Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-02

IF our legislative bodies are com
posed of men of sterling qualities,
honesty and high ideals, depend upon
it, they were elected by intelligent and
just men, but if dishonesty and corrup-
ton prevails, the voters are of a low
standard of morals. Intelligence and
morality will always be represented
by men of integrity and wisdom; and
demagogues will always represent ig-
norance. Intelligence is the only at
mosphere deadly to it's light as the
black damps OF the mine to miners
lamp.
You must practice the same homely
virtues in your homes and among your
neighbors, that you want to see pre-
vail in our government affairs. This
simple doctrine, coupled with indie
pendence and education will do more
to purify the political body and ad-
vance human liberty than all the rem
edies of the political doctors The
labor question is as much above po-
litical party as Christianity is above
creed 1t embraces the whole scope
OF political economy, the entire fabric
OF society. It's longitude and latitude
telligent solution on the basis of eter-
nal justice is pregnant with messages
OF peace and tranquility for the future.
| Hence the burning necessity OF prac-
teal education among the toiling mil
lions of America:
Ignorant Toll the Victim.
First. That you may be able to
| f1,p Nf
those who live and grow rich from the
fruits of your labor Ignorant honest
toll, always has been and always will
4 be, the victim and the drudge OF edu-
Gated, crafty greed. Those who do
the worlds work are robbed OF the
fruits of their labor. Old warped and
battered toilers, who have produced
enough wealth in their time to sup
port three or four lives. look back over
the weary and profitless struggle
| through the windows OF hovel and
eat the crust OF ignorant poverty in
their old age.
You see the employers of labor and
captains of industry exploiting the
wealth from the profits of your labor
and living in the palaces you have
built, and you envy them, and wonder
what meat our Caesar feeds upon
that he has grown so great VIII
/ tell you, he has eaten of the meat OF
education and ambition, while you
| have picked the bones of contentment
and ignorance. While you were stunt
/ ing your manhood in the foul air and
darkness Of the mine, he was devel-
oping his brain in the light of learn
ing; while you were filing an extra
car, he was filing his mind with use
| full knowledge When you met in
4 conventions to try to better your condi-
ton dcmagogues lead you into rash
acts, and you would indulge in violent
| language, and you were called anafch-
lists. When they met, it was council
and their work was to declare divi-
dends on the profits of your labor and
blacklist labor agitators. They were
4 successful and you failed. 1t is the
immutable and Interchangeable law that
Ignorance must be the servant OF
knowledge. There is means of pro-
lection, you must educate yourselves.
Proper Exercise of Ballot.
Second. The proper exercise of the
right of suffrage and the duties of cit.
izenship require education, a compre.
hensive understanding of the princi-
pies of government and Knowledge
of the political issues of the day. The
working men are first and greatest
sufferers from the evils of misgoVern
ment.
In this country. all reforms and
movements for better conditions, eth
er of moral social OF political ma
ture. come from the people. The
III 4
publican form OF government is that
the people shall be the source of all
power, that their will shall be SUI,
preme. that their ideas, sentiments
and wishes shall be harmonzed and
crystallized into governing mandates
and become the laws of the land. An
American citizen has great RESPONSE
bility resting on him, unless he dis
charges his duties wisely and honest
ly, he will reap the punishment of his
own acts, to do this education is nee
essary.
The great industrial masses devote
too much time to their occupation. and
too little time to studying conditions
they neglect the sources of informa
ton that are available, and they are
too apt to look at questions that vital
: ~ concern themselves through the
coiored glasses of prejudice and they
become the victims of unscrupulous
demagogues: these are men who are
endowed with the gift Of oratory in
stead of honesty and common sense
They are dangerous to the cause OIL
labor They play upon the passion:
and prejudices of the uniformed, lead
ing them into acts of rashness ant
doing irreparabIe damage to rheiI
cause; And miners in their meetings
, to select delegates to represent then
in q conference where the welfare o.
their craft is at stake, OF officers t