The record-union., 1891-10-13

they would have taken it-consequently
they had not been wronged and, be-
sides, all asserted that they must ex-
change what they bad acquired for other
products, which they could use person
ally, in order to derive any personal ben
eft from their wealth, and by this ex-
change other producers were benefited,
which also seemed self-evident, because.
if it were otherwise, the producers would
not exchange.
] visited the large clan of spectators
who have ways of their own for forcing
the prices Of stocks and other articles Of
traffic up or down at their pleasure, and
prices, and selling and reselling at higher
prices, they double and redouble their
gains. When / told them that the world
would be much better if their accumula-
tions, obtained in such a questionable
manner, were distributed among those
| from whom they had been derived, they
laughed in my face and asked me if they
Were not as competent to distribute what
they possessed, where it would do good,
as were the imbecileS who had volun-
| tarily squandered their hard-earned pit
tance in vain attempt to become wealthy
| instead of being content with a slowly
acquired competence.
My spirits were very buoyant when /
started out, but began TO feel much de-
pressed. Was there no way to get the
abundant millions, now controlled by a
| few, distributed among the many, but
the barbarous way of brigandage, rob-
bing the rich, or capturing them and ex-
torting heavy ransom? l always was
opposed to coercion by physical forces,
except as a defense against aggression,
and [ never before knew an argument
which possessed essential truth, failed to
show a convincing power, no matter
how bunglingly 1t was presented.
| Was it possible that there was some
flaw in my argument? What was my
argument anyhow? Why this: That the
many millions of the accumulations of
the products of labor, now in the hands
of comparatively few, if distributed in
| lesser quantities, would give compe-
| tence to many, and consequently the
world would be bettereG. That this is es-
| sentially truth appeared to me as plain as
the garb of Quaker. Why then did the
power of truth fail to emanate from it?
| Was it possible that the natural way by
which the products Of labor are distrib-
uted was quite as good for the world?
| Was this social relation governed by nat
ural forces, like the elements? Water, for
an illustration, which we see in motion, IN
| springs, in rills, in brooks, in rivers, in
ponds, in lakes, in oceans; i'll evaporation
and in rain; sometimes destructive in To-
calities, but indispensable tor the uni
versal good?
resolved to 60 home and ask Try
phena what she thought about it.
bought couple of loaves Of bread and
started for home, feeling quite blue, as a
man always does when he fails in any
| thing which he undertakes with high
hopes. l hadn't gone far when [ met my
neighbor, Jim Tppler, who was in a
mood just the reverse of mine-he was
| hilarious. Says he: "Old Crank, you are
/ just the boy wanted to meet. Ihaven'ta
loaf of bread to my pane; give me one of
those Ioaves of bread.''
putting it on rather thick. 1 have spent
| over fifty years in hard, constant toll.
For years at time haven't taken a full
holiday; | haven't drank drop Of liquor
or smoked cigar; it is very seldom that
/ have gone to any place of amusement,
and my wife has been just as economical
as l; while you have made it practice,
ahead, of going to some saloon and hav-
ing good time while your money lasted,
and now you want me to divide what L
have saved l can't see the justice oft"
Jim's temper didn't seem to be ruffied
in the least. Says he, in just as sweet a
voice as before, "Y GU are darned old
fool crank. l wouldn't live the niggardly
life you have lived not if l could be ten
millionaires at your age. Go on home
with your old stale bread / don't want
it."
I started off, but hadn't gone far before
my conscience began to smite me. Ger
tainly jim had just as good claim on me
as had on any of the capitalists whom L
had been trying to persuade to divide
with me, and those Who had less, and I
had done just as they had done, +. e., re-
fused to divide. / turned around and
called, Jim, come here" and when he
came up handed out a loaf of bread, and
says, "rake it Jim; you are welcome to
| it,
Saws he. ''Darn your bread, Old Crank,
[ don't want it; give mea nickel to get me
a glass of beer" / gave him the nickel
and went home feeling "solemner than
eyern OLD CRANK.