transforming of all private capital into
public capital, the citizens of ma
ton on the plain of economics are
like barbarians; they are engaged in
general scramble for the posses.
sion of those means which are alike
necessary for the sustenance of all.
Those who have developed the most
cunning and sagacty and in whom the
truly humane instincts are least active
and who take the keenest delight in his
scramble, euphemistically called busi-
ness, are the ones that are most success
full; they succeed in overpowering and
crushing those who have had little or no
fighting experience and, having thus
gained the advantage over their weaker
brothers they undertake to make the
latter their slaves for all coming time.
Having obtained the mastery over their
fellows in this way, and holding as they
do all the material resources OF life in
their possession, they attempt to teach,
or hire others to teach, their slaves the
importance and duty of obedience, how
indispensable and what blessing mas
ters are to the community, and how the
machinery of the American Continent,
nay, of the universe-would creak and
fall out of gear and stop completely were
it not for the lubricating agency of their
plunder, misnamed Capital The csc
teachers appear now in the guise of
ministers,of religion, now in that OF po
ltical economists, and they speak most
mysteriously of 'the harmony of capital
and labor, vested rights, free trade
and protection and other superficial
subjects for the purpose of keeping the
attention of the working classes IRON
that agency which alone will effect their
emancipation and salvation"
Comrade Taylor then proceeded to
illustrate the socialistic definition Of
capital--that is, of the things which
SPECIALISTS desire to be made public or
national property" - by examples taken
from the land, the mines, and the ma
chinery and exchangeahle products of
industry and art. " Whatever is a
source of income without work on the
part of its possessor is capital" He
showed how the appropriation of land
by individuals had given that natural
instrument a "value in exchange"
which it does not naturally possess, by
enabling its owners to demand trent"
according to its "value IN use". He
showed also that in all the industries the
worker had been brought to that point
where he owned nothing but his labor
power, the simplest machines with
which he must now work and which
are the product of his labor, having,
through the process described become the
property of the ca italist, who does not
work The capitalist then tells the labor
er, UNLESS you comply with my rules
and agree to operate those machines at
any rate of compensation which may
be pleased to determine, you shall be
idle and starve." In conclusion the
speaker said
"And so we have to-day in our coun-
try two distinct classes; one of
capitalists, who possess nearly all the
natural sources of subsistence, all the
machinery, factories, railroads, in a
word, everything that is necessary to
carry on the great work of production
and distributions; and one of wage work.
ers, composing the great bulk of the
population, the members of which are
disinherited, without any means, cut
off from the natural sources of sub.
eistence and culture. What will you say
as to the question of right? Will you
say that the capitalists have any rights
Do you wish me to answer | should
say that they have no rights. When we
consider them as human beings endowed
with certain instincts and needs we may
and must say of them as of other human
beings that they have rights. But wher
we consider them as capitalists. as rob
bers, we are bound to say that they have
no rights. AS well NAV you say that the
highwayman has rights. AS one who
holds pistol at your head he may have
might, but right never. Similarly, it il
true that the capitalist has might on hi
side in our day. 1t is also true tha
might rules for the most part in all in
dustry and business at present. But i
will not always rule. A time is coming
when right and justice will have su
preme control in the affairs of the nation
The consciences of the people are being
aroused as never before. The light o
intelligence is dispelling the darkness o
| ignorance. In truth events cast thei
shadows before. The naturalization 0
capital, which would be the nationalist
ton of all industry and of all thos
means on which the latter depends, i
destined to become an accomplished
fact. and when it is the dream alike o
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