The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-03-28

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another remnant Of barbarism was re-
moved.
The wooden toll gates are gone, but
the human toll gates remain. Any man
who taxes the labor of activity of
others is nothing more than a toll gate.
He may call himself a manufacturer,
a landlord or banker, or any other fair
sounding name, but if he receives
money without rendering any personal
service, he is a toll gate.
Rockefeller stands between the
whole nation and the oil fields, and
takes toll on every gallon. Whenever
to pass through Havermeyer's toll gate
and in front of nearly every railroad
depot Pierpont Morgan's toll gate
stands.
Every capitalist has his toll gate and
stands behind like mendicant friar,
holding out his hat for that compulsory
charity which he calls rent, profits and
interest. The self-importance of these
obstructionists would be amusing if it
were not for the nations welfare. They
imagine there would be no business
if it were not for the obstacles they
put in the road. They think a steamer
is propelled, not only by steam and
machinery, but by the barnacles that
stick to the bottom.
These human toll gates claim to
"provide us with work, "but the fire
bug could claim the same virtue. Cap
itilists make work; so does a naughty
baby. If work is a good thing, why do
they try to escape it? If it is bad
thing, why do they try to make more?
They claim to have superior ability"
So did slavedrivers. So did blood
hounds. So have mosquitoes and bed
bugs and arantulas.-Herbert N. Cas-
son.
I do not want the earth. + only ask
That portion of it's plenty which is
mine;
That I may live the life which Gods
design
Marked not for slothful ease or endless
task.
will not fawn at fortunes feet, nor
bask
Contented with reflected glorier shine,
Until the coming day when wrath de-
vine
Shall tear away from Mammon's face
the mask.
Give me fair recompense for dangers
faced:
Give me but fair reward for labor
done;
A chance to breathe Of Gods pure air
a breath.
And time for rest in all the hours of
haste,
That l may see the smiling of the sun
Ere darkness cometh in the guise of
death.
A priest writing against Socialism
in the Butte Miner, says: Socialism
| would destroy the home by taking
children from the care of their mothers
and placing them in kindergartens and
schools. My! how terrible. But how
about capitalism? Does it not tear
| husbands from home, and even mothers
and children apart and place them in
| factories and sweatshops? People who
oppose Socialism with such flimsy rea-
sons are enemies both to the teachings
of Christ and the welfare of the hum
an family.
|
| The Jogues Debating Society of St..
1gnatus SCollege of Cleveland, Ohio,
| held debate on the question: "Will
Socialism Remedy the Evils of the
Present Condition of Society? William
$. Nash and Hubert c. LeBlonde spoke
IN the affirmative, and James x. Cum
minis and Thomas J. O'Rielly in the
negative. Revs. P. Farrell j. McHale,
W. S. Kress, DR.. r. A. Burke and
Judge Kennedy were the Judges and
they decided in favor of the Socialists
on every point. Bishop Horstman was
heard to remark that he concurred in
the decision, but would prefer to have
seen it go the other way.
| The Buffalo Enquirer, commenting on
Carroll D. Wright's claim that the la
Dor problem cannot be solved, presents
the picture of an ideal society with
capital and labor standing side by side.
Now, why should some men be capital
lists and some laborers under an ideal
society? Where is there anything ideal
in the thought of some men with cap
1tal to do their work for them, and
others obliged to work whit their naked
hands? Why shouldn't the workers
prefer to be capitalists! Why shouldn't
they insist on taking turns!
You can only earn your bread by two
ways of life, personal labor or specu-
lation. If you do it by labor, the re-
turns are meagre, but if you rob no
one-if fact others rob you of large
part Of the value you create. If you
do it by speculation, by profit, interest
or rent, what you get comes out of
someone else and you belong to the
vampire class to just that degree. You
enjoy a special privilege as against the
general interest of those who toll, the
special interest of levying interest upon
your fellow creatures.
|
Socialism is not necessary, says our
| critics, all that need to he done is to