Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-21
MAY WE NOT LEARN |?
WILL THE REIGN OF BANDITlSM
 TEACH US NoTHlNG?


 On a recent Sunday Rev. J. W. Nal colm, pastor of the First Congregation al church of Franklin avenue, CleVe- land, gave a powerful address on the present social conditions. In part he said:
 "The present coal robbery of this country is one of the most cruel out rages ever perpetrated upon the human race. It may, however, become one of the greatest blessings. It may be such an eye opener and education as we have never had before. It may enable our people to see clearly the danger that threatens their liberties and arouse their determination to break the bonds that are tightening upon them- If SO, then all the suffering which has been imposed upon them shall become an unspeakable blessing. But if when the weather grows warm and soothing they shall forget and fall into their old ruts of thinking and voting then all their suffering shall have been in vain, for every great oppression of a people either dishesrtens and makes them more willing slaves or arouses them to confront the tyrant.
 Ut would seem that the lessons of the reign of this banditism and robbery have been so awful that no victim of it could ever forget or the dullest intel lect fail to see it's significance. For years we have been hearing from all quarters that private combinations of capital could produce cheaper and transport things more rapidly for US than the city or the state. The people believed this and therefore have been trusting to these concerns to handle their great public utilities, such as coal, gas, oil and the like, for them Now what do we see? Why, we see that if these vast combines can produce and transport more cheaply than the state they have not done it and will not do it for the good of the people, but for an enormous profit for themselves and at terrible cost to the people.
 we have been hearing for years that if the state were to take charge of these great public utilities, such as the railroad, mines, etc, 1t would corrupt the state and intrench a plundering class in power that could never be dis lodged. Now, what does such a claim as this mean? It means that the peo- pie who make it have an ax to grind. It means that they are unpatriotic; that they distrust the ability of the government to care for its. citizens without these all wise outside organiza- tions. It means that they assume the role of prophets and prophecy evil of the state and measure the corn of the I~o measure. Now, the question is, Will they continue to make these outrageous claims any longer in the face of exist | ing conditions, and will the people lis ! ten to their stories any longer?
 Gan any change that we may make bring things to worse pass than they are at this hour? Can there be greater corruption than now exists? Wages advancing a little and the necessities of life-food, rent and fuel-climbing skyward, leaving the people on an av craze 33 per cent worse off than they were before and the city and state called upon to bear the burden of pow erty and crime brought about by this very scheme which clamors for perpet- uation, is about as bad as we can well | imagine.
 Tt has been figured out by high and 1 competent Christian scholars that in New York city alone there are 100000 | fallen women and that 80 per cent of | these are earning livelihood by their 1 shame because of the impossibility un- l der our present economic regulations to l earn enough to support themselves by | other ways. Following the same meth | ods of computation, it would appear 1 that there are about 12,OOO such fallen ones in our own. city, about $500 of whom are forced "to such a life because l they find it impossible to earn a living I in any other manner under the present | conditions and methods of society.
 'Now, is it possible that there are yet men who will in the face of these facts and 10000 others equally sad stand up and plead for the continuation of pres ent conditions and the methods which have produced them?
 'Is it settled that two-tllirds of the citizens of this great community must forever live on the verge of serfdom and in the fear of want? Is there de- cree registered anywhere that few should dwell in luxury and the many wear their lives out in penury?
 "The dream of the better day is in our own air. The old yoke gals the neck of toll, the people are restless, all are looking for juster methods. Terri ble crime, crook and shame trou- ble the thoughtful. The unsafety of life causes the opulent to reflect, the thought of a change stirs the heart of the millions, the people catch a glimpse of the way to claim their own, and the trusts, concentrative considerations, as well as all the pain and shame, poverty and crime which our existing regime has produced, are all working together more than anything else to bring this |. to pass.
 ''No one dreams that public owner ship or control of public utilities or any method of cooperation will change men or women to saints or usher in a millennium. These changes can only make moral advancement possible by removing the impossible, barriers l rEamptation and struggle uD to a cel-