The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-05-16
Labor Column.
The Monopoly System.

Y 1t is an established fact tina
!. we cannot have an effect with
: out cause 1t is so in ever
| science Nature demonstrates i
in all of its different branches: b
; it in the laws that govern the ele
ments, or be it in those product
Of nature of which the animals
birds or plant life are part. W.
cannot have a wind-which Is al
effect-if the cause which creates
that wind has not first taken place
Our bodies would never suffer
from desease, if we never acted
contrary to the laws Of nature; in
fact, every result that is attained,
can-if we try to discover it-be
traced to a definite cause.
"The Monopoly System" is the
effect of causes which have pre-
ceeded it; and those causes are to
be found IN the Competitive Sys
TEN. Nature produces no two
things alike, the leaves upon the
same tree. when examined. by a
microscope are found to be I'M
like; and so it is with man, only
the difference is much GREATER
for it exists not alone on the sur
face, but also in those faculties of
thought and actions, which man
alone possesses.
Some men are strong and some
are weak. Some are endowed
with great minds, while others
have no power to think. Some
can take advantage of every sop.
portunity," and others only see
the opportunity" after it has
SllpeQ from them,
The Competitive System has
taken advantage of this difference;
and the strong have crushed the
weak; the great minds have been
used to make the lesser minds con.
tented with their lot in life, while
they fleeced the ones who were in.
capable of thinking; and they did
all in their power to lessen the
opportunities of the unthinking
class, so they might reserve the
best opportunities for the class,
which they were representing,
and to which they themselves be
longed.
If family consisting of severa
should have one strong,
intelligent child among them. do
you think that the father of that |
family would allow this child to
deprive all the rest of the necessi
ties of life7 Do you think, that
while sitting around the dinner
table, with all the good things in
the plain sight Of all, that this
child would be permitted to gath
Or all to himself, while the rest
ooked on with hungry eyess
Don't you know that this father
would hold back this strong in
.elligent child of his, and permit
lis weaker children to partake of
he provisions which he had pro. ,
vided for allf
Every father of a family knows
hat he would not permit any of ,
lis children to act in this manner {
ct, if he is business man, he /
vill leave home, enter into com !,
'etltion with his brothers. and i
~ to do that very same thing. {
Gradually the strong have over {
ONE the weak; gradually the
'ealth, created by labor, has got !
ito the hands of few; as the i
blowing statistics will show: g
In 1850. the wealth of the nation /
as Eight Billion dollars, the pro ;
ucer getting 62l per cent nearly i
NO thirds of the total wealth. |,
In 1860, the wealth was sixteen .
Iiiions, and the producers share q
II to 49, per cent, less than one "
llf OF the total wealth. +:
In 1870, the wealth increased d.
thirty billions, and the produ. d.
rs share was only 323 per cent, W
hich is about one third of the 10
tai wealth.
In 1880. wealth agalu increased CO
forty eight billions, and the ar
oducers share went down to "a ba
r cent, or about one-fourth of te
e total wealth. r.,
In 1890, the wealth further in We
.aSed to sixty one billions and hn