Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-09-25
THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE
COOPERATIVE COMMON
WEALTH.


to supercede the present competl-
tive system and usher in cooper
alive civilization.
We behold the self.evident fact,
patent to all the world, that the
present civilization Of warning IN
terests has reached its climax OF
development, and that until new
social order expressive of the Cent
raj Law of Universal Life, the
Brotherhood of Man and soliditary
of human interests is evolved, the
course of this nation, and of every
nation in Europe, will be steadily
downward.
Already there are unmistakable
indications that the United States
has reached it's meridian of material
greatness and is moving on the
down grade track that leads to an
archy and dissolution.
The competitive struggle for ex-
istence has resulted in the concen-
tration of wealth and power in the
hands of the few, and the nation is
radidly reverting to condition OF
centralized power and political des-
potism.
The great inventive appliances
of the age for the lessening OF Ia
Dor and elevation of humanity, the
public utilities on which progress
and national life depend, together
with vast fields of industry, are all
controlled by powerful combina-
tions, and the masses can only OBJ
tain employment on such terms as
monopolists dictate.
Day by day the people see their
liberties slipping from their grasp
and the conditions of life becoming
harder. They see values of every
kind diminishing, save those con-
trolled by monopoly, and the wealth
that was theirs passing by adroit
political manauvres into the hands
of their oppressors. They see con-
traction of industry, that always &C.
companies and must accompany,
contraction of the currency, throw
ing mon out of employment, and
reducing the masses to a condition
of vassalage. They also see that
the government of the country has
become an instrument of oppression
in the hands of ruling class.
Under such circumstances there
is only one thing to be done, and
that is to readjust measures and
systems to these changed conditions
of social and industrial life that
will break the power Of monopoly
and give the people industrial as
we'll as political freedom.
AS step in that direction we
urge that all lovers of freedom, all
who are opposed to the continu-
ance of the competitive system,
with it's terrible struggle for ex-
istence, should unite as speedily as
possible in one vast traternal organ
ization. There is no time to be
lost If we would resist the dan
gers confronting us, we must act at
once. The drifting process has
gone far enough, the time for ac-
ton has come. Organize with one
definite aim in view-the establish
ment of Cooperative Common,
wealth.
In organizing this Brotherhood 1t
is not proposed to form new po-
litical party, nor to add another to
the already too lengthy list OF re-
form societies, but to consolidate
the various Cooperative, Socialistic
and Nationalistic societies now in
the field, and to bring together all
societies and individuals not yet
affiliated with any socialistic order,
and thus present a solid, united
front to the common enemy OF hu-
manity, the poverty-breeding, crime
producing system of competition.
1t behooves every lover of justice
and humanity who has caught
glimpse of the light from the rising