Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-07-20
a GLOOMY PICTURE.

a GLOOMY PICTURE.
Monopoly Has Control Of All the Natural |
Opportunities and Avenues OF Wealth
Oh, Watchman, it Is good that you |
have taken up your place as watchman |
over the peoples rights Long have the
people neglected to defend themselves |
against the enemy, and while in peace
they have neglected to watch their
right, the enemy has laid hands upon
their dearest liberties But, now that
you are awake, sound loud and long the
bugle blast of alarm that the robbed
and plundered people may be called
together for self-defense While your
post has been vacant the heritage of the
people has passed into the hands of the
few, and large portion of them are to-
day homeless and houseless. In the
great cities the poor are huddled to-
gether in garrets and cellars, like cattle,
without the chance to practice the COM
mon decencies of life. Children are
born and live few short months in
this sitting atmosphere and then give
up the unequal struggle, or, if escaping
death, they live only to become crimi
nails and prey upon society, while
those who have denied them the right
of life, by denying them the land
to live on, roll in wealth and luxury,
which plunges them into excesses Of all
kinds that finally enervate, weaken
and destroy And o, Watchman, while
your post has been vacant q great store
of mineral wealth, which was reserved
in the earth for the use of man, has
been taken by the enemy. The coal,
the iron, the copper, silver, salt and oil
have all passed into the hands of the
foe, and labor has to beg leave Of those
who have robbed them of their inherit
ance for leave to work The poor
privilege of producing wealth is gra-
ciously granted with the understanding
that they surrender the products Of
their toll to those lords of the nation,
and thousands denied this poor privi-
| lege go clothed in rags, wanting the
necessaries of life. Under these condi-
tions, life becomes fierce and terrible
struggle. Men sell their honor, women
their virtue, children become criminals
and outcasts in land where the
forces for producing wealth are so
enormous that if the people could OBJ
tain access to this vast storehouse they
|
abundance left. All of the great forces
that have been brought out by the In
ventive genius OF man through improved
machinery have been seized upon by
the enemy, and instead of being bless
ing have become a curse. The great
public highways, built and equipped by
labor's brawny arm and teeming brain,
| have become force in the hands of the
enemy to draw from the army of pro-
ducers large part of their gains, while
special privileges have been granted to
corporate powers to issue the money Of
the country, to monopolize the nations
credit and to lend it to the people,
thereby obtaining another means of
plundering them. The great highways
of trade are blocked up by custom
houses where men are robbed and
plundered through q system of pro-
lection. A thousand cunningly devised
schemes for robbing labor have been
invented and operated through the
neglect of those whose duty it
was to watch over the liberties of
the people. Therefore, Watchman,
sound loud and long the alarm, sound
the long roll, cry out that the people
may assemble once more and regain
their lost rights and liberties The
time is precious. The days go swiftly
by and every hour tightens the grip OF
the corporate powers upon the peoples
rights. Tell the people they have a
struggle before them, that they viii
have to contend with a relentless foe,
one that never yet gave quarter to liv-
ing creature. Tell the people that this
foe is intrenched behind the law, that
precedent and custom, and old moss
grown evils, that have come to be
looked upon as right and just, beside
wealth, avarice and greed, are arrayed
against them and that to overcome
this enemy there must arise in the peo
: pie spirit of self-sacriice and devo
tion to principle Men and women
must work for this cause, which
means, to many, sleepless nights and
tireiess efforts in behalf of the cause OF
the poor. All must give what they can
to swell the fund.- to bear the expenses
: for this grandest conflict that eyer
human beings have been engaged in.
This is the last grand battle of the
ages. Here we will have TO fight out
that struggle that has been going on
since man began his race on earth The
time has come when man must demon
strate his fitness to live and govern
himself. And, Watchman, / have nc
fears of the result. if you but do your
duty well. The people are ready to be
marshalled They cry out for leader.
to lead them against the enemy. There
never was such an awakening In any
country among any Intelligent people
as there is to-day, and, believe
If you do your duty as the people.
watchman, that the result will bt
worthy of all the efforts that have beer
l made in the past-Jerry Simpson, IL
I National Watchman-