The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-07-23
THE PROFIT CURSE.
BY CARLOS GOOD.

The curse Profit rules the world today
Before Monarchs bow their naughty heads
And devout clergy, in their inner souls,
Kneel down and worship, cen while prasng God.
From down the ages-snce the birth of man
Has brother sought to garner unearned gain
From of the labor, hard and toilsome, of
His brother Even rature's bounes,
Created by the All Wise all
His children-the land and all within it,
He's fenced around and claims it's ownership,
That he may exact Profit for its
For what does exploit his fellow-man
But for the Profit he gather in? -
For what does sell falsahood S the truth
But for the greater measure of his gain?
The food eat, that strength may not depart,
The cup we drink that health may with us stay;
The clothes we wear that warmth may give life
Are but authorizations vile, impure
Death dealing in their gross unheathfuness-
And all that greater Profit may accrue
The seed of Self implanted in mans SOUL
Ambition watered quickly fructfed
And lowered and Profit is the harvest 81 i
Fasehood deceit, ingrattude make up.
Mans daily ife that Profit may fat.
IT'S Profit that makes ingrates of us all
The milk of human kindness" in mans SOUL
Soured by selfish greed, now bghts and wthers
Every kind and human thought that blossoms
The who work given scanty-wage
That greater Profit may pockets bulge
Fen little children are not spared but yield
Their youth, their hopes, their tender blood
All to mans insatiate greed for Profit
The things for which we strive come from the land
The air, the water, made for al mankind
BY One we call, with reverence, Our Father.
Their transformation into wealth for men
Should be by all, for all, in equal parts.
Twas Gods intent-so taught His Son-that all
Should SHARE alike the work and the reward
But man said, MOI Well fight for Gods good gifts;
The scheming brain, the mailed hand, perchance,
Shall be the leader in this strife for wealth
And seize the products of the many's toll"
And so it is 1.-THE millions create wealth
The thousands confscate fol- their use.
For centuries the yellow clay" has worked
That porcelain" may live in id1eness
Upon the wealth the plebean dirt created.
How long shall such injustice reign on earth?
How long shall men, the perfect types of those
Christ scourged from out the temple control the
Destinies of those He gave His life for?
Twill not be long: their is nearly run.
Prom the Mountain heights of Education
The people see the light of coming day.
kducations mighty power will IreaI the
Chains OF bondage and free the slaves o. greed,
But, blame not the Few who rule the Many.
The fault lies with the system Competition
Begot Profit and Profit rules the earth.
Birth, environments and circumstances
Were the moulders of the characters of
The Few. They cannot rise above their source
But Competitions days are few The rising
Sun Of Cooperation is the
HORIZON It's cheering rays plainly
Visible to those whose eyes open.
The fruition of their hopes the harvest
From the good seed sown. just before
Hark. List What sounds of music do we hear?
Tis the melody OF the Spheres And as
The sweet and gladstone stcains down the
Corridors of Time, the Angels join their
Voices in the joyous refrain, and Chant
God bless the whose iov5 OF brother
Has teen great whose faith i'll those He loved
LAS been so strong, whose iabOTs for mankind
Have been constant that this day marks the
Death Of ul-grinding Profit and the birth
OF the cooperative Commonwealth ="