The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-10-13

legislative systems OF ROBBERY ale
things of the past.
Subsidized Press.
Editorial writer's, whose papers are
owned and salaries paid by Tie pets
of class Legislation, lose no opportun-
ity of patting the self-complacent sage
on the back, and of the strengthen
ling his belief that all is well with the
republic. Class legislation did once
upon a time, lead great nations to
ruin-but, that was long ago. Class
legislation is the same old tree. but
the fruit is not the same. THUS Sayeth
the subsidized editor; and. the self
complacent sage who knows that all
is we'll with our Republic, puirs with
satisfaction, and thinks highly Of the
- s.az,,,es,,r O1al r Disease 81.
| Yet,h aT1e really wishes, To know
| the truth. and will but look around
him, he will observe the symptoms
which have always characterized the
diseased nation when afflicted by
class-l Legislation.
Did the people of Russia demand war
| with Japan! Were they consulted? :?
Did they have any grievance against
the Japanese? No. The Car did not
want war; the people did not want
lit. Who then forced Russia into that
bottomless pit of blood and suffering?
The corrupt ruling class-ths preda-
1 tory capitalists who were seeking new
| fields of conquest. A score OF gold
hunting Nabobs provoked the strife;
and now the Russian peasant must
yield I'D his body, throw the weeds
Of widowhoOd around his wife, wiring
the cry of orphanage from the lips of
his child, and feed the buzzaIds with
his rotting flesh, in order that the un-
scrupulous marauders may get their
clutches upon more gold.
In Germany. see how the war-lOrd
lstruts and swaggers and mis-goyerns.
See him clap men. women and chill
dren Tito filthy dungeons for the high
crime of speaking disrespectfully of
their imperial master. See how the
soldier rides on the back of his pro-
ducer. See how the common people
are ground down under the wheels of a
splendid, extravagant, insolent mill
tarism See the millions wasted year
ly on the personal vanities of the
empercr. See heHss 'ttii1z5 smart young
officers cut down with their swords
the private soldier, or the private
citizen, and escape punishment. See
how this proud emperor sends to penal
servitude for seven years poor devil
of soldier who had expressed the wish
that the swift train which bore the
kaiser by, on one of his journeys,
might have been slowed up, SO that
his Majesty's loyal subject could have
gotten glimpse of the royal face.
See how Italy is narrowed by the
tax-gatherer, who squeezes out every
possible penny from the common peo-
pie in order that there shall be main
tanned an idle aristocracy, and an ex-
agerated militarism. In that unhappy
land, SO richly blessed by Nature,
misrtlle has been SO fragrant that half
of the people never have enough to
eat.
See Great Britain, with it's lands mo-
nopolized by few hundred ar:stocrats
its legislation controlled by property
interests, and its hordes of homeless
poor crying for bread along the streets
OF the richest cities in the world. Con-
slider these legions of the homeless
Look into those tenements, packed
like sardines in a box, with hungry
men, women and children. Think OF
the morals inseparable from such con-
ditions. Think what passions must
rage under the ragged shirt of the
workman who stops in the street to
pick up the remnants of foou which
are foul enough to turn the stomach
Of well-kept dog. Think of the
multitudes who sprawl about the
parks, slSulk under the bridges, prowl
through the slums-not by ters, but
by thousands; not in one city, but in
all cities. Millions of human beings
God-created men and women, fash
'oned out of the same clay as our
selves, in all essential respects the
same sort Of folks we are; yet they
suffer, they starve, within sight oil
he synagogue, within earshot of the
preacher, who is holding forth to bis
hearers upon the loveliness of the
freed Of Christ-the Christ who never
owned home. and never carried 9