Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-25
DE4.OcRATic GOVERNMENT,
"A Government NJ the People and by the
People should lie for Az tbs
people'a Good.

PeOple'H Good
Speaking of the miners strike
Chairman Hanna, of the republican
national committee, says;
81 viii not discuss the miners strike
from n political standpoint, There IL
something far more important than
questions Of politics involved In u sit
untion like that, II looks Ike u set
Element was In sight, bur until that is
accomplished there should be nothing
said about the steps which have been
taken 10 bring II about, The politi'
clan who for partisan advantage would
seek TO promote n strike like the one
now in progress in the anthracite dis
trict should be taken out and banged
TO lamp post Want makes men
desperate, and, from what am told,
the women in the anthracite region
have become more desperate than the
men, There Is no politics involved In
this strike, and II should not be dis
cussed by anybody from a political
standpoint
] am not surprised that Chairman
Hanna doesn't want the strike issue
and the rights Of the miners to living
wages made polticnl issue, Al the
same time ! can conceive Of no ques'
tion which better deserves place In
our politics lnNn one which involves
the right uf men who create wealth
to wages that will permit them 10 live
comfortably and drccntly, and enjoy
something more than n mere animal
existence, What the capitalists who
own the coal mines do with their prof
its ought also TO he political ques'
ton, No government Is n good gov
eminent unless II Is n just govern
ment; and no just government will
permit idle capitalists 10 make men
and women desperate" by oppress-
ing them and robbing them of their
earnings.
"There Is no politics involved in
this strike" says Mr., Hanna, And
yet politics Is the science Of govern
ment, aud the government has created
and licensed the great corporations
which stand on one side in this con-
test. The iden Of Mr.. Hanna, and
those who think as he does, seems to
be that the rich are above all govern
ment, and that laws are to be made 10
enable them to rob labor with mpun-
ity but that question as TO the right
3uIncss Of dividends wrung from the
swcOt and blood OF toiling miners who
have TO live almost like beasts, ought
never TO be injected into politics, II
is very evident why those million0ircs,
rolling in wealth and enjoying every
luxury, are anxious TO keep their re-
lations with their oppressed and out
ragged wage earncrs from becoming n
political question, And II Is equally
evident that those relations are going
to become Il political question, in
spite Of anything Nr, Hanna and the
coal b0rons can do to prevent H. It
will get into politics, because it is
right that il should, and because the
strong arm Of the government IL the
only power that can relieve the over
budcned and uudyrpaid miners,
The right Of any innn to live in ease
and luxury while the labor that digs
his wealth out of the dark Governs Of
The earth is starved and crushed and
cheated and denied Il right to n decent
living, is going TO be insisted ON as
a matter Of politics. No doubt Mr.
Hanna would like 10 hang every So
cinIlst who prochims the eternal
truth that man has The right To enjoy
the products Of his labor, but there
are too many of MS now for that TO he
practicable, Republicans, ave and
democrats and populists as well, who
still believe in property rights that
are inimical To manhood rights, are
going TO be overwhelmed some day by
a rising tide of popular sentiment in
favor Of new political economy.
And that new political economy will
teach that the doctrines OF the decla-
ration of Independence, and the still
more profound ethics ot the golden
rule, apply between the man who tolls
and the man who rpaps u profit from
another's toll. Before we become
really Christian or civilized, we have
got to refrain from treating other men
as we would be unwilling to have them
treat us, and become willing and nnx-
ious to do for others all those things
we would like TO have them do for MS.
That is the only way in which we can
live worthy Of our immortal birth
right as creatures into whom God has
brc0thed the breath of life, and whom
He has endowed not only with physi-
cal and intellectual, but also with
spiritual natures.
Any government which fails to pro-
tcct its weakest ana humblcst citizen
against the rapucl'y and injustice of
the rich and powerful, is unworthy to
endure and will perish from the earth.
Any form of politics which does not
interest itself in the wrongs of the
plundcred and outraged workers in
underground cayerns, is unworthy the
consideration of good citizens. Kan
sas Pppulist.
fIhn n,,pt 20 Ia 80.