The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-04-07
COUNTRY IS IN ARMS
ON CORRUPT LEADERS
Both Big Political Parties
Have Become Slaves to
Capitalism.
No Relief in Sight Until
Change Comes
Party Possible.

finds itself in position politically, COM
mercially sind industrialay unprece-
dented, which is proclaimed by the
promoters of 1t to be our most pros
porous powerful and glorious epoch,
there have become visible symptoms Of
misgiving more or less defined and OF
uncertainty in our advance.
One. mighty multitude of four score
millions have been led up into an ex-
citing high mountain, from which we
are shown the kingdoms of the earth
and the glory of them are told that all
these shall be our, provided only that
we acquiesce in certain easy condi-
tions. They are easy and in their own
way they are alluring.
The reward for accepting them
seems sure. Yet some among the null
titude have begun to doubt whether
our highest and soundest welfare will
be consulted by doing so.
Counsels Are Different.
The counsels which have laterly
guided us are not those which were
uttered or contemplated by the men
who planned the beginning of our pill
grimage. The things which made life
seem worth living then are not the
things which are offered to us now.
The. plans of hope and ambition have
been changed, and through the out
ward glimmer and glamor of the new
offering captivate> the eye, judgment
| and conscience are not content, and
! murmur that our future course should
we make these plausible terms will be
downward and not up-1n all these re-
spects which make a people truly Am
erican and great.
| The Republican party, an organiza-
| ton to support moral ideals, has be-
come by long use Of power-the party
Of material aggrandizement and ply
steal dominion. To maintain its sup
| remacy it has grown corrupt. To JUS
tify it's policies it has discredited the
principles on which the American idea
is based And to secure It's future it
designs to cast overheard the so-called
antiquated traditions and faiths of our
| national youth and to entrench itself
| among the flesh pots which have al
ready proved the undoing Of every ma
tion which has turned aside for them.
lnfidelity TO Better Arms.
ts$a Not the Republic lean party as such,
however, but the American people
| without regard to party, has been re-
! sponsible by this infidelity to it's better
aims. This is demonstrated by the fact
that though a Democratic regime has
occasionally intervened during the past
forty years, it has not been true to the
genuine principles Of Democracy, but
has been Republican at heart.
1t has not consulted the welfare OF
the people, but has been swayed by
capitalism and has yielded to the
temptation Of centralization Of political
power. Capitalization of political
power is, as it always was, indispen-
sable to the kind of success and do
minion which we have coveted.
But 1t involves neglect Of the rights
and welfare of the masses, and its
consequences are already seen in the
poverty of millions Of our people, the
actual nlandicency of many thousands
and the fabulous opulence of a few
Facility of manufacture and production
has caused the accumulation of huge
quantities Of merchandise, which in
stead Of being absorbed by those who
need them in our country, are denied
! to them because they are without
means to buy them; and the reason
they lack the means is that low wages
occasioned by undue competition, OF
no wages at all, due to unemployment
arising from "overproduction," have
reduced them to penury.
Problem Remains UnsoIved,
Neither the Republican nor the So
called Democratic party has undertake
dertaken or solved this problem, but
instead has grasped at empires beyond
the seas and at home has gradually
allowed the reins of government to fall
into the hands of few head-strone
and self-seeking persons who, rich and
we'll placed themselves. heve insured
themselves to a belief that there can
be national prosperity in which the
vast majority Of the nation has no
share.
Fascinated long by the shining spec
tacle of the success and triumph of
the chosen few, the masses have
! hitherto been deluded, by the assur-
ance that somehow. sometime, they
would participate In the ease and
plenty enjoyed by the others. But of
late their delusion has begun to cease,
and they are demanding relief and
human rights in voice audible
amidst the reveldy of those above
| them.
The latter, thereupon; hand down to
them promises of relief. but their real
| purpose is still to mislead them with
words and names. The people are told
that either Democratic or Repub-
lican government may be had for their
! asking; only the means of the aiding
must still remain in the control Of the
"authorities." J
People Are lntinidated.
There shall be no representation in
congress, but the authorities shall COM
pei them to vote contrary to the will
Of those whom they appear to repre-
sent. But, above all, the people are
| warned against demogogues and they
are intimidated by the repetition of
the names Socialism" and Anarchy y
| Yet, in spite Of all this clamor, the
people are beginning to see that the
demogogue means friend OF human
rights and decency and comfort of life
and that Socialism and Anarchy have
mo other meaning In this country than