The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-07-13
INDEPENDENCE
A Second Declaration on
the 121st Anniversary.
A Oppressed People Declare for Life,
Liberty and the Pursuit of Happi-
ness.

1t is always nice to talk about
the Declaration of Independence.
How the heart of the American
citizen swells with pride as he
thinks of the hardihood and of the
fortitude of our forefathers when
they proclaimed to the world that
all men are created equal and that
to each should be granted life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happinessv
Very nice, indeed, it is and the
beneficent results of the declara-
tion made 12l years ago are all
about us. So far as our super fetal
patriotism goes, everything is all
right and the purpose of our fore
fathers in founding a government
wherein peace and happiness should
reign has to the undiscerning eye
been fulfilled. But q second look
more earnest look-reveals q
darkening cloud.
1t is an ominous cloud.
On the 121st anniversary of the
declaration of American independ-
ence from the unjust demands Of
England the necessity has come
for rs great a number of Americans
as inhabited the United States In
1776 to now declare their independ-
ence from the unjust oppression of
Americans.
Let us figure little.
On Monday strike was inaug-
urated in which over 100000 men
were engaged as coalminers, and
by a fair estimate 100000 men are
directly affected. BY the usual
method of figuring, five persons are
dependent upon each laborer for
sustenance, therefore, of men,
women and children affected by
the strike there are 100000. This
is an appalling number of people to
be compelled to go hungry in this
land of plenty simple because
through the tricks of combines and
competitions of operators, their
wages have been reduced to such
an extent that they must starve
even while they work. 1t takes
second earnest thought to believe
that more people are concerned in
this strike than were concerned
VIII on the Declaration of Independ-
ence was made in 1776. 1t is true,
nevertheless, and greater element
of danger exists from this strike
than did in the days of our FORE
fathers.
In 177G, according to Bancroft,
there were 2,628,O00 people in the
United States. These were all af-
fected by the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. For these the Declara-
ton of Independence was made.
A man need not be an anarchist
nor any the less patriot to honest
ly affirm that such condition as
now exists in this country has but
one step to take to reach an insur-
rection and following that revo-
luton. 1t must not be taken that
the expression of such belief is
the expression of the wish that an
insurrection may arise, but it is to
be taken that the tendencies of the
times are so much in that direct
ion that great danger exists.
OF the causes that have brought
about this state of affairs it is hard
ly necessary to speak for every
man who has considered the con-
ditions under which the country
today exists can readily arrive at
the proper conclusion. The vicious
policies that have dominated our
government for the past % years
create a wonder not that this strike
has at last been declared but that
it was not declared long ago.
In no other country on the face
of the globe could such conditions
have existed as have sapped the
United States in the last quarter
OF century, and only because Of
our Unions broad acres and bound
less resources have we been able to
labor on beneath the grinding load.
Dishonest legislators struck down
one-half of the constitutional mon.
ey of this country, dishonest laws
were put upon the statute books
whereby trusts, combines and cor
porations were enabled to rob the
people, high officials of the govern
ment, by reasonable decisions,
made it possible for other countries
to rob our treasury and it came
back upon our people-the middle
laboring classes. Without MUIR
mur they bore their burdens until
they were sinking beneath the
load. Then came the strike. 1t is
a good sign that the public is ar