The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-11

and others Of their kind. to be- spent in
idleness and luxury. But we are inn
mediately made acquainted with the
fact that we are interfering with the
sacred rights of private property and
the sacred rights Of the people be
damned. N:'.A
is also true of the great steam rail-,
roads, the only difference being that
the steam railroad being the artery Of
the state through which all the food
stuffs Of people are carried is a more
predominating factor for social con-
troll than the street railroad, and as
we gradually evolve from our fast
disappearing agricultural form of life
to our skyscraper, social cooperation,
we realize more and more the social
necessity Of owning the great social
institutions.
All! But you say, this is going too
near Socialism, and this is more true
than you really think.
The concentration of wealth in the
large manufacturing plants of this
country has thrown the people togeth-
er in the last twenty-five years to the
extent that the dullest of minds real
ize that the people of the land will be
forced in the near future to own and
control industry or the masters of in
| dustry will soon own the people.
There is just one more Socialist con-
| tention beyond the control Of rail-
roads, coal mines and telegraphs-the
great workshops, which are as neces-
| sary to the life of nation as the air
| we breathe, and the land on which the
things of life are grown should not be
! left In the hands of profit making
mongrels who care nothing for human
| life, but live in riotous luxury on
money earned for them BY the p06f.
| One could picture grand uplifting
of all humanity if the necessaries of
life were in the hands Of the govern
| ment and being run in the interests of
| the people, instead of placing them in
the hands of a class of men who run
them for their own individual inter-
ests, as they are run at present.
But you persist this is Socialism and
Socialism will destroy the family, it
will destroy my religion, it will de-
stroy my individual liberty.
Stop, stop-right where you areI my
friends. Can you not see that the only
individual liberty you have as a work.
ingman Is your right in the things now
In the control of the government. The
post office, the public streets, the pub
lie schools, the fire department, the
police and che water departments
Your individual liberties are limited
to the uses of these socially owned ne
cessaries Of life. You cannot say that
they do not add to the support Of your
family, your religion, or your individ-
ual liberty. So if we added the rail-
roads, the coal mines and the work
shops, would it not improve your
chances for individual advancement?
This is nil that Socialism asks; sc
free your mind of all imagination be-
yond this. You ought to be able to dc
it more freely when you understand
thai the man who employs you owns
your job, he owns the source through
which you make your living, and when
he Owns the source through which you
make your living he owns you body
and soul. This you know; so outside
Of the things which are publicly owned
where is your Individual liberty?
When the boss has you on your
knees begging for work SO you car
earn, bread for wife and child, and
another takes your place at less
wage, where is your religion Of the
true brotherhood of man? And when
greedy employers hire women and
children because their labor is chear
and leave men walking the street. in
the present system of cover nment?
/