Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-11-13
Can You Think =?
From Appeal to Reason

From Appeal to Reason.
You are working man. What interest have
you in the caprtalistic system? Ir what is
your interest bound up with those who fleece
you? You have to work for all you get. You
would, or should do that under any system.
Then, how could Socialism injure you? Un.
der Socialism, you will get the equivalent of
all you produce; now you get but a small part.
When all the capital belongs as much to you
as any other being, you will not have to pay
interest, rent or profit. You will be that much
ahead. But you don't understand Socialism?
Well, isn't it about time that you understand
It? Do you understand capitalism? Capital
ism does not premise you anything more than
you have. You have it in all its glory and
CORY. If you like tiff you are satisfied with
things as they are-it you would not have
things any bettcr-then, of course, there is
nothing more to be done for you. You have all
of life that you are developed to receive. But
if you would like to have better homes, better
clothing, better food, better instruction, better
entertainment, come and help us Socialists get
it. We have the raw material in nature and
the brains and muscle to transform it into the
things that will happily mankind. But we
cannot have it until you workingmen, who are
the majority, will give your consent to make
the change. The change cannot come until
men are elected 10 make the laws who believe
in different way of having things arranged,
Just as we could not have republic until ma
iority were willing to do away with kings and
mobiles. This is yours. Your wife and babies
will then stand on level with all other wives
and babies, so far as wealth is concerned. Do
you want that, or are you willing they should
be the servants and the outcasts of society? Do
you think the capitalists who run the govern
I. A. -
your interest? AS we'll might you expect the
king to make laws in the interest of the people
against himself. The capitalists do not raise
campaign funds of millions to control elections
that they may fl n,ke laws in the interest of the
people against the capitalists. You know that.
You are not satisfied, either. You may say SO
with your mouth, to defend your old party, but
in your soul, you know better. know you. l.
have talked with thousands of you when
could get near your inner feelings, and you are
all dissatisfied. You want many things you
have not got and never will have. Yet, you
work hard, and labor produces the things you
want But the capitalists stand in between
YOU and the other workers in the world, and
take the greater part of the things produced
and appropriate them to their own use. That
is why they live in luxury. That is why tEey
want to control elections. That is why they
spend millions in the campaigns to deceive you
and get your vote, without which they could
control nothing. Your votes control the whole
situation. You can elect capitalists or Social
ists Whichever you elect will give you their
ideals of the way things should be. The
present is the capitalist ideal. The opposite
will be the Socialist ideal. Que means peace,
plenty and pleasure. The other means the
rule OF the many by the rich. 1t is up to you.