The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-11-03
The Philosophy of Freedom
An Open Forum for Single Takers

| Garrison and Wendell Phillips were
here. which of these candidates and
these three platforms would they sup
port?
| The lie, work, character and strong
| est expressions of all these great anu
| pure patriots, these real lovers and de-
| tenders OF freedom and liberty for all
mankind; these vanant contenders
that all men are brothers and that no
class OF men of any generation were
commissioned by the Father OF all to
exploit and Cypress their fellows. Ev-
cry one of these men, if here today
would be writing and talking and
working and voting for Tom Watson
and the progressive platform he stands
upon.
To the trust kings demand that the
| laborer be given freedom to work for
whom he pleases, and for as low wages
as he can be forced to accept-WatsOn
demands open and honest recognition
| of the right o. every free man to work
ffi1HGalf instead OF for a master,
and to get as wages all that he pro-
duces, and he as courageously demands
that whenever or wherever any man is
by law prevented from exercising his
natural and primary right to work
for himself then it is the duty and
moral obligation of the law-making
power and of society, to see that he
is furnished other equally congenial
and ready employment where he can
earn at least as much as he could pro-
duce working for himself. That manly
declaration should at once bring to the
standard of Thomas e. Watson every
single taxer who loves the principle
the single tax was intended to estab-
fish better than the matchless method
whereby henry George sought to es-
tablish it. The fact that the peoples
party platform also calls for an in
come tax should not deter any broad
and liberal minded single taxer from
supporting Watson. Because, while
the adoption and application Of the
single tax would prevent the subjuga-
ton and exploitation of the masses OF
the nations workers by the owners OF
the nations richest natural resources
and the controllers of her best natur-
al advantages, the income tax simply
forces mOnopolists to give up a small
portion OF the fruits of unjust and
unfair monopoly for the support OF
the government which at public ex-
pense defends their holdings.
Let us not stop to cavil about trifies.
Here is our flag. Let us recognize
and follow it! You who know that
the slogan OF equal rights to all and
speciaI pTia.Eiiaegas to none," has noS7sal
significance unless IL means the in
slant open and honest recognition OF
the equal and primary right of all men
to use the earth and unless it means
the immediate denial to any man or
set of men of special or legal privi-
lege to Internationally own and con-
troll all the richest resources of nature
all the coal and Oil treasures Of the
earth, and all the best trading and
commercial locations thereon, and to
charge or tax all men for the privi-
lege of exercising their equal natural
rights to use them. You who believe
that real liberty begins by securing
freedom to the laborer to apply his la
Dor to land for himself and you who
know that the very essence of slavery
anu serfdom lies in preventing men
polling them to work for others and
that this conpulsion is just as unjust
and tyrannous whether it be legal or
physical.
Bryan men, Everyone or you owes
it to himself and his self respect to
resent the imputatiOn and insult
hurled at him and you by the machine
organs whose editors nate Bryan and
feebly but virulently and spitefully try
to put some odium upon Organism.
The men who did it and are doing it
hate you and your principles as much
as they do Bryan, and they rejoiced
with the republican party managers at
the defeat of the best equipped and
most earnest and honest foe OF the
trust that the democratic party ever
nominated Yet now they seek your
votes for Parker on a pretended anti
trust platform Are you going to
prove yourself the suckers that these
men take you for, or are you going to
administer such a rebuke to them that
no political schemer or band of politi-
cal schemers will ever again have the
impudent assurance to attempt to re-
peat what they have done?
Union men! You whose votes on
the old alignment the trust managers
feel so cock-sure of that they have not
even taken the precaution to wait I'M
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