Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-06-24

L. They are off. Trusts should
not be fought in that way, for they are
good things-as educators of the peo-
pie. They are showing that by CEN
tralizing the production and distribu-
ton of any commodity under one
management, which has absolute con-
troll Of the article, greatly cheapens
the cost ofthe article-to the producer.
They also show while the producers
profits are double the consumers pay
as much and often more, for the arti-
Gle than he did when there was COM
petition in the production of it. For
illustration: the Standard Oil trust
economies on production by having
absolute control, and by the same
reason can dictate the price. Under
corporate ownership they are injur-
ious to the masses. By public owner
ship they will be beneficial to every
one All will be eventually interested in
the ownership and all will share equal
ly in the profits. Every new trust and
every new combine that is formed
only makes easier the transition from
private to public mopoloy, and FORM
ing one gigantic trust in which all
shall be owners. A trust embracing
all the lands, all the mines, all the for
ests and all the waters of the nation.
A trust to which all shall contribute
their labor and from which all shall
receive in proportion to their labor
contributed A trust in which no idler
shall have an interest-commonwe
ownership of all means OF production.
This can be done. Read and study the
platform of the Social Democratic
party. Think, and you will endorse
it. Thenvote it, If the people of Idaho
had elected men to office who would
have taken the mines and operated
them as q state institution. there
would never have been any labor
trouble in the Occur d. Alenes. The
state could easily secure ownership.
Much easier than it can afford the
endless expense of attempting to settle
the labor troubles by arbitrary, inn
perialistic, military dictatorship. The
miners themselves could settle by the
cooperative ownership among them
selves of mines. If there is still profit
for owners after paying labor why not
labors become owners?
The authorities" are declaring that
they are handling the affair at Ward
ner as expeditiously as possible. That
NAV be true. They say that the men
are being examined as fast as they can
be reached That may be true. But
what compensation will be made to
the hundreds of men who have been
falsely imprisoned i'll box cars and
vile filthy barn for from five days to
four weeks, herded like sheep in a pen;
taken from their work in the mines
and mills with no chance to change
their wet, heavy mine and mill gar
ments for dry ones? How will the
state compensate these men arrested
at the bayonet point, while in the
peaceful pursuit of their daily toll,
given no chance to show whether or
not there was any reason they should
bearrested at all? What excuse or COM
pensation will the state make to those
men who are released after being sub
jected for weeks to indignities, insults
and abuses such as are said to be ac-
corded political prisonrs in Russian
Siberia The indiscriminate and whole
sale arrest and Imprisonment without
the form of preliminary examination
is without precedent in this country.
Business men, preachers, travling men,
visitors, everyone was lined up and
nearly all were taken to Wardner.
There they were thrown into prison
and for twenty-four hours denied food
and drink. They were not even al
lowed out to obey the calls OF nature,
and the Offal from those on the floor
above reelIed down on the heads OF
those below. Men innocent OF any
crime were prodded with bayonets,
clubbled, slapped, knocked down, in
suited and abused. When the tale OF
the abuse heaped upon Cuban prison
ers.by the Spianards was told, howl
ofindignant rage went up from Justice
loving America. What will be said to
those horrors at Wardner! Will not
their crimes be remembered against
those men? Will not the stigma OF
their inhuman treatment OF innocent
men follow them to their graves! 1t
is the duty of every liberty loving Am,
erican citizen to brand those tools OF
insolent wealth in every corner OF the
nation. Not only are the prisoners sub
jected to barbarous treatment, but
the methods of the Inquisition are
said to be resorted to have men make
confessions. A premium is put on per-
jury, and it is said men have been
offered large sums of money, II they
will s'incriminate some one, 1t doesn
sIsI.a !, JlaxraI Al in a ffnTC