The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-04-07

dependent Of FEBRUARY 70, calleu IOIlu
the following letter from Brother A.
w. Kicker. associate editor of the APP
peal to Reason, Girard, Kas. Brother
Kicker. like many others in the So
cialist party, was formerly proml-
nent worker in the peoples party,
and believes he has progressed into
socialism," and like most middle
class converts in that movement, he
persists in preaching sort OF popo,
socialism which has been successful
in drawing a number of former pop
ulists to the socialist party. But, as
1t seems to The Independent, the re-
suit of this preaching and teaching
must inevitably produce some such
result within the socialist party as
did Morgan's ''undigested securities"
upon the stock market last year. But
let him tell his story):
RICKER'S REPLY.
Editor Independent: ! have read
with much interest your article in the
issue of February rs, captioned "A
Question Of Exploitation. AS
view the matter your reasoning IS
both fallacious and misleading, and
your conception of the economic ques-
ton in places decidedly hazy. am
constrained to believe that this state
of affairs arises not SO much from
fundamental deficiency in your knowl-
edge of economics, as desire TO- Gre
ate a set of economic theorems on
which can be built farmers party,
that will reflect the economic needs Oh
that division of the industrial class.
You would make OF the farmer an al
yocate of government ownership OF
railroads, telephones, gas and, cleo
trio plants. For the balance you would
tax monopolies out of exister ce, and
subject corporations to such rigid con-
trail as will adequately protect the
public.
Now. friend DE France, am farm
or. It is true that l am at present
working as an editor, but ali the ma
terial interest have or Will possess
through inheritance, is in the SOIL, ana
/ consider myself a farmer, and IN
dissolubly linked with the veal or
woe of my class. / am going to think
now as a farmer, and forget that am
an editorial writer on the Appeal. AS
such you have absolutely offered me
nothing in your address issued at 81.
Louis. and which judge will form the
basis of your platform at the Spring
field convention. / raise in Iowa, corn,
cattle. and hogs. | produce but little
of what | use, and use but trine OIL
what produce. To conduct the farm
requires expensive AMI complicated
machinery, all of which l must buy, at
a fixed price, as l must, also, those
things commonly called groceries,
clothing. etc. employ little or no
farm labor when working myself, be-
cause the product of my own hanos
paws me but scant wage and hiring
wage labor on Tie small farm Is equiv
alent to swapping dollars" with d
good chance of losing by the swap.
| have no voice in fixing the price
of nv products or the price OF the
things | buy. l, "tha independent
farmer" am the most cornered tool OF
prod lction in the whole realm OF ex-
ploitation | toll long hours in wind
and weather, chilled in the winter,
QT6lCuGu III tut opi ih5, NAAu
in the summer. | have lost hope OF
making money, and have, like the
wage workers, settled down to a
struggle for existence While | am
STRUGGLING for existence, ! see my ex-
ploiler (mastor) riding in palace
coaches to Florida to escape the win
ter, and to the lakes to get away from
the heat. He lives in a palace, dresses
in broadoloth and silk. while | dress
myself in overalls, live in an I'M
painted house, and send my own son
and daughter to the little country
school house, perhaps a mile away,
and reached b. weary tramp through
the snow. or mud. He and his kind
80 TO the opera, while sit In the
chimney corner wondering II next
year will be a little easier. and prices
q little better. for man Is prone 70
indulge In the delusion OF hope.
Now, | am not an envious creature,
and would not complain were II not
for the fact that | and my kind
tweath producers) by our hardship,
energy. and work. are paying the pal
ace car bills. the trips TO the warm
south and the cool north. are buylne
the bfoadeloih and silk. the opera