Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-03-26
WHY THIS DIFFERENCE?
Capital Should Not BE Held More Sacred
Than Man.
Which will you hoose?-Milwau
Advance.

Capital Should Not BE Held More Sacred
Than Man.
Why should the rights of property
be more sacred than are the rights of
the individual? No one questions the
right of the state, in time of danger,
to draft" the individual into active
service, even to the sacrificing of his
life in behalf of his country.
How about the money mongers' gold?
Why should it be exempt or its holder
be entitled to demand such terms as
he may see fit as condition on which
he parts with it?
This false idea, the outgrowth of
greed and avarice, has placed upon
this nation burden of public and pri-
Tate debt that can never be paid. 1t
mas established a monied plutocracy,
which is allpowerful and holds COM
Dlete sway over the wealth producing
class. In time of peril, when millions
Of patriotic citizens forsook their
homes, their properties, and their fam
lilies. and at the risk of their lives vol
unteered their service in defense of
the government, while others, not so
patriotic, were forced to make the same
sacrifice, the money mongers demand
ed and received their pound of flesh"
Is there any justice in now granting
them further privilege to rob and de-
spoil? We say no, thousand times
no! And we believe the sentiment of
our declaration is re-echoed in the
mind of every patriotic, right minded
liberty-loving American citizen, and yet
the powers that be-those who have
been for years past, and will be for
years to come, in control Of the gov
ernment-are in league with these
money mongers. They, through false
issues, fraud and deception, have been
placed in control of the government,
only to aid in the enslavement of the
masses.
These same despoiled masses will, if
need be, volunteer their services at the
risk of their lives to perpetuate this
same rule of aggregated wealth.
Where, then, is the hope of deliver
ance? Who shall deliver the people
from this volunteer bondage? True it
is not voluntary on the part of all, but
since the majority rules-or are sup
posed to rule-and we are privileged
to exercise a freeman's ballot, as a
whole, the service is voluntary
Uvn hn
ture is not flattering, and yet patriot
ism and love for humanity rebels at the
idea of surrender. The greater the
odds against those enlisted in a sacred
cause the greater should be the effort
in behalf of such cause.
AS we view it, the only hope lies in
securing greater power to the people
in the shaping and controlling of the
affairs of government. The agents of
the people must be restricted in the
exercise of powers they now abuse.
Take away from them the power to
rule the people-a power they have
and can use as arbitrarily now in this
republic as in any constitutional mon
archy, if so disposed. The fact that we
choose our rulers does not make their
despotic rule less burdensome.
The majority of the people are hon
est and patriotic, but they are conserv-
alive. Such conservatism has been re-
sponsible for all past oppression, as
we'll as all past revolutions. 1t may be
that "history will reDeat itself" Peo-
pie who have tasted the sweets of lib
erty and are blessed with universal ed
ucation and the opportunity to ascer-
tain the cause of their wrongs, are not
likely to submit to involuntary servf-
tude for an indefinite period of time.
-Tulare County (Cal.) News.