The independent., 1903-05-07

slavery dressed in new form is none
the less slayish; that he may escape
the CALLING yoke of chattel slavery, yei
be the servant of an industrial condi-
tion thousand times worse than tina.
which denied the negro the right to
the fruit OF his toll. The question may
be asked, how far can labor be al
lowed to-. as an organization, use its
power to get higher price for its
labor? You might ask, what is right?
In answer will say that labor shoul !
have as it's share of the fruits of in
dustry the whole proceeds of its la
Dor minus that portion that is essen
tial to maintain just and equitable
government.
Ii it is adjusted according to the
laws of justice, one must not look to
the sphere of selfishness, but look to
the realm of justice, which is co-ordi-
nate with the rights and privileges of
every citizen-for selfishness is fata,
to justice; hence, one must go into
the broad field where the rights of al,
men, irrespective of conditions, are to
be the sacred shrine, around which al.
men can gather.
The slavery of the black man owed
its existence to sordidness-the oil
form of chattel slavery which cared
for the chaItel in exchange for the
proceeds of his labor; but the new or
der of things give labor it's freedom,
yet, indirectly, leaves in the hands of
labor only margin of existence. La
Dor crowded in between employment
on one side and starvation on the 9TH
er has become affected with the ills
that are attendant on social corrup-
ton; hence is compelled to fight for
an existence. With pauperism, the de-
gradation of want and vice, and II
rapacious plutocracy to contend with,
labor will always be in death strug-
gle. AS long as we have discrimina-
ton, legislative larceny and judicial
servility, just that long the toilirg
millions will carry on their backs
tribute-paying burden which, vampire
like, is sucking their very life-blocd,
We would like to call the readers
attention to the difference between
organized capital and organized labor
Capital is organized by creating mo-
nopoly, to get more than legitimate
profit; while labor is compelled to or
ganize for its own protection. Capital
is using it's rover through monopoly
to extort from it's customers more than
what is just; hence it's organization is
unjust and is detriment to the well
fare of the masses. None can OBJ
jec. to profit that is reasonable, but
when the profits become more of toll
than just return for capital invested,
then that toll is nothing less than rob-
berry. Capital that is organized foc
the purpose of extorting from indus
try greater portion than is legiti.
mate is indefensible and cannot cor G
within the bounds of justice. But con-
ditions which are caused by the CEN
tralizing of capital into a few hands,
which has on one side poverty and its
attendant ills and on the other an
opulence that is begotten in political
prostitution which is laying bare 4
condition under which society is put
rifying, cannot be defended; but
where labor is not free to enter an
occupation that is Independent, but
can see on one side poverty, perhaps
starvation, aud on the other employ
ment by capitalistic oligarchy, which
makes labor like the grain that is fed
into the mill, l. e., to pass between
the upper and neither milestone, or
plutocratic opulence, which is the up
per milestone, and poverty. pauperism
and degradation the neither milestone,
has no other recouse. Has not labor
right to save itself from destruction?
In viewing labor as a necessity for
the maintenance of life one must thor
oughly understand that it is a means,
not the end. If labor was the only
thing that is to be taken into consid-
Grafton, then ones usefulness is meas
ured by his capacity to perform work
the OK is measured by the same rule.
If that is to be the end of man, and
he is only allowed mere existence.
then the OK is better off than man.
God gives to the OK a coat of hair,
and mother earth is covered with the
grasses for his sustenance; but mar
who was intended to be lord of Gre
alton must not only feed himself, but
erect his house and gather the fiber
that he may have the wherewith to
clothe himself.
This is perhaps departure from
the line of thought, but is we'll enough
to illustrate the idea that if labor is