The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-12-28


Independent; | see an article in your paper of
September 20 from Mr. Gordon in which he calls
the socialist calamity howlers" wild dream
ers,' and that they misrepresent facts, etc.
Please allow me space to comment on few
things that he makes mention of. Mr. Gordon
says, HE (the socialist) talks of millions of UNI
employed where there are only thousands.
will just refer him to the eighteenth annual re-
port of the commissioner of labor of the United
States, which says that 49.8 per cent, or nearly
half. were idle portion of the year of 1909 and
half of those 1886 per cent? was on the
account Of establishment closed" unable to get
work. and slack work" So that Mr.. Gordon will
Sc that over 0nefOurth OF the laborers of the
United States were in forced idleness in 1908,
let that be one thousand Or one million 1t mat
tiers not, but let the census report tell the amount
Said report of 1890 says that more than three and
a half million were unemployed. The report of
1900 places the number OF unemployed in 1899 at
nearly six and half Millions over % per cent,
and If the increase in the unemployed has been
as great in the last five years as it was in the
ten years previous 1t would make that class num-
Der over eight million instead of eight thousand
Mr. Gordon stated
Ii Mr. Gordon will consult the labor statis
tics OF his own state for 1895, on page 105 he
will find that there were from 40 to 60 per cent
idle. imagine IL you please the prvation this
idleness must have caused, something the black
slave never knew, for the owner had his money
invested in him, but not SO with the wage slave
OF today, for the more privation he is placed I'M
der the cheaper he will work. If Mr. Gordon will
insert an advertisement in some leading city paper
of his own state calling for laborers let it be
either children, women men wanted, venture
to say there will be ten times many applicants
as the number called for. Yet in the face of these
facts, you, Mr.. Gordon, will say that the socialists
are lying calamity howlers.
Your further state that the socialists of your
state, Massachusetts, misrepresent the facts in
regard to the shoe industry. do not know what
the socialists of that state tell but if they give
the facts that can be proven by the United States
commissioners report it is enough to greatly
prise the public For instance, III regard to the
shoe industry, which Mr.. Gordon speaks Of,
page % of the thirteenth annual report of the
commissioner of labor, he will find that the labor
cost of manufacturing a pair of mems grain,
pegged, tap-sOled brogan shoes (that retails for
$3.50 at least) is less than IA cents and if he
will turn to page S. same report, he will see
that the labor cost Of tanning the leather in
pair of shoes is less than the cost of making the
shoes. And if he will consult the penitentiary
report of Missouri for the year 1901 and 1902 he
will that the shoes made there with convict
labor-and there five different firms that have
shoes made there) costs less than two cents per
pair. Now, Mr. Gordon we will leave the public
to say who has misrepresented the facts you or
the socialist backed by the United States reports
all we ask of the reader is to hunt up these United
States reports and investigate the matter before
they give decision. We will not comment any
further Mr.. Gordon's statement as we have
occupied more space than we intended at the be-
ginning; only say that every other statement he
makes is as far from the facts as those We have
mentioned.
I'll just say in conclusion. that defy Mr..
Gordon, any one else, to meet the following
propositions. Resolved:
First-That the present economic system is
just and should be, maintained. Mr. Gordon to
affirm.
Second-That the socialistic system Is just
and should be established. Mr.. Gordon to deny.
Third-That wage slavery of 1906 Is worse
than chattel slavery OF 1860. Mr.. Gordon to deny.
s. p. GUSTIN.