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

secuted and silct at in the south. We
were at last foolish enough to put
our heads in the mouth OF the ram
many tiger and our movement dlsap-
peared. Not all of us, however, went
down the throat of the tiger. Some
of us went back to the chimney Ger
ner and began to think again.
You boys who met at St Louis are
honest and earnest. The came old
indomitable Split of inc gus was
there, but pardon mel you have been
asleep in the chimney corner. Like
Rip Van Wrinkle you have come
forth from your sleep, and YOU are
still looking for the exception clause
on the greenback," and 1.-The crime CT
'73." You want to overthrow your
oppressors, but, like Cinnamon, you
choose pitchforks, and scythes Tor
your weapons, to fight gatliDg guns
and rapid fires in the hands Of the
enemy. You may gather all the Rip
Van Wrinkles of the old popullst
movement into your ranks. but you
wont get live recruit from Maine TO
California.
Let us go back to the Iowa farm.
You offer for my relief from capitalist
oppression, first, that the right to
issue and coin money, and to regulate
the value thereof, is solely function
of the government, and reply that OF
that there is not the slightest doubt,
and if you would add that to tree the
debtor class it ought to be issued IN
such quantity, that everv debtor could
borrow what he needs at the cost OF
issue, and pay off what he owes to
the money shark, one of the three
monsters that afflict society, |. e.,
rent, interest, and profit, would be
slain. But you do not do that, so
your money plank means nothing to
me and to STAY one Of the robbers
and leave two more who would still
take all that l produce, would be OF
doubtful value any way.
You will have the government own
the railroads. If you could give me
any assurance that | would not be
simply Shifting masters, | might give
ear to your plea, but even taking the
question at its best, it Is a matter of
little interest to me. To have my cat
tie shipped over. government road
at the cost of carrying, and then at
the other end Of the line have The
beef trust take them at it's own fig
ure, pay me small price on hoof, and
charge me an enormous price when
buy back some Of my own product,
does not help me any. Will you agree
that the government shall own the
packing houses also, and throw in the
flour mills? Then tell me what you
are going to do with the machine
trust that manufactures my binders,
plows and other tools. What will you
do with the mills that make my sugar,
| nails, wire, lumber, and a thousand
other things? Are you going to leave
the highway infested with robbers, af-
ter destroying one or two?
You see you offer me nothing, of
any moment, for | have not been
asleep in the chimney corner. | have
been reading, thinking, studying. I
have discovered that | am robbed by
the capitalist process of production,
and that before | can be free the pro-
| SOoS iIuct 'DC QCotiOyCo, etdu uOLt OnC
or two trifling factors therein.
Now, what is the capitalist process
of production? 1t is founded on the
very thing brother De France ridicules
in his article-slrplus value. Surplus
value arises al the point where the
laborer who creates the product parts
with it for a less equivalent than is
represented in its use value In the
case OF the wage worker it occurs at
the point wnere the laDorer who Gre
| ates the product parts with 1t for a
less equivalent than is represented In
! its use value. In the case of the
wage worker II occurs at the point
where the laborer Is paid less in
wages than the selling value of the
article he creates. In the case of the
farmer 1t arises at the point where
he Is forced 10 part with his product
to the class who own the machinery
necessary 10 finish It's production and
distribution. for price less than It's
selling value In the hands of the capt.
talist class. A shoemaker In q fac
tory may make ten dollars worth of
shoes In day receiving In wages s2.
The surplus vaIne Is eight dollars. lie