The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1903-05-16
LABOR COLUMN.
Devoted to the Interests Of the Laborer
H BRAGG
share has risen to 80 per cent.

cent, and the working class onl
3 per cents OF our total popuI;
ton only per cent. is in til
wealthy class; 10 per cent in th
middle class; and - per cent hC
long to the work ing class. A
the amount of wealth productio
increases, the producers share il
that wealth deer eases. Accordin!
to the last census report, One-hal
of IS per cent of our population
is born IN poverty, and consigned
to life of servitude; and three
quarters of our population owl
only three cents on the dollar il
the total wealth of the country
practically all of which the labor
of their class has created. This
class is increasing in numbers
and the middle class is being con
stantly crowded INTO the already
overcrOwded ranks of labor. How
long do you think 1t will take for
the non-producing class to gobble
up the remainder of the wealth?
and then, what will we be2 viii
we be slaves or freemen? Once
again we have arrived at that con
ditiOn in which wealth is owned
by the few and poverty is the
blrth-right of the many. Once
more the world is in the same
condition 1t was when Egypt,
Greece and Rome, and all other
ancient nations, fell.
This concentration of wealth is
bound to continue as long as we
remain under the present system.
of society. 1t could not possibly
be otherwise, for every individual
now strives with might and main
to advance in wealth, no matter if
it does cause pain and suffering to
others, who are not so fortunate
as to possess the same qualifica.
tons.
Dishonesty is looked upon as a
virtue, when it is carried on in
what is calIed-''Legitimate bust.
ness" and the wealth gained by
this dishonesty must find an ont.
let in many channels.
AS only certain amount of
produce is obtained by labor from
nature, and few individuals take
the bulk of that produce, is it not
apparent that the many must be
satisfied with but littIe9 and IS it
lot plain to be seen, that when
he few obtain so much profit by |
he sale of these products, it is
for them to use these |
Profits for their own individual |
reeds, and consequently they are
creed to find other means by
Which This surplus wealth can be
nvested9
These have been the methods
hat have prevailed under the
Competitive System; so, how
ould it result in any other way
han by developing a monopoly in
very line of industry The i'm.
renee profits ACQUIRING to John ID
rockefeller from his monopoly of
il, could not lie idle; so he was
bliged to enter other fields; and
ne more fields he enters, the more
rofits he gains; and the more he
compelled to still further CON
entrate the industries of the ma
on
There are some people who ad
)cate the destruction of mono
ply by having laws passed 10 /;
irtall the powers Of the trusts :
bis is impossible for many rea
ms. In the first place, If is not q
st: for the men. who are at the
'ad OF these monopolles have 4,
lned legitinately, and should So ],
rty strive to make laws that ),
,nld deprive them Of the advan- ),
ees they have gained, it would :,
them great injustice. for un. :.
r the Competitive System -
lat man owns he has a right =,
do with as he chooses. i,
Again, suppose we should sue .,
ID in breaking up these trusts j,
! monopolies, we would only 90
tx to the old Competitive Sys
a and in short time other
SITS and monopolies would de
OPP and we would have to
A., :, +