The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-13
The Voice OF
The People
MIR. NIcKEFAoN's ANSWER.


Editor Providence News:
II w" sc, C rhIiars what quoted
from his letter about government owner
ship OF the rails as Il lne specimen OF
"tanglefoot logic" There is one thing
that we can agree on. That is just the
reason that quoted it. He is like the
ranch owner of the west, he can always
recognize his own brand
He says that carrying passengers lot
hire" is not proper function or the
government" 1t would be II the people
voted to have 1t done. Our highways
which he refers to In both or his articles
once had toll gates. | presume he thinks
II was wrong to do away with these As
TO whether "A government should own the
means OF transportation or not l VIII
-utrotr from Herbert -Gassnn-s article IN
Fair Play for week OF March l4th, where
he says: IF you owned So-story SKY
scraper would you allow someone else TO
own the elevators in Ii and run them LOT
profit? OF course not. Tnen heither
should a great nation allow rev corpor-
ations 10 own and absolutely control the
means of TRANSFORMATION, without which
all business would come TO n standstlil:
To read what j. w. writes one would
think that we had the liberty TO do as ne
pleased. We Socialists do not Intend 10
pitch the Declaration OF Independence on
the scrap heap. but instead. II Is our
desire to dig II out Of the scrap heap ana
I make Il a Declaration of Wage Farmers
independence, for which we are as ready
as were our forefathers when they signed
that document of their country's inde-
/ pendence.
our Declaration OF Independence was
suppressed n the Philippines by one OF
/ our army officers, who character1zeo III as
damned incendiary document, ana
| he was not a Socialist either Equal
! wages for unequal services is a gross Of
\ fence against the dictates OF equity and
| Justice" quotes j. w. My friend, that
/ IS one OF the offences (and the main one)
/ against Justice that we wish 20 see aooi-
ished We desire every man to receive
/ what he produces-no more, no less. we
want every man to receive the iuIl pro-
duct of his toll and not an equal divi-
sion OF other folks earnings. III you
will send me your name and address
friend j. w. / will see that you get a
book that explains our position far better
/ than 1 can explain to you IN TINS column
As Jebarry says we wage earners nave
no one To represent us In our city Oh
! state councils. Isn't IL time that we olo
: our own thinking and placed some one
there who would represent us. The cod
fish aristocracy has no time to look al
ter the interests OF the common herd
All they can do Is look after their OWL
interests and OF the corporation ina
placed them where they are and to boas
of their descent And In most Gases IL
an awful descent.
"Fair Play" gives the following anec
dote showing the attitude Of our aristo
cr1ry-..ifhere- metropolitan gen
tleman once who possessed considerapi'
wealth. His wife ordered "A new Carriage
She was very anxious that the family
..l,, ~. m
ia nanels. She was an aristocrat-one o
the fsby BRAND She asked her HUSBAND
/ Ia suggest "A suitable crest, lie TOOK
pon and drew something representing
small mound. BY IL was stuck mahur'
. fork, couchant. on top OF 1t was perche.
| a rooster rampant. why, what Is that
asked his wife In amazement. 'That, sal'
the man of money. is our family coat-of
arms You see my grandfather made nj
money carting manure In Brooklyn. II
invested II in real estate In New fork
The mound and fork represent my grand
; fathers occupation. Tho rooster on ,ol
OF the fork represents ourselves,who nav
done nothing but flap our wings an
, crow on that dung hill ever sinoeV
And we have got plenty OF roosters righ
here IN Providence Growing over none
that was not even obtained by honorabl
means.
: II YOU believe in n government, "of th
peonle and by the People and a
equitable division OF the products or to-
then your place Is in the ranks or the peo
, ple who arc known as Socialists ana ar
good American citizens at the same time
In ending I will quote part or dehniuo
of a socialist by Ella Wheeler Wilco
which appeared some time ago i
Hearsts papers.
"Tho Socialist Is he who claims no NOR
| Than his own share from generous Ma
. lures store
But that he asks. and asks, too, that
, other
shall claim the share OF any weaks
@ brother.
And brand him beggar In his own Dc
i main.
To glut a mad. inordinate lust for gain.
The Socialist Is one who holds the best
OF all Gods gifts II toll: the second. res
lie asks that all men learn the sweets
Z labor,
And thai no -idler fatten on HIS neigi
{ bor
JOHN y. NICKERsoN
I 81 Aquidneck street