The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
THINKS MEN NOT EQUAL.

as follows:
The interest of the people in the socia
crisis is evinced by numerous letters
from thoughtful and intelligent CORES
| pondents, who offer solutions Of indus
trial problems and remedies for the mis-
cry and poverty which are the heritage
Of so large portion OF the human race
The single tax, the abolition Of rents,
the reduction of profits. the prohibition
Of interest, free trade free silver, sump-
tuary laws, socialism, communism and
anarchy all have their advocates, whose
sincerity entities their theories to re-
spectful consideration.
Like a respondent patient long IL. who
has lost confidence in the faculty and
the'- Prescriptions. the wretched and IN
| fortunate are patronizing political apo
thecaries with their patent meH,ines
and consulting fetch doctors and vco-
Goos with their cabalistic divinations
Much Of the prevalent discomfort. 70
doubt spr'r gs from a perverted col1t.tl-
ton ofthe nature OF human liberty ard
the meaning Of human equality.
The glttering generalities OF Thomas
Jefferson. that all men are created equal,
and that the rights Of life. liberty and
the pursuit OF happiness are inalienable.
have been the texts for many Injurious
instructions They are rhetorical -four
ishes, meaningless to the gentleman on
the scaffo!d and IN Sing Sing who pur-
suei the feeting phan'cm of happiness
with the jimmy o; the burglar ana the
! da ger of NE as>ase;1
Men are not created equal physically.
| mora lIV or INTELLECTUALLY t.
! opportunity nor condition.
It is perhaps accurate TO saw that o.
the fifteen hundred million inhabitants
OF the earth no two are created equal
! Nature is incapable of uniformity and
| detests equality as much as she abhors
a vacuum. One is made to honor, another
to dishonor. as one star differeth from
another star in glory
History is a seriestof repetftions. Those
who have failed in life blame everybody
! but themselves. The complaint against
! fate Is as old as Adam. It will end only
with the epitaph Of humanity The dis
| tinctions between men were established
by act of God and they cannot be abol-
| ished by act Of congress.
Were all these panaceas enacted into
statutes. all barriers thrown down. all OBJ
| stacles removed. all burdens lifted and
the whole constituency lined up for
! fresh start the result would be the same
Were all the wealth of the country
equally distributed there would be about
1920 per capita Could the assets of the
country be provided pro rata, share and
share alike. the first day Of January, 1900.
by the close of the century the sole OF
I ba nh a7fh ron icf 70
the same spectacle Of inequality existing
as now. Some would be in the cab, some
on the foot board, some in private cars
and others walking the ties in search Of
dry culvert for the night and in six
months more the reformer ofthe wrongs
OF society would demand in the name OF
Justice another division.
1t seems trite and superfous 10 affirm
that the equality Of man can mean moth
ing more than the equality Of rights be-
fore just laws and equality of opportu-
nifty IN the race Of life. Every man has
the absolute right TO the use of his fac
ulties and opportunities to the utmost
to better his condition and increase his
fortune 50 long as he does not interfere
with the free exercise of the same rights
by everybody else.
It should be apparent also upon the
most superficial reflection that political
liberty by maintaining equality Of rights
must inevitably result in greater Unequal
itv Of condition than anv other system.
All letters are cast of Everything goes
Life is a grand free for all There is no
pedigree. nor caste. nor prerogative. The
sway-backe mule has the same rights
; h.
monarchs of the turf The petted canary
and the screaming jav have equal rights
IN the atmosphere with the condor soar
ing above the inaccessible peak OF Chin
borazo or the frigste bird that sleeps a.
midnight with pinons outspread UPON the
tempest thousand leagues from shore.
In the exercise OF his powers and the
enjoyment Of freedom can laws assign
any frontier beyond which a man may
not pass? In the kingdom Of knowledge
can any bound be set 70 learning and
wisdom? Can society say 10 Edison or
Telsa: You shall explore the mysteries
of nature no further lest you infringe
the equality of man?
Can we say what reward they shall re-
ceive for the inestimable benefits they
have conferred upon the world.
Can legislators. or conventions. or tri-
ounals assess the wages thar Media shall
receive for her songs. or Kipling for his
stories, or Choate for his argument. or
Bryan for his eIoquenc-. OF Irving for
his impersonation
The world is eager for excellence II
pays for what Il wants. There has been
no time when the man OF woman who can
was so sure OF instant recognition and
ample emolument as now. Il T. the es-
sental corolIary to liberty that courage
energy. sagacity and dexterIty should
succeed that the brains shogli wiz The
victories ard secure the prizes - lie
Reason rebels a. the thought % TIE es-
adjustment OF tributary restrictions upon
;hs activity of orr powers and the fell
enjoyment or their acquisitions
The tine will never come whs1 the
race will not Be % ths swift, ana ne bat
tIe 70 the strong Incidence vii never
have The same wages as chTi:t nor sEaor-
aacs the same reward a. wisdom
Ambition VII neveV lose is iac.ntivs
Tor genius Is suprenzcy. Poverty ard
debt xii. never BE abolished b. edlc:. n5r
viii those who have failed il Iifs having
rad ecZA opportunity. taks charge o.
ne affairs q ,hsss wh' Rave ss-cs=6eS
TIE dream q Jack Cate an re zi1srea
-sfor-e-s VII nsvsr - realized
The popular u0ti5n no~ seems e -
thai there = inst - much wealth n IRE
world. hat ne IS . struggle - Sc wao
shall z-ah n. mist So ,ha: - 1aa
Who has acquired a fortune hzs obtzsre5
No mistake coEie - er-zts- ths ac1ul-
~