Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-10

rrcat industrial forces Of capital and
labor 4. along the line Of consolidation
and co.oneration. l am not here to dccry
this tendency. I realize fully well that
only through this movement are tue great
material achievements OF the day posi-
bic, but one thing is clear, aud that Is
that tho penalty which the nation pays
for all It's benefits IS the growing DISPOSE
ton to sacrifice the individual to The
mass. to make the liberty of the one
something which may be ruihiessly
trampled into the dust. because OF some
supposed benefit 10 the many.
"a capital combine may, as Is claimed,
produce better. cheaper and more salts
factory results In manufacture, trans
portation and general business. but too
often the combine is not content with the
TO join. 1t grasps at monopoly, and seeks
70 crush out al competition. If any in
dividual prefers his Independent business,
however small, and refuses 10 join the
combine. IL proceeds to assail that bust
ness. With It's accumulation OF wealth.
il can afford for awhile TO so largely un-
dcrsell as to speedily destroy IT, II thus
brushes or swallows the individual. and
he Is assaulted as though he We're an
outlaw
80 II IS with organizations Of labor.
The leaders or,ler a strike; the 0rganizn-
ton throws down It's tools md ceases to
work. No individual member dare say.
! have family 10 support, ! prefer to
work but is forced to go with the gem
erul body. Not content with this, the or
gdnizatiOn TOO often Httepmrs by force to
keep away other lnborers Ii stnpds with
its accumulated power Of numbers not
merely TO coercc is individual members.
but also to threaten any outsiders who
seok TO take thcir places Where is tho
Individual laborer who dnrcs assert Ills
liberty aud act as be plclscs in the mat
Ter Of work: where is the individual con.
tractor or employer who can carry on his
business as be thinks best?
The constant cry Is that this compul.
sloh of united action viii result In in
creased wages, and thus IN added benefits
10 each individual, aud on this plpa Of re-
sulung good the individual Is forced to
throw away his own liberty and sur
render TO tho organization. But is an
improved materill condition the only aim
Of human effort aud the crown Of human
eMstoncet In the auti-bellum DAYS, we
all remember how slavery was defended
on account Of its benefit TO the slave,
support, with ordinary labor In times Of
health and strength-food aud care in
Gays ot old age and weakness; again and
again II was asserted that he was 50
much better of than those left TO struggle
Tor themselves. Penitently and With
shame We look back to long tolerance
Mllch that argument produced In Tho mind
OF ne nation. But is srryitude Ia "A
single man less Of slavery than seryitudr
10 an orsnuizaiiuny
III will be said that the law then en-
forced slavery while 10 tho eye Of the
law today. every man Is free. Rnf INV
Is the reflex of aud not stronger linn
me public sentiment back of h ynn
may I'LL your statutes with ali tho nra,,i
A9ns that The mind Of man can con.
i,tlNe Of guaranteeing personal liberty.
nnt unless yon have bacl, Of those
statutes universal public opinion. tbUn.
deF1ng stop In the ear of every traa.
p9ss,f upon such liberty, you may find
within the forms Of law The most ,i, ~
personal scgrvitnde, SO long as any single
nan; ne humblest and the weakest In
tle lanu' may not enter into business or
image IN labor such as his means win
permit and his inclination determine. inst
n 81; TO-, Is personal liberty an unaccoui-
"a