The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-03-12

big business-is now IN the saddle
booted and spurred. Not having PAID
the price we are in imminent DANGER
OF liberty which have been our nation
al glory. This is not because the pre-
sent generation is less int2lllga t1an
their fathers, but because tlelr intel
ligenca has been direct ELSEWHERE.
The struggle for eXistance-the siren
IONS persuit Of the dOilar-haS ION
fined their attention 10 the near at
hand "A Of obtaining IL, thereby
circumscribing their power OF accom-
plishment in that direction as well as
in the broader field OF human endeav
or hat makes for mans higher deVel-
opment.
That they have made this mistake
is due to their failure 10 tax into
consideration two facts j. g, the eco
nOmic foundation of all liberty, and
the ever changing order that requires
a consistent adjustment Of conditions
to principles, of the continuity OF hui
man development is to be maintained.
The poet tells us that FREEDOM is
recreated year by wear In hearts wide
open to the Godward side. and we
must likewise r%ecreate it in our insti-
tutions if We are 10 preserve It's bless
ings. Those who have watched the
trend of events in the last score OF
years have seer this precious heritage
subtly but surely undermined through
various forms of economic pressure,
till today it totterS to its fall.
Today We are economically in the
hands of the allied trusts. Produc.
ton and distribution are effectively
nrUuniva1 for Iriynta gain aud |
whether we buy or whether we sell:
whether we work with brain or hand,
or whether we are not given the
privilege of working at all, we must
bow to the mandate of these allied
powers, because we have not yet seen
how resistance is possible.
The recent decisions Of the supreme
court regarding the use of the iniunc-
ton, the boycott. he black list ana
Sherman antitrust law, have
swept the legal bulwarks Of any rem.
nant of economic independence that
might have remained to the people.
The Dick Military bill-virtually a
'Onscriptive measure-iS being made
more effective by conformatory legis.
alton in many of the states. BY this
ill every able bodied man of legal
. StlDJttl W lIlilluIN ullN at lfle
of the nations executive. And
but not least comes the PenroSe
ill now pending in congress, which
'uts the seal upon all OF this involun-
airy servitude. This bill gives the
of the press into the hands
( the postmaster general, giving him
rbitrary power to refuse mailing
privileges to such publications as fail
o meet his approval. 1t is the APP
Russian method as far as it {
oeS. -,
AS to our present status of liberty,
nth the allied trusts firmly entrench-
d at Washington, the terms upon !
'hich we shall live and contribute
ur quota to their dividends are de-
for us, but with this bill a ;
they should prevent any wide , ,
iscussion of these conditions. So
some farmers paper again pre-
umes to print something that Stand
I'd Oil regards as inimical to its in |
1t need not take the trouble |
reprimand it and withdraw its in
uence and advertising, but can sim {
ly snuff out the offending publication
'ithout further ado.
The elimination of waste is a prime
actor III trust management and under ,
he pending bill it will no longer be 7
eedful to control the public press I
lrough the economic motive, it can
e done more cheaply with the au- d.
lority of government, and by that ,
lving either increase dividends, or !
fficial salaries. :
If the people still value this rem
ant of liberty at them shower their c
of congress with personal G
to the end that he may vote i
work to kill this iniquitious cas- I
re. The occasion is urgent if this
yer of freedom is to be saved. 1t f
i'll be badly needed in the long t
ruggle that lies ahead of us, for {
hen was e%ntrenched power, whether f
king or class, known to surrender
it'll out a struggle? +
Alice Ball Loomis. =