The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-30
MUMMIES AND NUM- MMERY
Republican Mummy Is Protection to
American Labor by Lcavin 9 an
Open Door for Pauper Labor
DEMOCRAT TARIFF FOR REVENUE
The Socialists Have Job Lot Of Num-
mics always and Constantly
on Exhibition

Mark Twain relates an amusing in
cident in his "a Tramp Abroad" il
memory serves Alright, of how he and
Harris made sport with a guide at
Genoa by refusing to be interested in
anything he might show them. They
sneered at the handwriting Of "ze
great Christopher Colombo" averring
that any American schoolboy of ten
years could do better. They secuted
the story that Christopher had dis
covered America, because they had
just come from there and had heard
no such rumor. The guide held In
reserve his trump card" a gyptian
|mummy'-feeling sure that this, at
least, must bring forth applause from
the thick-skulled Americans. Imagine
his CONSERVATION when Mark and Har-
ris not only refused to believe that
the mummy was 5000 years old, but
Indignantly demanded that If he had
on hand any mice fresh corpses," he
should "trot them out!'
One Of the crying evils Of today Is
too much mummy showing and mum
my worship. Each teacher of politics,
economics, or religion has his favor
lite mummy which he proudly exhibits
| to the gaping multitude; and the null
titude, afflicted with what DR.. Girdner
calls "Newyorkitis," promptly go into
ecstacies and worship it. What we
really need today is Mark Twain to
demand a mice, fresh corpse" occa-
sionally.
Other writer's perhaps would treat
what follows under some such high
sounding title as Symbols and Sym
bolism'-but the substance will be just
as clearly understood II we use the
terms, "Mummies and Mufnmery,1 Let
us cite a few examples:
The republican mummy, Protection
to American Labor"-building Chi
nese wall around the manufacturer In
such way that the goods Of foreign
competitors are either kept out en-
tirely, or are burdened by heavy tax;
yet leaving IAN open door" for the
"pauper labor" of foreign countries to
enter and become competitors Of Amer
ican labor; with the result that the
manufacturer becomes a multi-million-
aire, while his employees eke out bare
subsistence from year to year and are
compelled to organize unions for self
protection. All the protection" there
is to American labor comes not
through republican tariff laws, but
through trade unionism. And curious
ly enough the greatest public applause
for this republican mummy comes
from the agriculturists, who receive
no direct benefits whatever.
The democratic mummy, Tariff for
Revenue Only''-making an open door
for such products as we can produce at
home and strengthening the Chinese
wall against those necessities Of life
which can not be produced here, prof
itably, at least The net effect of this
policy is to increase relatively the tax
paid by the workingman by making
him pay more for his tea coffee and
other commodities Of that nature Yet
it seems clear that much Of the loud
est cheering for the democratic mum-
my comes from the laboring men, who
have most of the tax to bear.
The socialists have a job lot Of as
sorted mummies constantly on exhi-
bition: Labor produces all wealth; =
Value is crystallized labor" Exploita-
ton of the laborer is accomplished by
the surplus value" trick; Collective
ownership Of all the means Of produc-
tion and distribution" alone will free
the down-trodden laborer, etc. The adj
mixture of truth and error in the So
cialist doctrine is worthy Of, and shall
have later on, special attention, which
the limits of this article will not per-
NIT. f fs
The single takers, too, have an inn
posing array of mummies on exhibi-
tion Take land value for public
revenues"-the natural tax"-"equal
access to the land" etc.
Even the populists fall into the error
of showing a grisly old mummy called
"The Money Power"-.-a sort Of bogey
to frighten the children; or 2 kind Of