The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-10-21

The first reason why members OF or
Gal lied labor should support the peo-
pi,'s party candidates for president anu
Nitc president is because all electors
should at all times vote for their own
per, cs.al interests. This is the only
sare and correct guide to an intelligent
ballot ct all times and in all places.
The first reason why members CT Or
gani2ed labor should not vote for eth
er Parker or Roosevelt is because those
clements in our political life against
whom organized labor is forced 10 DO
battle are in favor of these two capdi-
dates-either one of them will do. !
would net appeal for vote from or
panized labor upon the low yroend oi
class consciousness, but merely from.
Il recognition that economically speak,
ing we are at war. And just SO long
as we are forced into war, just so long
will il be both unwise and criminal fir
us to vote for those who are araigned
on the other side OF the line Of battle.
Nor would l appeal to members OF
organized labor as well as all other
laborers to vote as l shall take pleas
ure in voting because of this ill-advised
and ignorant condemnation of So
called capitalism Capital is and
always must be the handmaiden OF ia
Dor. Capital is itself labor in con-
crete :orm. 1t is stored-up labor. 1t is
the accumulated wealth of past labor
used for the purpose OF producing more
wealth. Under free society capital
and labor would recognize their
heavenly twinship." and discord be-
tween them would forever cease.
Our complaint today is not against
capital. Our complaint is against mo-
nopoly. 1t is because monopoly has
secured its death-grip upon the natur-
al resources of this earth that both
capital and labor are denied the op-
portunity 10 join hands for the further
production of wealth. Until We dis
cover the source and destructive power
of this monopoly of natural resources,
we shall conti,:ue to lie ENGAGED III
struggles. trials and tribulations be-
tween ourselves and these whose cap
ual joins with us in the production of
1.-THE worlds needs
= | might just as well clear the ground
right here and assert that the strength
OF monopoly does not lie in "machin
cry. as the socialist asserts; it does
not lie in the establishment OF the
gold Standard as the free-silverite
ia in ba tariff as
the free trader asserts, nor does it lie
ia the general cussedness of human
nature as the pessimist asserts.
To assert that machinery is the
source OF monopoly is as absurd as to
assert that the man in the moon is, for
labor could again reproduce every ma
chine in the world. ii given an oppoI-
tunity. To assert that the gold stand
AID is the source Of monopoly is as
absurd as to say that without money
meu could not live. for men could.
without the gold standard or with it,
lind Thousand ways to exchange the
products of labor, ii they only had an
opportunity to labor. To assert that it
lies in the tariff Is also absurd for ii
We admitted all products from for
ei,., shores. it would still be possible
for monopoly to tighten it's grip upon
the sources OF all supDly--the land.
And TO assert that it is the general
c,,s.t dness of human nature is to assert
taal the great Author either had not
stIyed HIS apprenticeship in the uni
versa college of life, or If He had, He
rade bad job OF His work or had re-
tired from the overseeing of things
md allowed His works to go to the
otvil. | am 50 thoroughly satisfied of
the truth of this, that declare that
haG the divine power to alter human
nature, | would not change one attrib-
t':.i of it. AS view it. human nature
: possessed OF just exactly the right
lities to insure peace and happi-
r,s and prosperity for all mankind,
!. monopoly. or the attempt TO inter-
iere with divine DEGREES. would just
step aside, and afford natural law free
scope.
Old mythology had it that the world
rested upon the shoulders of Atlas, who
vas supposed to be a giant. Let us
imagine this to be true, and that for
scme reason or other Atlas takes his
I>rnd and scoops from the surface of
The earth all the people. In one hand
he holds the people; in the other the
earth. Universal distress of the people
here can be easily imagined. The peo-
pie would appeal to Atlas. Would they
say, Let us have common ownership
of the machines of production and dis
tribution? Would they say, What We
need is bi-metallism or Sreenbacss?
Would they say, The thing we need is
free trade? Or would they say, The
trouble is. human nature is selfish
What we need is n rp-generated man!