The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-02-19
Knowledge.

gilC ySdL pICOCuAhSs
About 400 years ago illiteracy
was so general that the English
Parliament passed law provid
ing for those of it's members who
were unable to read; while now
ability to read and write is near
ly general, even among the
poorest classes. AS result of
this increase of knowledge we
find the brain powers of this
mortal human family invigorat-
ed and energized as never before.
And the fruits of this eDergizing
influence are to be found in dis
coveries and inventions of mech
anical devices, which does now
and will more abundantly in the
future economic labor and pro-
vide the world in general with
time and conveniences such as
were never enjoyed at an earlier
period.
knowledge has increased rap
idly and useful inventions have
fully kept pace, but more espec
tally so in the last so years.
One hundred years ago the
fastest means of travelling was
on horseback, as the first effec-
tive steamboat was built A. D..
1906, and the first effective loco
motive was built A. D. 1881. And
besides these means of rapid
travel and transportation, we
have now telephones, telegraphs
and cables uniting cities, nations
and continents with a complete
network of the means of com
munication. And when knowl-
edge has been further increased,
to the extent that the people will
know how to use these inven-
tions and conveniences for their
general good instead of as now
the instruments of private greed,
it will be found that a new dis
pensation in the economic affairs
of men will be the right thing.
knowledge in the use of labor
saving devices and inventions
have not increased in the same
proportion as in inventing anC
making. For example One
hundred years ago English
workmen destroyed much mach
inery because they said it took
from many their jobs. 1t was
wrong to do so, and therefore
their actions did not win out tt
the extent of becoming -univer
sal; though we have had isolated
cases of the same foolishnes:
since that time.
Not long since there was pub
lished an account of a mob of 30I
masked men, supposed to b.
tobacco growers, who burned VI
two large tobacco factories a
Princeton, KY. These factories
belonged to the Tobacco Trust
that had been squeezing the yer.
life's blood out of the Tobacco
growers, who had been hanging
onto the ragged edge of despair
with so slight margin betwee,
themselves and starvation, tina
it is presumed they concludes
there was no virtue doing s
longer. These factories, mach
inery and property destroyed b
this mob, were just as essentis
: to the comfort and we'll being c
men as any of the mechanics
devices and inventions mention
ed of relative value.
1t is not the intention to b
understood as offering anythin
in defense of the method
which the Tobacco Trust, or an
other trust operates; while th
combination may be just an
good the methods of operatio
undoubtedly are villaineousl
4 bad.
: 1t is to be further noticed th;
our President has undertake
: the task of breaking up I'll
Standard Oil Trust, and also tht
he has "bucked" up against M
S Hartman. 1t will be remembe
S ed that our President has pose
+ as a trust buster" for conside.
able time, and it is up to him
/ show his hand by busting sou
of them, for there is a fear th
if he does not Mr.. Bryan ma
d become a Socialist. Mr.. Brys
says that private monopoly
i intolerable and indefensible ar
that public ownership should b
It gin where competition ends.
n The theory is that railroa,
7, and all other corporations a
:, creatures of the State; that the
e are responsible to their create
for their actions. The practic