The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-10-12

The future Of labor and the hope Of
mankind depend on the dynamic force
Of ideas, and the conquering power of
justice. These two forces have given
the world its progress, and lifted man
above the beasts. ..i,y.a- &
Justice may tarry long, but she has
never missed date on the calendar
Of the Almighty. Her feet step with
the music of the universe, and her
hands destroy him who maketh q dis
cord.
Ideas are living forces, indestructi-
bic. and produce q harvest after their
kind. Whether good or bad they mold
men, they shape laws and they crystal
lice into institutions. All the institu-
tions upon earth today are simply the
product Of the ideas which preceded
them.
Lofty ideas elevate the race, while
sordid ideas degrade and destroy. A
century and half ago the world was
studying the rights Of man, It lifted
it, eyes upward, and 1t evolved , the
principle Of equality, the principle Of
freedom-freedom Of conscience, free
dom Of thought, freedom of speech
and freedom Of action. In the course Of
years these principles put an end to
the criminal career Of kings, and In
America they founded a republic. based
on an entirely new theory Of govern
ment, the theory Of equality Of rights,
the principle Of freedom.
These ideas had a quickening and
inspiring effect on the human mind,
they enlarged the soul and broadened
the intellect.
Under the stimulus Of freedom men
became great in all lines Of human
activity, moral, material and intellect
ual. The nineteenth century was the
product of the ideas embodied in the
Declaration of Independence. The
death of human slavery in America
was the necessary result Of these
ideas. No matter how firmly grounded
an institution may be, nor how strong
ly protected by material forces. If 1t
has In it the element of wrong. it
must go down before the combined
power of lofty ideas and eternal justice.
During the last century there were
many movements Of new thought,
which first met with fierce opposition.
but which withstood all attack, and
finally were enacted into laws-finally
crystallized into institutions.
OUR GREEDY COMMERC1ALISM.
We cannot stop to discuss these, but
wish to notice a wage. or rather a
deludge Of thought that has enveloped
the earth, and is threatening our civil
ixation-this is the deludge Of CONNER
cfalism.
The impetus which has been given
to the human mind by the ideas Of lib
erty and independence produced great
invsntorh ,acientis ta. Dhilosop piers, ner-
chants, engineers, flnancters, ana great
generals Of industry. 's,'' Pm.
Men not only studied the stars but
they laid bare the secrets Of nature
and harnessed her forces to the wheela
Of labor.
Then men began to dream Of riches;
they turned from the sun to look fol
dollars. From the contemplation Of
great principles the world turned tt
money getting.
For more than half country Europe
and America created alters to Nam
mon, and everything was measured by
a observation-disclosures by the pound, Of
counted in dollars.
We are now reaping the harvest thai
has grown out Of these commercial
ideas, and 1t is a harvest Of corruption
a harvest Of bribery, a harvest Of NOR
al decay. A harvest that Is lowering
all high ideals. and Is destroying Am.
erican manhood and republican institu'
lions.
Looking back at the working force,
we find that like attracks like: SINH
lar forces appeal to each other. Thu
when the ideas of human rights and 0
freedom occupied mems minds, men ap
pealed to what was lofty and nobl
In each other; they made justice tn
standard. From this came 4 generation
OF men and women who enthronet
duty and built domestic alters Of right
eousness, and thus bred a race o
giants. r
But when commericalism took posses
sion Of mems minds, and it became a.
end instead Of a means, men appeale
only what was sordid in each Other
The dollar appealed to the love of tn
dollar. Mans character soon beca1h
the image Of the thing which occupie
his mind; everything was brought to
low level.
Money-getting having become til
principal aim and object of life, the en-
was held to justify the means. an
their consciences to get money. In
stead Of studying the stars. CONNER
cialism 10 like g. hen in q barnyar
scratching for insects. and holding il
eyes 50 close to the ground that
never sees the mighty landscape Out
side. When commercialism sharpen
the appetite It wrinkles the mind an
shrivels the soul. Left to itself 1t wi
In time destroy commerce.
Instead of government being a shiei
for the weak. money laws, franchise
bonds, and q thousand other corruI
agencies, government, both fedora
state and municipal. IL used to despo
the. American people. I'D. 49,,
The Anariean x,ennlA ara a wonder