Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-06-10
NATIONS true greatness
finds expression in the hap
piness of its people. And So
cial happiness depends upon

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two basic factors: Individ-
ualfreedom and industrial prosperity.
In the absence ofeither, national happi-
ness is impossible, and national great
ness fiction.
The American people to-day have
neither individual liberty nor indus
trial prosperity, and yet we call our
selves a great nation. In what res
pect are we great? True, we are great
in material wealth, and in the extent
of our national resources, but of what
benefit are they to us as a nation?
They are monOpolized by a few para
sites, to whom the genius ofunscrupu-
lous cunning has transferred the lions
share of the social wealth by Labor's
toll created Can nation be great
from whose soilits people are excluded,
unless they pay tribute to some foreign
or domestic landlord-allow them
selves to be held up and plundered in
the name of rent by some legal free
booter before they may use that which
belongs equally to all by natures de
cree? Can we call that nation great
under, whose flag there exists more
poverty, more discomfort and social
wretchedness than obtains anywhere
else on the globe? we are scarcely
great, unless we cheerfully admit that
we are great fools. We have establish
ed in this country social system iden-
teal with that of the despised mon
arches of the old world and yet we
boast and buster about our 'Great
Republic" forgetting that republics
differ from monarchies only in the name
lin the mask assumed to hide the hid
eous features of government behind it.
But the spirit of discomfort is abroad
in the land. The restless, on-sweeping
tide of progress has now risen against
its barriers, over-topped its cOntlning
1evees of law, and threatens to spill
itself over the low-level of the existing
order in red tide of revolutionary
destruction. The people have turned
the searchlight of investigation upon
their cherished institutions, and the
result is the rumble of volcano. Deep
in the underground world-modeen
Capitalism's industrial Hell-are gat-
hered the pent up forces of social dyna-
mite-the hatreds and curses born
of centuries of wrong and wretched-
ness.
Over this sleeping Vesuvius of uni
versal dissatisfaction, menaced Mann
mons mighty few tread in careless
indifference, blindly installing the
shaking crust on which they stand for
rock of safety. They care only for
themselves, for the present only as it
may effect their pursuit of gold and
gain, and wot not oftomorrow's even
tful dawn, when
"Like lions reused from slumber,"
the mighty hosts of rebellious Labor
shall burst from the control of priest
and politician, and unloose the full
tide of their just vengeance long delay
ed. The plutocratic class see only the
glitter of their boarded wealth; to all
else eyes have they and see not ears,
but they hear not; neither do they COM
prehend.
AS of old Nincveh has habits messen-
yer of warning. but the message is un-
needed. They who are at the top con-
slider that they are masters of their
own destiny. But, in the subterranean
world beneath them is fast gathering
a force that, soon or late, will newt
ably work their undoing. They laugh
at the warnings oftheir own prophets.
They point to their police, their armies,
their walled and barred dungeons,
their gallows, in short, to their re-
sources, and in fancied security
they sleep-the fatal sleep OF the
duped. But the day will come at
last when the earth will heave with
sudden catastrophe. The slumbering
fires will leap from the subterranean
depths till they fash across the red
dawn, carrying to trembling privilege
a fiery message sof doom. The we'll
trained armies of plutocracy Will be-
scattered by the lightning of the sud
den attack, and their legions will
wither in the dynamite blast.
Modern society resembles the ancient
city of Pompeii The citizens heard
the rumbling OF the volcano for many
years. They feared it not. 1t was to
them a harmless thing. Now and then
one more thoughtful said, What if
there should be an eruption" His fel-
lows answered lightly: "FoolP' they
cried, There will be no eruption; you
are an alarmist; you are fool?' And
said they all. Look at our great city!
How firm it's walls. How massive the
columnsl How splendid the great
houses, the palacesl Look! See how
soiled the earth is. How firm 1T Isl
There can be no earthquake But
there was