The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-08-04
NothIng ButDreams.

therefor, and no individual or concert
ed action can stay the onward march.
Check it temporarily, and it gathers
force, sweeps over the obstruction and
rushes forward at horse race speed to-
ward the final goal. The labor ques-
ton is the only real problem of the
day. and it is being unraveled by the
best thinkers, the most liberal and uu-
selfish men, as we'll as the most selfish
opponents, in ali countries. Every ad-
ditiOnal hardship and extortion of
combination and monopoly; every new
invention and innovation in the indus
trial field; every oppression of labor
by the state in the interest of so-called
vested rights; every possible act that
interferes with natural rights and the
freedom of the mass. and every new
thought and aspiration makes count
less converts for the labor cause-a
cause that has for its object the aboli-
ton of poverty and degradation for
the worker and wealth and afflneoce
for the idler, and the introduction of a
common brotherhood of all mankind.
''Ah! you dream" they say. If that
is so, then our condition of civilization
today is the result of dreams. Jesus
Christ was a dreamer, for he taught
truths and advocated reforms that
were unacceptable in his day. but his
ideas grew nevertheless until now up
wards of 400 million of people accept
his views regarding even so vague a
theory as life and death. Columbus
dreamed of western world, and it is
a matter of history how his theories
were received. but now the world
knows he was right. Our revolution
airy fathers dreamed of freedom, with
the result that this country stands to-
day as a monument of their ideas,
only it is further advanced than they
every dared to dream. The old aboli.
tiOnists dreamed that we could get
along without black slavery, and now
it is an admitted fact. Men dream of
great inventions, of winning wealth
and fame, power and honor; dream OF
science and the arts, and all things
that contribute to the advancement of
mankind. Then what folly it is to be-
lieve that we have reached the highest
state of civilization-that there can
be no Improvement in government
and industrial pursuits over the pres
ent sYstem-when we have but to look
about to know better.
The working classes of Germany are
wild theorists, undoubtedly. Karl
Marx dreamed of peace on earth and
good will among men, and wrote:
Workers of all countries, unite!''
Why did he call upon the working
people to uniteP To abolish poverty,
debt, profit, extortion, tyranny, class
distinction, to lessen crime and suffeI-
ing, and to establish a cooperative So
ciety which would change a hell to a
heaven upon earth. 1t was beauti-
full dream, but few men went to
work to realize it. They knew that it
would have to be done through politi-
cal action-by consent of a majority
of the voters. This was about 1867,
when the total strength of the new
party amounted to 81 votes in the city
of Berlin. In 1871 it leaped to 4, AL;
in 1874 to IA, 1913; in 1877 to 1876,
1878 to 56,14 Then the aristocrats
made the mistake of trying to disrupt
the organized movement in the lower
stratum by expelling some of the lead
ers from the country, throwing others
into foul prisons and expressing the
rank and file by all sorts of persecu-
tiOns. At the next election, in 1881,
only 29.613 votes were polled in Ber-
lin; but in 1884 the vote in that city
jumped to 68.545; in 1887 to 1888; in
1900 to 124, $50; and last week to the
enormous number of 151,729 The
combined opposition of all parties only
polled 5,689 votes. The history of
the labor party in Berlin is the history
of the party in nearly all large cities.
1t is the largest party in Germany to-
day, controlling over 100000 votes;
it is the only party standing upon
Fundamental principles, and it is only
prevented from enforcing some of its
reforms by an outrageous gerry
mander.
The Australians are great dreamers,
too. 1t will be remem bered that an
account was given few weeks ago of
how the New Zealand workers took
the government into their own hands.
natiOnalized the railroads and mines
and the currency and are also nationa-
lizing the land and productive indus
tries. Poverty and millionairedom is
being wiped out! The New Zealanders
are the most prosperous people in the
world and the highest wages are paid
JHer0. new OOuJn wales, another
colony, is following in the footsteps of
New Zealand the workers having be-.
come tired of voting the old party
tickets, with the result that their in
dependent action has gained for them
the single tax-an entering wedge.
Now comes more good news. In. the
recent election in South Australia, one
of the largest of the colonies, the cam.
paigu was holly contested between the
labor party OF the one side and the
monopolists on the other, and .ethe
workers scored a magnificent victory;
placing their standard bearers at the
head of the polls in all but one cleo
torate, where their champion, E. "A.
Roberts, was but few votes behind.
He is a wharf laborer and "a wears of
age. So writes Samuel Smith, secre-
tarY of.the,Australian Seamen,s. union,
at Sydney, n. S.-W., to the Coast Sea-
men s.Joarual at San Francisco. An.
other labor governments ard just think
of it, 'by-sueh- an overwhelming lahd<'
slide; too!&Cfevsfand Citizen. - . 2;
THE parties who caused the $50