The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-13
Equality Of Opportunities

opportunities SHOulu De IOlerdDly
clear. Such men as Jefferson and Lin
coin have lucidly explained it in the
Declaration of independence and in
the Gettysburg grafton, both classics
of the language and beacon lights Of
our aspirations as democracy.
However, you may have observed
that growing modern tendency exists
to deprecate democracy and to substi
tute into its place the aristocratic
sentiments presented first by Hamilton
and his school. An equality of oppor-
tunities" obviously is practically i'm
possible in our modern system of in
dustrial feudalism based on vested
rights and fortified by all sorts of spe-
cial privileges of the few of us, which,
Of course, are not shared by the many,
the masses of the people who just
work for living.
1t is well to face the music and to
take square stand. There is a de-
-cided inequality of economic oppor-
tunities confronting the average citi-
zen and this unequal distribution of
economic opportunities is logically
bound to become more acute as our
mOnopolies and trusts acquire the
class control of our land itself and it's
natural resources.
The old fight within the human race
for supremacy between aristocracy
and democracy has broken out once
more in our land and it has got to be
fought to finish. Either the people
are the supreme power, ruling the
land, or our industrial kings, men like
George F. Baer, John D. Rockefeller
and their class are practically supreme
in our economic and civic affairs.
There is no midway open for compro-
mise. You can not compromise our
fundamental principles of society any
more than you can permanently mix
oil and water Either there is prac-
tical every day truth in the ancient
American conviction (for which our
ancestors fought and died)-that all
men are created free and equal and
must have equal opportunities (eco-
monte and civic) in the spusuit of life,
liberty and happiness-9or that claim is
merely an irridescent dream, chased
by the daddies, and now proved-by
Rockefeller, and, his pals-tO be fool
lshness and rot.
Our greatest civic vice is the all
prevailing spirit of compromising, get
ting together, talking it over when fun
damental species of moral right and
wrong, when elementary economic
conditions come up before the court of
last resort-the nation.
You can not. compromise between
truth and lie. You can not serve God
and mammon You can not serve two
masters. ~
What think you is the meaning of
equal economic opportunities" in a
land whose economic land resources
and whose economic and civic laws
have given rise to such gigantic legal
,fictions as the Standard Oil company
the beef trust, the coal trust, the iron /
and steel trust, and about 400 more |
predatory trusts and monopolies all Of
them based on special privileges and |
not on equal opportunities? Does not
this mix-up strike you as queer? 1t is |
queer 1t is more. 1t is very danger
GUS, an exceedingly complicated situa-
tion. It will call for the best cool
Judgment and the most uncompromis-
ing patriotic civic action Of all true
blue Americans. 1t calls Tor, that &C.
ton right now. A wise rule is when
in doubt go back to fundamental facts
and truth" When in doubt consult
the experiences of others. In this case
consult the history of past civiliza-
tions. all of which have practically
been wrecked and destroyed by giving
to some men special privileges which.
then were invariably used to exploit
all other men-the masses, who had
no special privileges at all. The
masses were invariably debauched,
plundered of the fruit of their labor
until at last they rose up in wrath.
It is a great mistake to let really
triffing detail questions obscure the
main question in such a situation as is
us just now anent the
Standard Oil buccaneers, the beef
trust, whose five families have accu
INFLATED during the past twenty years
their present working capital of over
i hundred million dollars out of our
VI u - y - ~ ~ IL.