The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-13

The home Is the unit OF the Nation The
more homes the broader the foundation OF
the Nation and more secure. Everything
that Is possible should be done. TO keep this
from being nation OF tenants The men
who cultivate the earth Should own IL.
Something has already been done in our
country in that direction. and probably IN
every State there Is homestead exemption
This exemption has thus far done no harm
10 the creditor class. When We imprisoned
people for debt, debts were as insecure, TO
say the least. as now. By the homestead
laws a home OF certain value or of GER
tain extent Is exempt from forced levy or
sale. and these laws have done great good.
Undoubtedly they have trebied the homes
Of the Nation.
wish to go a step further. / want. IL
possible, TO get the people out OF the tene-
ments. out OF the cutters of degradation.
to homes where there can be privacy. where
these peope can feel that they are in part
terest in good government. With the means
We now have for poor people being huddied
IN fostering masses in the vile, nithy and
loathsome parts Of cities. where poverty
breeds rags and the rags breed diseases. l
reasonable value. say of the value of s2cOO
ton. but from 0 saIe for taxes Of every de-
scription. These homes shn1ld be abso-
luteiy exempt They should belong to the
feel that the roof above her head was hers:
that her house was her castle. and that in
its possession she could not be disturbed,
even by the Nation. Under certain condi-
tons / would allow the sale OF this home
stead and exempt the proceeds OF the sale
for a cetrain time during which they might
be invested in another home: and all ,, THIS
holders, a nation OF landowners, "a nation
of home builders l would invoke the same
quire these homes. thai / would invoke for
acquiring lands for building railways Every
State should fix the amount OF land that
could be owned by an individual, not liable
e., - s~lr. 49,. = for h.. ~
giving home to another. and when any
man owned more acres than the law al
lowed. and another should ask to purchase
them. and he should refuse, l would have
the law SO that the person wishing 10 pur-
chase could file his petition in court. The
court would appoint commissioners. or
jury would be called, TO determine the value
OF the land the petitioner wished for home,
and. upon the amount being paid. found by
such commissioner or jury, the land should
vest absolutely In the petitioner. This right
OF eminent domain should be used not only
for the benefit Of the person wishing a
home, but for the benefit OF all the people.
that the babes of America should be born
around the firesides OF homes.
THE MARRIAGE TIE.
There is another question in which I take
great interest and it ought, in my judgment,
be answered by the intelligence and kindness
OF our century, We all know that for many,
many ages men have been slaves. and we all
know that during all these years women
have. to some extent, been the slaves OF
slaves. 1t is of the utmost Importance TO the
human race that women. that mothers.
should be free. Without doubt the contract
of marriage Is the most important and the
most sacred that human beings can make.
Marriage is the most important Of all in
situations OF course, the ceremony of mar
riage is not the real marriage. 1t is only
% he h
in. There can be no real marriage without
mutual love- So l believe in the ceremony
OF marriage; that it should be public; that
records should be kept. Besides, the ceremony
says to ali the world that those who marry
are in love with each other.
Then arises the question of divorce. Mil
lions of people imagine that the married are
Joined together by some supernatural power,
and that they should remain together. or at
least married, during life. If all VINO have
been married were joined together by the
supernatural we must admit that the super
natural is not infinitely wise. After all, mar
rage Is a contract and the parties the
contract are bound to keep its provisions,
and neither should be released from sucn d
contract unless in some way the interests of
society are involved. / would have the Jaw
SO that any husband could obtain divorce
when the wife had persistently and hagrantiy
violated the contract. such divorce To be
granted on equitable terms. would give
wanted 1t.
hu0 WOuiu DO tnlS not only Tor nes SAKE
but for the sake Of the community, o. the Ma
tion- All children should be children OF love.
All that are born should be sincerely well
coined. The children Of mothers who dislike or
with Insanity and crime. No woman should by
law or by public opinion be forced TO live with
OF demoralzing the world through 1ivrrce.
Neither Is there any danger OF destroying
in the human heart that divine thing called
love. AS long as the human rae exists men
rSf On
long there will be true and perfect marriage.
Slavery Is not the soil or rain of virtue.
1 make q difference between granting d.
vorce to a man and to a woman, and for
this reason: A woman dowers her husband
with her youth and beauty. He should not
De allowed TO desert her because she has
grown wrinkled and cid. Her capital Is
gone. her prospects in life lessened, while, on
the contrary, he may be far better able TO
rule. the man can take care of himself, and.
as rule, the woman needs help. So /
would not allow him TO cast her off unless
for the sake of the community. and especial
~ for the sake of the babes. l would give
her divorce for the asking There viii
there has been generation Of free women
-of free mothers. The tenderest word in our
language is maternity: In that word is the
love and self-sacriice- This word is holy.
THE LABOR QUESTION
There has been for many years ceaseless
discussion upon what is called the labor
questionable conflict between the working
man en1 the capitalist. Many ways have
been devised. some experiments have been
tried for the purpose of solving this ques-
tion. Profit sharing would not work. be-
cause 1t Is impossible TO share profits with
those who are incapable of sharing losses
Communities have been formed. the objec.
being 10 pay the expenses and share the
profits among ell the persons belonging to
the society. For the most part these have
failed. Others have advocated arbitration,
ana while IL may be that the employers
could be bound by the decision OF the ar
bstrators there has been no way discovered
by which the employees could be held by
such decision. In other words, the question
has not been solved.
For my own part. / see no final and sat
lzation OF employers and employed. The
question Is so complicated. the ramifica-
tons are SO countless. that solution by
law or by force seems at least improba-
Bile. Employers are supposed TO pay accord
ing to their profits They may or may not
Profits may be destroyed by competition
The employer Is at the mercy OF other en-
ployers and as much as his employees are
at ais mercy. The employers cannot govern
prices. they cannot fix demand. they cannot
control supply, and at present. in the woris
OF trade. the laws of supply and demand
except when interfered with by conspiracy
are In absolute control
VIII the time arrive. and can ii arrive. ex-
cept by developing the brain, except by the