Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-28

in brackets are what the World Herald and
Mr.. Bryan have been trying to suppress for
the past two years from Abraham Lincoln's
discussion Of the principles and purposes Of
the rebels in his message Of December, 1861,
to the first regular session OF congress after
the beginning of the civil war.
FROM ABRAHAM LINCoLN'S FIRST
MESSAGE.
ut continues to develop that the insurrec-
ton Is largely IL not exclusively a war upon
the first principle Of popular government
the rights CT the peaple. Conclusive evil
dence of this is found in the most grave and
maturely considered public documents, as
we'll as In the general tone Of the insurgents.
In these document we find the a%bridgment
Of the existing right of suffrage and the de-
NAL to the people of all right to participate
in the selection OF public officers except the
legislative, boldly advocated with labored
arguments, to prove that large control of the
people in government is the source of all
political evil.)
Monarchy itself is sometimes limited at
as a possible refuge from the power of the
people,"
lin my present position 1 could hardly be
justified were l to omit raising a warning
voice against this approach Of returning des-
potism.)
at is not needed nor fitting here that q
general argument be made in favor OF pop
ular institutions, but there is one point,
with it's connections, not so hackneyed as
most others, to which l ask a brief attention
1t Is the effort to place capital on an equal
footing with, If not above, labor, in the
structure Of government. 1t is assumed
that labor is available only in connection
with capital; that nobody labors unless
somebody else, owning capital, somehow by
the use of it induces him to labor. This
assumed, it is next considered whether it is
best that capital shall hire laborers, and
thus induce them to work by their own con-
sent, or buy them and drive them to 1t
without their consent. Having proceeded
SO far, 1t Is naturally concluded that all la
borers are either hired laborers or what we
call slaves. And further, 1t is assumed that
whoever is once a hired laborer Is fixed in
that condition for life.
Now, there is no such condition between
capital and labor as assumed, nor is there
any such thing as a man being fixed for
life in the condition of a hired laborer.
Both these assumptions are false, and all
differences from them are groundless.
Labor is prior to and Independent OF
capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor
eAN SoeAN " AoNS IL Aeooh IAoht
not first existed. Labor is the superior of
capital and deserves much the higher con-
sideration. Capital has its rights, which
are as worthy of protection as any other
rights. Nor is 1t denied that there Is, and
probably always will be, a relation between
labor and capital producing mutual benefits.
The error is In assuming that the whole
labor of community exists within that. re-
lation. A few men own capital and that few
avoid labor themselves and with their cap
! ital hire another few to labor for them. A
large majority belong to neither class
! neither work for others nor have any Others
work for them.
I'm most of the southern states a majority
of the people Of all colors are neither slaves
nor masters, while in the northern). "In
our section a large majority are neither
hirers nor hired. Men with their families
wives, sons and daughters-work for them
| selves on their farms, in their homes and
in their shops, taking the whole product to
| themselves and asking no favors Of capital
on the one hand nor of hired laborers on
+, the other. 1t is not forgotten that a con-
| siderable number of persons mingle their
own labor with capital; that is, they labor
| with their own hands and also hire others
to labor for them; but this is only a mixed
| and not a distinct class. No principle stated
Is disturbed by the existence of this mixed
class
Again, as has already been said, there is
not of necessity any such thing as the (free)
| hired laborer being fixed to that condition
for life. Many independent men everywhere
, in these states a few years back in their
lives were hired laborers. The prudent,
penniless beginner in the world labors for
wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to
buy tools or land for himself, then labors
on his own account another while, and at
length hires another new beginner to help
him.. This is the just and generous and
J prosperous systm which opens the way to
all, gives hope to all, and consequent energy
and progress and Improvement OF condition
to all. No men living are more worthy to
be trusted than those who toll up from
poverty; none less inclined to take or touch
aught which they have not honestly earned.
Let them beware of surrendering a political
power which they already possess and
which, If surrendered, will surely be used
to close the door of advancement against
such as they, and to fix new disabilities and
burdens upon them till all Of liberty shall
be lost"
(From the first taking OF our national
census to the last are seventy years, and e
find our population at the end Of the period
eight times as great as 1t was at the begin
ming. The increase OF those other things
which men deem desirable has been even
greater. We thus have at one view, what
the popular principle, applied to government
through the machinery of the states and the
union, has produced in a given time, and
also what. II firmly maintained, 1t promises
for the future. There are already among us
those who, IL the union be preserved. will
live to see 1t contain $50, 000, 900. The strug-
gle of today is not altogether for today; II
Is a vast future also. With a reliance or
Providence all the more firm and earnest
let US proceed in the great task which
events have developed upon u.s.
This great public document that in whict
Abraham Lincoln discussed the Issues be-
tween the free and the slave states In the
beginning of the terrible struggle, is good
enough to be laid before the readers of the
Journal ungarbled. AS 1t was pronounced
not only in the face of the assembled con-
gress but in the presence Of the whole Amer
lean people and OF all civilization, 1t was elo-
quent. true and impressive. Mutilated by
William Jennings Bryan by cutting out all
that explained it's application to the circum-
stances OF the day on which 1t was deliv-
cred, 1t has little significance and the mutt
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