The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-17

measures, Out was the question: dS u
which crowd or class should have
control Of the government: that it
was not SO much money reform that
was needed as emancipation from the
vise-liAe grip of plutocracy. had one
thing yet to learn, viz: that the work.
ling class is the only power that can
bring about this emancipation. Like
many other unconscious hypocrits,
mad always considered myself as thor
onghly democratic and as a true friend
OF the WORKING lass SO long as it was
hept down in it's proper place of sub
ordination; but did not look for sal
Walton from this source. The middle
classes and the democracy were de-
nouncing oppression SO loudly that /
relied on them to abolish it, though
1t did not escape my notice that the
democratic party soon after the cleo
ton OF 1896 began to back water.
had yet to learn that all other classes,
except the working class, no matter
how much they may villify the plu-
tccracy, are afraid to overthrow it,
tecause they fear the working class
more than they hate the plutocracy
The working class is the only class
which has the grit to accomplish thi
overthrow, not because it is naturally
Drawer than other classes, but because
it's material interests make it resolute.
It has nothing to lose and everything
to GAIN Instead of my posing as a
friend Of the laboring class, it was
who needed the laboring class to pull
me out of the hole. Beware of the
friend of labor"
After that | read Henri Georges
worIs, but was not satisfied with his
defense of interest on capital and /
followed up the extensive literature on
the question of interest from John
Calvin to Proudhon and Boehm-Ba-
werk. My religious and legal training
and prejudices naturally led me to
attack capitalism within its own lines,
to turn it's own moral professions and
its inalienable rights of man agains..
itself, which is MT difficult thing to
do. | soon found that interes+ is "un-
jest" 1t puts the borrower at an ir-
rctrievable disadvantage and makes
equality of opportunity impossible. 1t
then dawned upon me that If both rent
and interest were abolished the effect
would be something similar to what l
the socialists were advocat-
i.g; and then for the first time in my
life l was n suitable frame of mind
to hear the socialist position. The
Communist Manifesto was one Of the
fiji st socialist books that fell into my
hands and | was fairly well prepared
to understand it. I had reached by a |
long, roundabout way, in a superficial
manner and by the exercise of what
some call intellectual gymnastics, a
similar position to what the Manifesto
reaches by one solo, direct stroke, 80
dep, far-reaching and scientific, as to
be unintelligible to most beginners,
that classism or the under
standing of economic classes is the key
which reveals the mysteries Of civil
lied society, based on antagonistic
interests and exerting it's
force through a political state. The
next thing did was to join the So
cialist party-in 1899.
MY drifting into socialism was not,
50 far as / am conscious of 1t, owing
to my personal economic cir
it was started by spirit
of revolt against the political tyranny.
by threats and coercion, which I OBJ
served in the campaign of 1896 and the
evident hollown.ss of political dem
Ocracy when not based ON economic |
AS Liebknecht puts it, |
without socialism is pseu-
Gc-democracy, just as socialism with.
out democracy is professionalism.
Chicago, I'll. MARCUS HITCH.
IF the writer of the above excellent |
article will now proceed to tell how he
IL going to abolish rent and profit
Just what sort of bill he would in
Lrcduce into congress If that body had |
4 socialist majority We would |
have something to take hold Of. Bel
lamy told us, as socialist writer's all
DC, what would happen under social
lsm," but none of them has ever told
how we are to get under. This is
practical world and men want practf-
sal schemes for benefiting their condi-
t;on-not dreams-hOwever beautiful
they may be. The Independent has
been hungering and thirsting for some
plan for benefiting the down.
trcdden Of earth. 1t does not contin-