The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-05-04
Communication.

Ge"" IN n tcatfOn-
CARRoLLTowN Pa, May !. 1894.
ED. FREEMAN:-In the last iSSne of the
FREEMAN appears an article by Matthew
Marshall from the New York sun criti-
ciZins the speakers and writers who Ia
bor To foment disturbances among wage
earnerS. etc The article contains many
statements calculated 10 miSead III e seek, T
after economic truth. 1t says: The trut h
Is that the writers and speakers who ex-
pend 80 much energy i'm bemoaning the
hard lot of those of their fellow men who
live upon the wages of manual labor very
much underestimate the intelligence of
the objects of their compassion aS If the
lack of intelligence were the principal
thing complained of or TO complain of in
their behalf
Again il says: The working people for
the last few years proved themselves quite
as we'll aware 0f their power and quite as
Shrewd in making use of il To their own
advantage as those who live by their
tongues and pens" If there be any virtue
in this. why belttle the speakers and
writers" who agitate the laborer'S cause?
Again: Little by little the trades
unions have spread until only the least
skilled workers remain outside of their
lines Many of them, indeed. have still to
learn that violence is not necessary To en-
able them TO win in their disputes if they
are right, and in any case iinjurts their
cause, but hey are gradually coming to
see it,. This is simply sentimental bOSh.
What hope of success is there for a strike
To succeed without using or threatening TO
use violence in preventing others from
taking their places?
1t goes on: AT all events, the talk so
common among those who draw upon
their Imagination for their facts that the
working people of this nation are oppressed.
dOwntrodden, defranded of their just dues.
and generally wretched. is wide of the
truth This is refreshing. indeed, eS-
pecially at this time when the condition of
the working classes iS so dcporabIe.
Judging from the above Mr. Marshall
must be very superficial and VIII hardly
miSlead any but the superficial. The fact
is the working people are intelligent
enough 10 see the enormously unequal dis
trihution of wealth that is going on at
such an laIming tate of late years: TO
see that the producers of wealth are by
some legal iuggIery deprived of it. And
having been but too well educated i'm the
lection fraud. they are showing the result
in the shape of CoXevism. which is the
legitimate offspring of the doctrine of gov
ernmcnt Interference in the production and
trade. Certainly if the government may
restrict the natural cOuise of production
aud exchange il follows that it may ana
should furnish support for the people il
has caused To be thrown out of employ
Lie
tectioniSt theory is driving Us madly on
toward socialism.
Where is all this to end? Our whole So
cial fabric iS resting on a volcano. What
is the cause? WhaL is the remedy?
The cause is that our social economic
craft is laundering on the rock of land mo-
uopoly. The natural resources from
which all must live are held by the few
Monopoly is encouraged and protected
while labor is OutrageOuSly burdcnrd and
robbed. and trade fuolishIy restricted by
unnatural and vicious systems of taxa
tiOn. These are the causes from which
proceed such dire effects, threatening to
overturn our very civilization itself, as
similar civilizations have been overturned
in the past by similar causes.
Nov for the remedy. Reverse the causes
and the effect will be the reverse UntaX
labor and all labor products and processes.
tn uS emancipaLing labor; tax land values
only and thus prevent the monopoly of the
natural resources. The raw materials
provided so plentifully by a most bountiful
Creator, will then produce abund
ance for all. This will put AN end To the
multiplication of millionaireS on The one
hand, and homeless. hungry paupers on
the other. This will give work TO all who
wish it and food and plenty to all who
work. There will be no more starvation
in the midst of plenty. J.F.