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

result III a VeTulCL u SuliIy DCioiC any
jury of intelligent thinkers.
Mr.. Jefferson further said, The
earth belongs in usufruct to the iiv-
ing: the dead have neither right nor
dominion over it."
One of the evils of our system is
that the living can transmit monop-
oily to their descendants. and thus the
grip OF the dead is never loos, ned.
Labor Question
In considering the labor question, we
should not lose sight of the fact that
our working classes have had much TO
endure. Those who know something
OF the horror of their condition in me
Pennsylvania coal fields, for example,
as shown in congressional inyeslga-
tions can well understand thsir point
of view In many cases they nave
Deen goaded to madness by hafGships,
Drutalities, expressions, which human
nature can not always stand. The viz
luaI slavery which exists in many
mine is no secret. The despotic con-
uol which employers exert over en-
ployes in many fields Of labor depIiyes
The laborer of any real political flee-
dom, and amounts to Systematic
|serfdom. These men have been Knocked
by zinssas q pledge and promiss Many
politicians has ffdidef ff1strs- off as
their especial. representative and adpsss
cate, only to bring disappointment and
despair to those who trusted hin. Time
and again national platforms have
promised abolition of sweatshops and
unreasonable hours of labor. Sweat
shops have not been abolished and un-
reasonable hours of labor are m,lcn too
common IN spite Of all this talk OF
general prosperity. | deny that it ex
lists. The mass of the people have no
surplus money. All our large cities
are crowded with human driftWOod the
floating wrecks beaten 10 pieces in the
great storm OF life Into noisome tene-
ments they are huddled in such con-
ditlons that morality becomes an inn
possibility. The evil influence CT Lnese
dens OF filth and vice does not coniine
Itself to thhsAA4sss..m ediate occupants Gl the
tenement. Such places are nothing
less than cancers, eating their way into
Tic very lie OI Tile udLlOu.
Upon the one hand. we have the
young men and young women OF the
excessively rich, giving their lives to
pleasure, to a sensuaiiSm which does
not even wear mask.
Upon the other hand. we have the
boys and girls of the excessively pCor,
growing up under conditions which
make unblushing immortality a natter
OF course. The rapid increas. OF This
| class is appalling. What is to be done
about it? Does such problem en-
| list no interest from those who frame
iaaWs- and direct the governmentg~C Can
there be any proDIGn mere I'm nQrtant /?
Bad Government the Cause
The vast majority of the human
wreckage which cumbers the cities re-
suits from bad laws, bad government.
As a rule, these men and these women
at some time IN their lives made
| earnest. honest efforts to sustain
themselves by work. AS a rule. they
ere simply knocked down and
knocked out by stronger men and
stronger women in the fierce battle OF
existence. Hard work, small wages
a spell of sickness-then ruin! How
often is that the life-stroy in the short
and simple annals of the poor. Tens
OF thousands of these wretches are the
victims of swindling stock issues
worthless paper which they bought be-
cause j. p. Morgan and II. H. Rogers
or some other king of finance. was
known to be engineering the deal
Other thousands are the frozen-out
weaklings of some railroad reorgan-
lzation, or some manipulation OF
stocks and bonds by the majority
holders. Other thousands are men who
labored for bare subsistence until Ole
age came and then were turned out tt
shift for themselves. Mans inhuman.
lty to man is at the bottom of most
OF the trouble, and the law itself has
wrought much of this havoc bv arm
ing favored individuals and CORPORA
tons with special powers which be
come resistless weapons in their hand,
against their fellow man.
\ 1t was the power of special privilege
given to the national bankers by con
gress, which had put them-in posi-
ton to create the panic of 1899. 7
a history could be written of the in
ception of that CONFUSION. the has
motives of those who brought it about