The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-30

ment. Those men Of massive intel
lects, what do you propose to do with
what you propose to let out Of their
jobs? Will they elect boss or mas
ter or will they meekly wait until
master selects them to be squeezed
some more for his benefit? Socialists
would give them as well as all other
people job of their own and all the
wealth they made for their pay. think
this would be just and satisfactory.
OF course it would be different way
of getting good living. They could
then use their large intellects in Gre
ating something beautiful and good
instead of creating misery, crime and
destruction by depressing those who
create all wealth.
When said I wanted Uncle Sam
to compete with Johnny R., / meant
for Johnny to have to take from the
hands of our Uncle Sam the same med
icine he has given to so many of his
rivals. ConfiscatiOn, not only Johnny,
but all the other trusts should be
given strong dose Of confiscation.
Did they not ruin the business of their
competitors O4u JACA COu110N0IO tAClA
property. Are the trusts not robbing
the whole people or confscating their
wealth for the benefit of the trusts.
You, Bro Tibbles, want to get some
of it back and | want to get it all
back.
Bro. Tibbles, you ask me to tell you
what law the socialists would pass
first to bring about collective owner
ship. Now that is too hard for me as
I am not the socialist party, but be-
lieve in majority rule as well as in
equality Of opportunity and liberty. I
have said confiscation, but If that be
too harsh a method for the workers
to get their own, expect the same
law or process by which the populists
would get possession of the railroads
and other public utilities which the
populists demand shall be owned by
the public if carried a little further
would give the public possession OF
the factories, mines and other things.
If the public has a right to take pos
session of the railroads, ETC., the same
right will give possession Of the mines,
factories, etc. You say almost any
populist can draft law to bring about
these things, perhaps some socialists
might be able to do something in that
line, too.
Now, Bro. Tibbles, will you kindly
tell me how the government owner
ship of railroads, telegraphs, street
cars and all the public utilities that
the populists demand shall be owned
by the government, please tell us how
such ownership will help the slaves of
the other trusts, for instance, how will
it help the millions in their losing
fight with the beef trust? How will it
shorten the hours of labor in the fac
tories and sweatshops? How will it
give freedom, food and clothing to the
women and children who, are being
driven to death just to swell the divi-
dends of a few idlers?
Will such ownership fill the stom-
achs of those $4,000 children in New
York who go to school every morning
without breakfast? How will it help
the organized laborers in their strug-
gle with the employers association for
what the laborers produce? | plead
for the poor, overworked, underfed
children who are SO badly treated
through no fault of their own. How
can you expect them to become good
citizens when they are starved, both
physically an Intellectually. Do you
underfeed and overwork colt and
then expect it to become a fine horse?
] plead for the poor and ignorant. You
are in favor of competition, unorga-
nized selfishness. Selfishness is the
very essence of sin. Watson urged
his audience to cooperate, in his speech
at New Orleans to the cotton growers.
He said, we must remove from the
market the over-supply of cotton and
limit the output. / stand ready and
my people stand ready to march with
YOU on any plan of action. Then again
YOU need to form self-defense trust.
That was a grand, good speech for
cooperation and called forth tremen-
dous applause. Watson did not claim
that there was too much cotton pro-
duced, but that there was more pro-
duced than the producers OF cotton
and cotton goods could buy. They
must limit the product or not limit it
and he could not hardly tell which, but
finally said you can and you can't, you
will and you won't, you're damned If