Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-11-26
EoWo What Is
Oppression

O s ::3:: a ;Ss. :: + s IL IS i:
~ with the cunning smile OF the
trickster The people are
amused and Aattered while the schem-
ers deprive them of property and then
use them as servants and slaves.
If a law were put upon the statutes
of any state or nation that the
producers should wear q certain grade
of clothing, live in a certain class of
houses, and feed upon a certain grade
of food, the people would revolt and
tear down the OppressOrs. They could
read that law and would realize its
import. If the law said they should
work for such wages as their employ
ers might decide, they would revolt.
But the invisible money power
knows this. This power studies hui
man nature. 1t proceeds to blarney
the people about their great country,
its wonderful freedom, how much bet
ter oft they are than the oppressed and
barbarians of other countries. They
put in their heads strong words of
how they love the independent farmer,
the honest labOring masses, the yeO-
many and bulwarl ola nation. They
hatter and caiOle with such lies as
"honest money! protection to home
labor" Labor is honorable while
they proceed to enact laws to protect
capital, not labor, and spurn honest
labor az they would a pest.
They create conditions that so I'M
poverish the producers of wealth that
they never get money enough ahead to
leave their county or state, that they
do have to wear a certain grade OF
shoddy clothes, that they do have to
live in shanties or tenement hells, that
they do have TO be satisfied with the
poorest food, that they do have to
take Just what those VINO canuse their
labor are willing pay-and go aroud
and beg, humiliatingly, be accepted
on these terms. These facts are so elf
evident that they 90 without Saying.
You see 1t isnOt necessary to always
make laws to Cypress, to get the labor
Of Others without doing any labor
Yourself but 1t is necessary to prevent
proper laws from being enacted or en-
forced, that Wiilprotect those who are
weak and ignorant. Thelaws ofonis-
sion are rs oppressive rs laws ofcOm-
mission. And thus the people of the
UnltedStates are oppressed. Atthcclose
OF the war the people were prosperous,
happy and out OF debt 1t was so
stated by the great men of the times
and those old enough know it was
true. But by laws of commission.
laws giving special privileges, and
laws OfomssiOn, laws that could have
protected the masses, our people are
hopelessly in debt. Nine million homes
have mortgages on them, all munich
palities have piled up debts, all corp
oratiOns have heaped mp mountains of
watered debts for the people to pay
interest on, and we find thenation to-
day on the verge Of some great social
cataclysm.
Esg- This is oppression. ess
We find the wealth that belonged to
the millions few years ago now be-
longs to the milhonaires, and the people
are poor indeed.
This is all any tvrant wanted
the people TO work, while they teasted.
M htillP4l ia AIit llSAOIA tll ll~ HtSl
was ever reduced to such dependence
in SO short q time This is because the
people have been partisan. Wisdom
weighs, considers, knows. No wise
man was ever q big0t or AN OpprusSOr.
If the reader loves his family, loves ais
country, loves his freedom. I heg him
to think, to investigate, to know The
principles ofjust government are as
movable, are as certain as mathe-
mates, When YOU investigate YOU
will see it. 1t is founded upon Justice,
upon the teachings Of the lowN Jesus,
and it cannot err. None of us ask YOU
to accept it until you know, feel it is
right. Is not that fair? ONLY by in
vestigation can YOU know. Ignorance
has brosght YOU misery and woe.
knowledge will bring YOU peace
and joy.-Appeal to Reason.
A government that enacts and
administers laws for the purpose of