The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-09-04

fell to II per cent, the non-pro-
ducers' increased to SO.
And now in 1900 it is estimated
that the wealth of the country is
800, 900, 900, 900, while the producers
share has fallen to 10 per cent. and
the non-producers' has run up to 90
per cent.
The government report in 1890 also
shows that SO per cent. of our popu-
lation are born in poverty, and con-
signed to a life of servitude. This
state of affairs proves that society is
badly in need of reconstruction. A
Socialist is one who believes in re-
forming society from the ground up.
Socialism will build a great com
mon wealth of all the means of pro-
duction and distribution. It is by
the means of production in the hands
of the few that the wealth produced
by the laborers is wrenched from the
toilers by profit, rent and interest.
John D. Rockefeller is selling lamp
oil (refined) from Is to 20 cents per
gallon, making profit of millions of
dollars off of the workers. Social
ism would give the people oil at 2
cents per gallon with a profit left to
flow in the treasury of the society.
Socialism would give us a railroad
system owned by the great common
wealth with passenger and freight
rates as low or lower than any nation
on earth can. In Switzerland one
can buy a ticket for Sc good for Is
days and Is nights.
In New Zealand n can travel at
q of a cent per mile, and still leave
a profit for each year of 81, $50, 900
per 1000 miles, which goes into the
national treasury, which is used to
run the expenses of the government.
The common schools, colleges and
universities are run by the govern
ment, and hence are free to all the
people.
New Zealand also owns the tele-
graphs, telephones, national life and
fire insurance means for the people
at very low rates, with a profit on all
these institutions, they raised the
limit of taxation to 50, 800. So no
man pays any taxes there until he is
worth more than 81, 500. Socialism
in full will wipe out taxation in full.
Socialism will change u repre-
sentative system of government to a
| direct system of legislation. Then
all the laws and all the officers would
be voted on by the people and the
majority would rule. We would
have no boss President, no boss U.
| S. Senators, no boss congressman, no
| boss Judges to set aside the verdict
or will of the people expressed at the
ball-box, no railroad boss, no coal
boss, no bank boss, no Standard Oil
boss. This boss business has got to
be shame on our intelligence. oh,
what an army of boss politicians and
preachers! May I ask how would
you feel without a boss?
Socialism is coming and down will
go all the bosses. The big boss, the
fat boss, ana the cussing boss, and
the walking boss, and all, and the
people will be their WI boss.
Socialism, or society, will own all
machinery and hence will furnish
employment to all the people. 1t
will wipe out all profit, all rent and
| all interest, and furnish all the prod
ucts of labor at labor cost. The labor
cost of a top buggy is IS, binder $25,
pair of shoes that now cost So will
not exceed 80 cents, etc., etc.
The four foundation corner stones
of Sociahsm-Justice Liberty, Equal
ity, Fraternity-are being laid broad
and deep, The artisans are faith
fully at work. And despite the car
penters of politics and thinkers of re-