Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-07-25
whole estate. Suppose there was a

oWH VIC ldn'l VI eacu township, not
own it exactly as we own our lands!
but be entitled to its use as his paw
or salary for the office or position he
held. On his death the office of
captain could not be divided up
among his several sons, for only one
captain was required. The eldest
son, being able most likely to fill
his fathers place, inherited the office
and estate to the entire exclusion Of
the other children.
Under this system the great mass
Of wealth producers became depend
ent upon others, and the darkness Of
what is known as the middle ages
settled down upon Europe. The
people were chained to the land like
chattels, and oppression of the mass
es, human suffering and terrible want
were the results of the system. Some
of the injunctions issued by inferior
federal courts against railway en-
ployes during the past few years had
almost exact counterparts in the
first stages OF feudalism.
In feudal times the learned barris-
ter sought the patronage of the
feudal lord, and assisted in the
creation of that legal juggernaut of
the middle ages. The lords patron
age gave him wealth and sort of
social standing which many seemed
to desire. Today certain class of
men, learned in the law, are follow
ing in the footsteps of the barristers
of old. They are anxious to become
the salaried employees of trusts and
gambling corporations, willing, for
a certain consideration, to help
build up in this country a worse
system Of vassalage than ever cursed
humanity in any age.
Under the feudal system the rich
and favored few were constantly
striving to secure exemption from
governmental burdens. Again his.
tory is repeating itself. Only a
short time ago the highest tribunal
in the land reversed itself ard its
precedents of one hundred years to
exempt from income taxation the
wealth of the fortunate few.
But there is another feature OF
our changing conditions of which
wish to speak. 1t j h 6
disposition Of our metropolitan
press to belittle and ridicule tine
wealth producing class. / have nc
recollection OF seeing decent pic
ture of a farmer in one of these
publications in recent years. The
farmer is generally referred to as a
"hayseed," and pictured as an un-
couth individual, with long whiskers
and numerous patches on his wear
ing apparel.
Many of the writing vassals Of
these rich newspaper corporations
never possessed a 1.-THE Of the true
manhood of a stalwart farmer OF
mechanic Two often do they fawn
at the feet of wealth and power, and
betray the best interests of their
county for their daily bread.
Wealth producers could we'll af-
ford to let the ridicule of the city
press pass unnoticed were it not
tending to build up public senti-
ment, in some parts of the country.
adverse to their substantial rights.
But when specializing pew holders
of fashionable churches begin to
proclaim their superiority, and even
ministers of the gospel Join in the
attack, it is time to protest. lido
not know when l have heard any
thing that affected my feelings like
the utterances of an Omaha bishop
during the recent campaign, who
said:
"The trouble with the farmer, in
my judgement, is that we have
carried our free educational system
too far. Il - n The farmers sons-a
great many of them--who have alb
solatelv no ability to rise, get taste
Of education and follow it up. 81 g \
They become dissatisfied ID follow
in the walk Of life that God intend
ed they should, and drift into our
cities"
When / considered the full mean
inc of these cold blooded stafements
and then thought of the little farm
away back in New York state where
was born, of the kinspeople | left
upon the farms among those hills,
Of my brothers and sisters still work
ing on farms, / confess that it made
the blood run down through my arms
like boiling hot water.
Just think Of it, a minister of a
fashionable church talking about
Gods intention to keep farmers in
certain walks Of life, and that educa-
ton was uniting them for their in.
tended sphere! Can just complaint
and discomfort be allayed by abolish
ing our public school system? In
this age Of changing conditions,
wealth producers must maintain
their rights or they will be over
borne.
Our changing conditions have
given designing men their oppor-
tunities and Iblame the conservatism
Of the law, or rather its incompetent
cy, for the trend Of present affairs.
Courts and legislatures stand nerve
less before the operator who seizes
in some new diabolical way a million
that never belonged to him, but
they know all about how to deal
with the poor unfortunate who
happens to purloin a few shillings
But I have faith that the Ameri
can people win not allow their con-
s.rvatism to give the gamblers OF
wealth much more of start than
they now have. Thus far the
gambling class has defed nearly
every restraining law that has been