The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-10-23
TERRIFIC INDICTMENT.
A Subscriber for The Representa-
tive Goes Into the Heart of
Things.
IMPORTANT FACTS AND FIG
URES.

Mr.. EDITOR:
The census Office reports for 1890
show that more than one-half the pop
ulation of the U nited States-40 mil
lion people-hire and pay rent for
their farms and homes, living under
landlord rule and subject to a posi-
bility Of being expelled from their
homes at any time, they may be unable
to pay their rent, tn. ough misfortune
or otherwise.
Those who are SO fortunate as to
own their homes are paving interest
on more than 1000 million dollars at
high rates. A much larger amount
than all this is owed by the laboring
classes in chattle mortgages at exces-
sive rates of interest, sometimes as
high as 60 or 100 per cent.
The result of all this is that the
money power is rapidly increasing.
The rich are getting richer and the
poor are growing poorer. Vice. crime,
murder, suicides and insanity are the
natural result, and poorhouses, jails
and peniten tiaries are fast being en-
larged and filling up. Business, trade
and commerce are in a chaos of dis
cordant, clashing decentralization. and
an army Of blatant hypocrites are, Ju-
das like. kissing the flag and shout
ing patriotism. Knowing the necessi-
ties Of the government, their whole
business in life is to make money by
selling the liberties Of the people and
bonding and mortgagng the future
products of labor. The governing Re-
publican Demo double barreled laws
are especially commendible to one
with fine sense of ustice, as they
are so formed as to prevent the rich
from growing poorer or the poor from
growing richer. They work both
ways.
Plutocratic General Schofeld says:
"The element to be kept down by the
army-which must be increased-is
capable of vastly greater injury than
the most formidable combination of
Indians that ever confronted them"
or in other words, the struggling eie-
ment of laboringmen who are demand
ing work that they may be able to
supply their families with bread is far
more dangerous than any savage enc
my which it has ever been called upon
to meet. this being his exact language.
Further that the state militia and
the police cannot be depended on to
keep them down.
Friends, this glorious republic is
delusion and lie. The song or liber-
ty is a funeral dirge. The last hope
Of the laboring poor is fast disappear
ing. Labor is hungry and haggard.
AutOcratS rule, rob, revel and ruin.
All Of the bludgeons, bayonets and
bullets are combin against US No
one has thought of using them or the
military to protect the laborer in his
just demands. Right is no longer
might. Corporations pledge them
selves to spend millions, if necessary,
to destroy labor organizations but
not dollar to increase wages to the
living prices. Millions Of voicds de-
mand justice, but com bined wealth
spurns the demand with a determined
fendishneSs that rivals the efforts Of
internal demons.
This is war between human rights
and corporate tions; between liberty and
dollars. The people must either rule,
or yield to an oligarchy that is soul
less, constituencies and heartless. Our
chains are fast becoming rivited All
that we have left issthe ballot, not bull
lets, for the military has them and
they are turned against US. Yes, we
have our manhood and our rights
left; let US then be men, and let us
not hesitate TO assert and demand our
rights. Let us have justice; we ask
for nothing more. We do not ask for
charity. We do not ask for soup
houses. We do not ask Tor a division
Of wealth. We do not want their
gold: let them keep it; let them keep
their national bank currency; let
them keep their bonds with which
thev have engulied the nation.
We do not ask for any Of these: we
will not have them; we will not pay
usury and interest on them. Let
them keep them, If they wish, but let
US have our homes which this ac-
cursed system has robbed us OF: let us
have the land to live on, which God
gave to man; let us have a chance TO
labor for our own benefit, and not for
L0e OeDeHU OF UEcSc SuylOCkS ana
lords and robbers; let Us have a
chance to use the tools and imple-
ments of producing which this robber
system has deprive1 Us OF obtaining or
securlng,s so that we may nave the ne
ccs,ities of lifc-foCd and clothes and
fuel. We say let US have all these;
they are ours IS much as the air we
breathe. We do not, say, give these
to us: they are ours already, out Wc
have been deprived Of them ali except
the air. which so far they have &c
yiscd nU deviliSh means OF controlling.
Bat low Quick y tncy would get cor
ncr on 600 5 tree air, if possible.
When we have these, we can raise
our own food, manufacture our own
clothes, and mine our own coal, and
0 law. no power on earth, should be
allowed to prevent US doing this.
Thousand OF wiling hands are ready
and willing to labor IUr that which
will make themselves and their fami-
lies comfortable and happy, II they
had an opportunity.
We want work, but not as slaves.
We want, the product Of our labor
that we may enjoy it. We do not like
the plan of being kept in this sta tie
OF seryitude and want and misery. on
ly being used when it is the pleasure
of wealth to use us in order to add to
their millions Of accumulated gold.
What has produced this condition?
We have the faireSt. the richest. the
most productive country in the world.