People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-03-14
WE ARE DRIFTING INTO SUCH
A CONDITION..
The Progress Which Has Been and the
Progress Which stm Must Be, Bring Is
Face to Pace With q New Peril to
Liberty.


The editor Of the Voice came near
hitting the right spot when he said last
week:
In all the progressive nations Of the
world, civilization is to-day rocking
amid the throes Of industrial reyolu-
ton. What is the matter?
In America, in England. in Germany.
in France, and in other countries the
story is the samoa persistent. unceas-
ing, tumultuous grapple between labor
and capital. The nineteenth century.
which was ushered in amid the tumult
and storm Of political revolution,
seems likely to 90 out as it came in.
except that it is social and industrial
rather than political revolution that the
world has now to confront
The Anglo Saxon race is one that
has achieved its worldwide dominance
By fearlessly looking issues in the face,
and not by shutting its eyes and speak
ing softly and pretending that the is
sues do not exist or are not serious
or will soon pass away.
Here is the stern and solemn truth
that confronts the world to-day. We
are drifting steadily and swiftly into
a condition Of industrial slavery.
Let US state the case in a few words.
The development OF steam and elecui-
city in the last half century has revolu-
tionized nearly every form Of industry.
To-day, the first requisite Of success in
any branch Of industrial activity is
costly outfit Of machinery. Il takes
capital TO buy it. In Massachusetts,
alone machinery is doing the work OF
l00,000,C00 men. II is fast becoming
impossible for men without extensive
capital TO remain their own masters.
The little uadesman becomes sval-
lowed up in the mammoth store, and
exchanges his independence for the
position Of an employe. The artisan
Of skill and intelligence who might
have hoped in former years By tie &C
QUESTION OF a few tools 10 become his
own boss now must confront him
self with being a factory hand or q
mill hand. " with the prospect OF never
attaining any other relation 20 his
work. The concentration Of capital
goes on in q geOmetric ratio, capital
lists unite in corporations. corporations
unite in trusts. and anything like close
personal relations between employer
and employe becomes impossible.
The employer class becomes more and
more contracted; the employe class be-
comes more and more extensive. The
hope Of independence becomes a vain
hope for larger and larger proportion
OF people. and the inspiration that goes
with that hope is lost. The sense OF
individual responsibility is lost also
in large measure both by the capitalist
employer and the wage-earning ma
chine that calls itself an enploye.
Now, what does all this mean? It
means Just this: That swiftly and sure
" we are coming to the pass that all
the avenues through which men can
earn a living and keep body and soul
together hero upon earth are 10 be
controlled by capital. Those who own
the capital can alone purchase the
machinery; and those who own the
machinery control the labor which is
applied 10 IT, Herein lies the secret
Of the struggle going on all over the
vorld-a struggle on the part Of labor
against the absolute control by capital
Of all the opportunities Of earning a
livelihood.
What is labor contending for? For
better food. for better clothing and
better shelter? No, the fight is not
primarily for these things. The laborer
Of to-day is better housed, better fed
and better clothed on the average than
ever be:cre. and it is where he is the
best fed and the best clothed that this
struggle is the fercest. Why, then.
this intense. deepening feeling Of re-
sentiment? The answer brings US TO
the very core and center Of the whole
struggle. The fight is not one for high
er wages or shorter hours or better ma
terial conditions, but it is for liberty.
industrial liberty-emaneipation from
the absolute dominion Of aggregated
capital. The negroes Of the south
were, We dare say, betted fed. better
clothed, and better housed on an aver
age in the days Of slavery than they
are to-day. But their craving FOR
themselves and children was deeper
and diviner than the desire for these
things; it was a craving for freedom.
Il is so Of the wage earners Of to-day.
Raising their wages and shortening
their hours will not alone cure or even
diminish their restlessness or discon-
tent The craving which is rocking
civilization is deeper than is sometimes
expected even By The gorkingmen
themselves. It is an instinct planted
By God in mans very heart Of hearts
the love Of liberty.
Men and women Of America, we mus,
face the situation that We have been
brought into by the progress Of eiyili-
Zation- We must look beyond the tur-
moil and confusion Of the immediate
conflict, beyond the strikes and the
loekouts, beyond the vexations. the