The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-03-30
SCI AND 1894.

1851 AND 1894.
In the year 1861 the northern states
sent the flower of its manhood to the
battIefelds of the south to free the
dusky sons of Africa from bondage.
The south sacrificed its youth upon
the bloody altar of war to oppose the
liberation of its human chattles. Ever
since in the east the siIvery-tongued
orators on Decoration and Independ-
ence day have RECALLED their audiences
on the patriotism of their fallen heroes
who died midst the roar and rumble of
battle that human slavery might be no
more in this land of freedom Their
names will go down in history sur
rounded with a halo of glory that will
ever seek remembrance as the enamel
pators OF a race from serfdom.
But there is a worse slavery than
that which fourishod from the early
settlement of this country up to the
close of the late unpleasantness. 1t is
the slavery of the wage workers of the
United States. This new form of slav-
cry draws no line between black and
white-it has no certificate Of owner
ship, it does not feed or clothe, but it
is a slavery that is more terrible, more
unjust, more mereiless than the old
ever dared to be. 1t is the slavery of
industry to capital.
This has been brought about by un-
just and discriminating legislation in
favor of the rich to the detriment of
the poor For years the national Iegis-
lature has been dictated to by the
moneyed sharks of the east. Year
after year laws have been passed and
enforced that made the rich richer and
the poor poorer, uutil today capital
has a power greater, nightier, and more
dangerous than that yielded by any
despot on earth. By the stroke of a
pen thousands of workmen, struggling
for an existance, can be thrown out of
employment and left to starve with
their wives and children. The state
militia aud government officials stand
ready to lend their assistance to this
hellish work. This is the condition
that now confronts us. Thousands out
of employment, homeless and starving
denounced as loaferS and tramps
arrested for not having visible means
of support and forced to break rock
and labor on the streets of the cities
without pay and with ball and chain
upon their limbs This is a slavery
that makes the honors of the ante-bel-
lum form pale into insignificance. The
main stronghold of this modern slavery
is in the east, where once the fires of
abolition burned Sc fierce.
Now the southern states are enlist
ing in the Populist ranks, whose object
is to break the shackles from the limbs
of industry which chains it to the rock
of poverty, not by musket and cannon
balls, but by the ballot.
There viii be mighty struggle be-
tween two forces OF industry and the
minions of capital, but by campaign
of education and enlightenment the
battle can be won. Educate the masses
to the efficiency Of the ballot, teach
them the power that lies in the simple
bit of paper-put men in Office pledged
to work increasingly for the deliver
ence of the slaves of capital and octo-
pusike corporations and make them
keep their campaign promises and
bloodless victory will be the result.
But if this fails bullets may be the next
resort. The American people may not
be trodden upon as easily as these shy
locks imagine. Patient and long suffer
ing they are upon the point of turning
and when they turn look out for deeds
that only the patient are capable of
executing.