The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-04-04
This is Politics.

My democratic and republican
brothers. | know that you have more
than once asked yourself what your
children were going to do for Il living.
In your kindlieSt moods. when the
little ones were sleeping the sleep of
innocence. | know you have brought
up the subject with your wife, the
mother who ever has the welfare of
the little ones near to heart. the girl
you loved, cOurted and married. Yes,
you have talked it over, and | know
your conclusion just as well as if l
were beside you at these times. You
didn't know Nor does any parent.
| am sure don tand have pondered
over the subject many weary hours
in solitude. There was a time when
father and mother could look forward
to future for their children-but
that time has passed, thanks to the
prejudice of fathers. Today no
avenue is left open. Farming is a
losing business, and it takes life
times hard work to buy farm, cheap
as they are to-day. There is no in
centive to learn any trade when there
are tens of thousands in every line
wandering up and down the country
seeking work, while their families
are starving. There are more doctors
than patients, more lawyers than
clients. and almost as many mer-
chants as customers with money to
buy. Men in the professions are hid
ing the pinch Of poverty, and trying
to appear we'll fixed, but the sham is
too transparent. BOOkkeeperS, StenO-
graphers, typewrters, telegraphers-
there are thousands upon thousands
on the verge of starvation. You,
fathers, have meditated over these
things, you have seen them and feet
them, and you have shut the thought
out Of your mind in despair. / know
you have. You have discovered no
promising avenue that will insure
your children even meagre living.
1t has been getting worse year after
year, and there is absolutely no basis
for hope of better condition, but
many evidences that a worse one is
in store. 1t seems to you that men
are so much cheaper than chattel
slaves as to BE- no longer worth enough
to feed and clothe them. But let me
tell you, you have been looking the
wrong way for relief. There is a plan
that will insure each of your children
and mine every comfort and luxury
of life, if they will do only a little
work. This is politics. You have
not been studying politics. Your
votes have produced this system, be-
cause you have been ignorant of the
effects of the growing monopolies.
by your votes you can reverse the
present order and usher in an era of
peace, plenty and happiness such as
the world has never yet witnessed.
You can't do it by trusting me orany
other man. You have been trusting
too much already. 70 must know
these things yourself like you do the
multiplication table. A few hours
reading and some meditation will
show you the way. Get some book
on socialism. Read it carefully. If
you will notice how Webster's diction-
airy defines this word at the top Of
the first column in this paper, you
will see you need not fear it. That
will answer your question what your
children shall do when they grow up.
III you fail to read and act. the future
will be black enough for your sons
nddaughters. Rightinjures no man.
but you must learn what is right.
why it is right, and then do right
The Coming Nation.