The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-06-09
1--we QUESTIONS.


LIVE QUESTIONS.
IA Series OF Articles Contributed by
AdvaHced Thinkers.
yy7IlEG sLavss-igsssiAscK issis AND White.
THE following article was written by
Halen Williams many years ago. It de-
s1sbes the industrial slaves Of today as
vel as chattel slaves then.
know the slave driver, and I know
Eae slave, and mean to say that the
slave driver, selfish as he is, is a gentle
man IN comparison with the slave.
There is noSiing in all the world SO ig-
noble as the slave. He is in his true po-
sition as a,slave so long as he Willingly
bears his servitude He is fit for moth
lag else.
Why should care that his back is
bent under the burden of another? Why
should be distressed at his wrong? His
srrangs are his just due SO long as he
1 bears them in tame and cowardly sub
mission. What would be the wrongs Of
asfreeman are for him just deserts
mean to speak the truth from this
time on have coddled the slave and
called him man when I knew there
Was no manhood in him. viii do SO
no longer. On the contrary, hereafter I
mean TO assert everywhere and on all
occasions that he who wears fetter
needs it; that he who bears a kick de-
serves it
wash my hands of spirits that are
somean and slavish as to take part IN
the injustice that is crushing them
down Moreover. r say that the bent
back m the -toiler, the horny hands, the
coarse, distorted features, and the gen
eral ugliness that marks liim are q
confession Of his own sins in abetting
the sins of his master.
desire to speak face to face with
The slavesof the nineteenth cen
4 tury to tell you how I have seen every
efcrt made by anthropists for your
benefit fall huitless to the ground be-
cause your own base influence was
against it.
) There are newspapers working for
son for whose support you have never
contributed the cost Of plug of tobacco
ora drink of whisky. have seen more
and worse than this-that you have no
respect for sny man but the one that
kicks you and no regard for any power
bnt that which namples you down
You are the obstacle-the Only obstacle
- ia the way of race emancipation
Yorr masters are handful; you are
legion Your masters are intelligent,
many OF them considerate and just, as
the world gees, and though they VIII
not voluntarily relax their selfish grip
on the good things of life. not one of
henn would dare to refuse ycu Justice if
you had Is IN you to take a brave and
manly stand for your rights. But you
are more befooled by the farof dazzle
ef their gold than they are by its pos
session. They have sane moments, when
they reflect how their money has been
gathered at your expense-moments
when they almost wish that the system
which fosters robbery and makes gold
ling, which puts in allegiance every no.
BE impulse, could be changed for some
better and mere righteous way.
But you-you adore the system You
dof the ragged cap and bend the servilc
knee before the baser part of these
mems nat1res, and ycnr only desire fer
liberty is for the sake Of emulating
their vices Instead Of their virtues.
They how this, and they know also that
social rupture which would transform
you into milIonaires at their expense
would be the greatest possible calamity.
For these men, selfish as they are, have
[&144J--W4GAOdt 4O04Ay 4AVC0O4liSs
or desiring to Go so-benefted the race
throughout by their enterprise. They
have built railroads ard made the diff
ferent races of men enc nation. They
have utilized your dumb energies tc
serve mankind in serving themselves.
They have used you as machines, en-
ploying your services at the lowest cost
compatible with the preservation cf
your lives and your muscular power un-
I'll at last they can supplant you with
the cheaper material Of wood and iron.
And all because they could do it, be-
cause you have permitted it.
They have done you but simple JUS
tice, blindfolded though it were. You
were and are as worthless as the dust
under your feet, except for the power
Of physical contraction, extension and