The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-10

compelling him TO sell. or OF our award
ing him any damages for this property
which we "conhscated". II we gave
$1,000 slave his freedom did you ever hear
that we compromised with the "owner'
for fifty cents on the dollar. or any other
cash basis? You will probably admit
that the wage Garner has not received
his share OF the product of his labor.
Then some one has received that TO which
they had no just claim. Who was III
We will say the railroads, anc the wage
Garner in question is employed by them.
In such case, has that road been built
by the owners out OF their own money,
or has IL been built from the money
taken from the employees and the public
in the form of profits?
II with their own money. then where oid
they get the money from In the hrst
place? Did they earn these milnohs, or
were they inherited from some OF thelr
ancestors who fieeeed the public In their
time? IL money filched from the pupnc
was the money that built the roads then
the question is; IL the roads are taken
over by the government (the people) DO
we owe them money in payment for the
same, or have they already robbed the
people I'm profits enough TO compensate
them for their labor? All these indus.
tries Of ours have been built up out OF
money taken from the wage earners OF
the country, also from money that mas
been taken from the consumer In the
form OF extortonate charges. When So
cialism is inaugurated the people VIII
have to decide whether we shall take over
these industries and compensate the own
ers. or whether we shall pass laws restor-
ing 10 us what We have created in .'undi-
vided earnings" Today we are ruled by
the law of the capitalists. when the peo-
pie rule the capitalists must be governed
by the law of the people.
That the trusts rob the people Ia gen.
orally admitted. but they are not amen
able TO law. You see. when a body OF
men are robbers and law breakers at the
tlh
TO make laws that would make criminals
OF themselves.
But, IL the people pass laws making
these men robbers I'm the sight OF the law.
haven't they the power to demand that OF
which they have been robbed? II someone
stole valuable watch from you and the
police caught him would you compel him
to hand II back to you. its rightful own
er, or would you compensate" him for
the loss he would sustain in giving IL up?
wonder what the Rhode Island company
would consider fair valuation OF their
franchise IL the city OF Providence wished
to buy their property? I'll wager II would
take n mighty jump from the valuation
now placed upon II. II Socialism was In.
augurated II would matter little to us
what other countries thought OF our "ex-
/ pertinent" Our first care would be for
! our own people and we would produce
! first OF all for our own use. then IL we
produced more than there was a demand
! for we would begin to think OF exports.
| We are now exporting goods while some
OF our own people are starving.
am afraid that the present prosperity
OF the country" would go TO the dogs
! but 1t would be succeeded by an era OF
prosperity that would benefit every USE
full member of society and not few spe-
ciai ones as IL does today. There would be
| work for every one that wished TO work,
! the hours would be considerably shorter
! for days work as every one would re-
ceive the full product OF his labor there
| by enabling him 10 secure the comforts
of life without compelling him TO work
\ from ten to fifteen hours As there would
be no taxes to pay. there would be no un-
paid taxes to confront us At present part
| os our taxes go to pay four hundred men
FOR making our laws. Another portion
goes to pay the salaries OF nine men who
set aside the laws made by the four hun
| dred men. If the Socialists can beat tina,
for supreme folly they are "corkers."
| You said that as far 'as wanting
share OF the good things. you were as
much n Socialist az myself" / repeat
that II wanting share In the goof
things constitutes a Socialist, then Perry
Morgan, Rockefeller ard Carnegie are
the greatest Socialists that the countr,
contains.
And as for you Friend Hewitt thinl
that you are more of a Socialist than yol
are willing TO admit.
JOHN H. MCPHERSON.
p S-I see j. w had an article I'm TIL
News OF April sth. and he never mention
ed my rights" or sprung the Declara
tion of Independence on Mr. A. s. Ar
mold once. He'll get out OF practice IL h
doesn't take care.