Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-05-08
CITIZEN EMPLOYEE.
WHAT OUR soASTED INDEPENDENCE
MEANS TO HIM.


ume to the words, triumphant De-
mocracy." They sound well. But the
author of this phrase overlooked sew
eral somewhat important considera-
tions. Democracy is not yet triumphant
even in America. After it has gained
control of the country In which it is
supposed to have reached it's highest
development, predictions about its rul
ing the world will be more to the point
Such an idea at present is but dream
of hope. Democracy has its hardest
battle yet to fight-right here in Amer
lea.
America, as nation, is leading
dual life. 1t is preaching democracy
and practicing autocracy like tenn
perance lecturer who takes a drink of
whisky to give inspiration to his
words. For 126 years but one political
philosophy has been taught in the
United States-the philosophy of free
DOM equal rights. ''the right to life,
| liberty and the pursuit of happiness
1t has covered newspaper pages and
resounded from public rostrums and in
|
laid down in courts; schools have
| taught IT. books are full of it; the ma
| ton is saturated with it. Judging by
our political standards, every Ameri-
can must be free and equal in his po-
litical rights to every other American.
He must be exercising liberty and pur-
suing happiness unhindered. Every
body, theoretically, has an equal voice
in the government. Each citizen is an
uncrowned sovereign.
This Is one side of American life.
There is another. Interests involving
the lives and happiness of thousands
are in the hands of one man response
BILE to nobody. He has as absolute
control within his sphere as any auto
crat now on earth or as any autocrat
who ever existed. His employees are
his subjects, owing him closer and
stronger allegiance than they owe to
any government. Their time and their
energies are his to do with them as he
pleases He cannot decree that one of
these subjects be beheaded. That is
not necessary; our modern methods are
|
can control his subjects without any
such revolving brutality. 1t is usually
sufficient to deprive the subject of his
means of livelihood and thus make
him his own eXecutoner. This the
autocrat of today has ample power to
accomplish. The insurgent subject can
be cast out, an exile in the industrial
| r,u
of livelihood controls your life.
81 will not do this thing" says the
"free and Independent" citizen en-
ployee, asserting his proud prerosa-
tive. ut is against my own best in
terests and the interests of my coun-
try"
VERY WELL" replies the industrial
autocrat. II have no further use for
your services. You may 60"
"Whither shall l go?' inquiries the
free and Independent" citizen, finding
his freedom rather embarrassing at
the very first step. 81 know no busi-
ness but this. My life has been spent
in learning it. No other means Of live
lihood Is open to me. You control this
branch of industry absolutely"
"Your troubles are nothing to me.
This business is my business. Do as |
say or CO."
The free and independent citizen
does as the industrial autocrat says.
He does it absolutely and unquestion-
ingly thereafter A "kicker" is not
appreciated in the Industrial world
when the autocrat to whom he is sub
lect is the target for his protests
| When the "free" man may be sent into
the world without an occupation at the
whim of an autocrat to whom he owes
allegiance, 1t behooves the free" man
to please the autocrat. In other words,
the free and independent American
citizen employee must of necessity be
the willing and submissive slave of an
industrial autocrat.
Usually the demand to do this or
that thing concerns the business of the
autocrat only; usually, too, it is a rea-
sonable demand-at least from the
standpoint of the autocrat. Everybody
comedies that the autocrat has the
right to conduct his own business in
his own way. The law upholds him.
Public opinion is not adverse. 1t is
not sufficiently enlightened, or, if one
cares to take the opposite view, 1t has
learned better. The important fact Is
that the industrial autocrat Is able to
exact unquestioned obedience from the
"free and Independent" citizen en-
ployee. 1t may be more or less I'M
portant to consider that the obedience
may take the form of using the en-
ployee's literary skill to write for pub
lication in great newspaper an article
that he knows to be false, misleading
and vicious. To be sure, the autocrat
does not think it so. Perhaps he does
not know enough to think straight up
on such questions or his interests may
lie in n different direction. At all
events the hired literary skill express
es the views of the autocrat not of the
writer. The employee may be called
upon to take an unconscionable advan-
tage of a business rival, to falslfy cor