The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-02-12


in favor of popular institutions; bu
there is one point, with its connection
not so hackneyed as most others. tC
which ask brief at ention. II is tn
effort TO place capital on an equal
I footing with il not above, labor. in
the structure Of government. Ii is as
sumed that labor is available only in
connection with capital; thar no body
labors unless somebody else owning
cap tal somehow by the use Of it, in
duces him TO labor.
Labor is prior TO and Independent
Of. capital. CAPITAL is only the fruit
of labor. and could never have existed
IL labor had not first existed Labor
is The superior of capital, and de
serves much the highest considera-
ton. No men living are more worthy
to be trusted than those who toll up
from poverty; none less inclined to
take CT touch aught which they have
not honestly earned Let Them be-
ware of surrendering a political pow
er which they already possess, and
which. If surrendered will surely be
used to close the door of advancement
against such as they, and to fix new
disabilities and burdens upon Them
till all Of liberty shall be lost,
In one address, Ia defending him
self from the charge of warning
against capital and antag9nizing the
rich simply because they We're rich,
Mr. Lincoln said:
| do not believe in Law to proven
a man from getting rich; 1t would do
more harm than good. So while We
do not propose any war upon capital,
we dc wish to allow '.he humblest man
an equal chance 10 get rich with ey-
erybody else. When one starts poor,
as most do in the race Of life free so
ciety is such thai he knows he can
better his condition; he knows that
there is no fixed condition CT labor for
his whole life afl not ashamed To
confess tHat ,tweptyF Five ,ye9Ess agQ Il
was a hirdd labotsf nlaiihg lPils. at
work on a. fat boat-just what Nigh
happen to any poor mans son. /
want every man to have the chance in |
which he can better his condition, !
when he may look forward and hope |
10 be a hired laborer this wear and |
the next. work for himself afterwards. |
and finally 20 hire men 90 work for
him That is he true system.
One statement made by Abraaan /
Lincoln in his famous speech deliver
ed at Alton should be kept before the
people By every advocate OF popular |
government On that occasion, Mr. !
incolr said thar there was one ssus /
ha would continue in his country /
when hess poer tongues of Judge |
Douglas and myself shall be silent
He explained
H is the eternal struggle between
hese.r- two principles-right aud
wrong throughout the world Tncy
ire the two principles that have stood
ace % face from the beginning CT
imc, and will ever con .inuc to strug
lie. The one is the common right Of
and the other the divine
light of kings II is the same prin.
,iple in whatever shape 1t develops
tself II is the same spirit tina. says
You work and toll and earn bread
md I'll eat It." No matter in what
hape it comes. whether from the
mouth Of a king who seeks 10 bestride
he people Of his own nation and live
" the frui of their labor. or from one
ace Of men as an apology for enslav
ne another race, :. is the same tyran-
lical principle /,
The poor tongues of Abraham
lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas are
ilent; but the issue continues. and
he American people are face to face
With that issue at this time. The
common right Of humanity is now
with the divine right Of
ings. 1t is plutocracy against democ
acy. The few say to the many: You
york and toll and earn bread and III
at It,. In this shape 1t comes: and
wen though Abraham Lincoln had
ot given us the assurance. intelligent
nen know that in whatever shane
UGH a doctrine is presented. whether
rom the mouth of the king who seeks
D bestride the people of his own na.
ion and live by the fruit Of their Ia
or or from a handful Of men who
ecause of special privileges obtained f.
nder the law seek to enslave the
masses of the people, T. is the same
yrannical principle