The Irish standard., 1897-01-30
RIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER.
Brann Gives Some of the Po-
litical Economists Piece
of His Mind.
ti ..-~.-.r
The Less Man Knows the More
Anxious He is to Enlight-
en- the World.
When The People Ask for Dump
lings They Do not Want an
an Essay on Digestion.
Concluded from last week. }

have no incentive to magnify the dan
ger with which this nation is confronted
T have never been candidate for office
nor had a governmental axe to grind. As
/ an employer am not especially interes'
ted in the advancement of wages to the
curtailment of my profits. Readers o1
and advertisers in magazines usually be-
long to what is known as the "conserva-
tive class''-those who strenuously object
| agree with Pope that whatever is, is
right
cannot see that aught is to be gain
ed-while certainly much may be lost
be self-deception. An agitator is not ne.
cessarily a public enemy; else must we
denounce the Conscript Fathers, con.
denim the labors of Luther and approve
the crucifixion of Christ Only through
agitation is progress possible. 1t is the
law of life. Without it the seas would
become mighty pools of putrescence. A
prominent pulpiteer recently delivered
himself as follows:
'The laboroe should be content in that
sphere where God has placed him. His
condition is better than ever before. II
has greatly improved during the last l0(
years. But for the Bryans and Tillmans
and Debses, he would be docile enough.
These have long been the platitudes OF
Dives. If true, it is only necessary to
execute the Bryans and Tillnans and
Debses as fast as they appear and snap
our fingers in the face Of the sphinx
But they are not true. 1t is rank bias
phemy to assume that God is responsible
for the hunger and wretchedness existing
in land capable of supporting in COM
fort, even in luxury, five times it's pres
ent population. 1t Is not true that the
condition of labor lis better than ever
BEFORE" or that 'it has greatly improved
during the last 100 years." brand that
statement which comes so trippingly to
Ll1C llp0 Ol llC dPooGACo VI ie@!ooSA AH'AA u
as a foolish falsehood. The past century
has transformed the workman from a
sovereign into a slave. Then he need
ask no mans permission to provide him
self with food and raiment; now he must
lay down his tools and starve at the beck
of boss. He can, when permitted to
employ his strength and skill in the pro-
duction of wealth, enjoy many comforts
denied his grandsire OF his
own creation; but who would not prefer
independence with homely plenty we'll
assured, to the constant fear of being
transformed into pitiful tramp and be-
ing compelled to beg his bread? Who
would not rather be lord Of his own life
than the trembling creature of another
The condition Of labor has not greatly
improved during the last 100 years.
even for those souls formed for SER
vitude instead of sovereignty. The ad-
dition of the word tramp" to our voca-
bulary is itself suggestive. A century
ago-before the condition OF labor had SO
greatly improves" such industrial va
gabondage was unknown. Men did not
then commit offenses against the law Aor
the express purpose of securing shelter
from the cold behind the walls of GALA
boose and being fed on prison fare. do
not want to see the workingman rendered
too "docile', for docility is the nature of
the lap dog. When it becomes the dis
tinguishing characteristic of the Cauca-
sian he will begin supplying the African
"coon" with liviried lackeys. How COM
es it that docility is demanded of men
who have twice played Samson to Brit
aims royal beast-who in a single centu-
ry have made this the wealthiest nation
in the world? "Docile?" I like your
impudence! To whom, fo,sooth, should
the giant "bend the pregnant hinges of
the knee?'' To whom shall ]abor-hav-
ing filled the land with fatness over
which the sword of Extraordinarily ap-
!, ply for the privilege of existing upon the
earth?
The condition of the labor should have
greatly improved during the last hun
dred years., for his productive power has
multiplied. It is estimated that the aver
age wealth creating power of the individ-
ual has more than quadrupled since the
adoption Of the Constitution. Has the
reward of the workman increased in
equal ratio? II not, there's something
radically wrong with our industrial sys-
tenn, and the man who does not seek
earnestly to discover aud remove the evil
is in league with the Devil, care moi
how earnestly he prays to the Lord
The minister who prostitutes religion IL
the interest g prescrip ptiye ight On
nchsd behind EN-
H1Ei