The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-08-06

OppfeSs ana plllnder the pOpulace.
Aud those who advocate a stronger
or more centralized form of govern
ment are not only advancing policy
that threatens democracy, but they
are sowing broadcast the seeds of
socialism. The dangers in this direc-
ton are multiplied by the encroach-
ments of wealth upon the rights of
the people, which will naturally in
crease the demands for stricter govern
mental supervision of corporations,
and in some cases direct control and
even public ownership, and every step
in this direction is clearly step to-
wards socialism. Plutocracy in any
form will be sure to create a counter
socialistic sentiment and these are
plainly the evils that menace the
evolution of repnblicanism in this
country at the present time.
The constitution enunciates the
principle of 'equal rights to all and
special privileges to none" as the basis
of just government, and this principle
is just as dear to Americans today as
it was when the constitution. was
framed. And to allay the present
suspicion that surround our repub-
lican form of government, to insure
confidence in its stability and alleviate
the prevailing spirit of unrest among
the people, this principle must be
maintained in practice as we'll as in
theory. The evils that confront US
today are clearly traceable to the tend
ency of lawmakers and the judiciary
to depart from this principle. In the
light of recent judicial opinion we
search In vain for any evidence Of the
equality of rights, for under the law
as it stands today employers are ac-
corded the right to blacklist their en-
pioyees and thus deny them the rights
as well as the opportunity to pursue
their handicrafts, while the same law
prohibits resort to the boycott by
employees as means of enforcing
their just demands. The blacklist and
boycott amount to practically the
same thing, and while both are wrong
in principle, or at least their effects
are essentially evil, still the law can.
not maintain spirit of equality and
fairness and discriminate against one
in favor of the other.
Many comparisons might be drawn
along these lines with the same result
and when one couples the substance OF
this illustration with the arbitrary use
of the power of injunction by the
courts to compel the submission OF
labor to whatever terms are offered it
and the obviously unfair decision
which places labor unions within the
scope of the Sherman antitrust law
we cannot help realizing that oul
boasted equality is fast becoming {
myth; and if the law remains as It'll
at present, labor in this country can
not hope to escape the oppression tina
is sure to follow. To expect soca
and industrial tranquility to guido
democracy towards conditions thu
foreshadowed would be contrary t.
reason and would be placing lov
estimate upon the manhood of Ameri
can wage earners. And this tendenc
of the law to depart from the principl
of equsl rights, is creating labO
problem in this country, the signif
canoe of which should not be under
estimated as factor in the politics
evolution of the nation, and whe
democratic government tails to en-
ulate this principle of equality,
becomes separated from the tru
source of it's power. Americans d
not want socialism, but they wan
plutocracy less. And republicanisn
) if it is to endure in this countr.
must necessarily destroy the sourc
: of these forces which threaten it. Th
. worth and blessings of republicanisl
3 have been clearly manifested in th
! life of this nation. And what we nee
today is return to the source of tt
: nations greatness, which Is the onl
/ source from which democratic govern
t ment can draw enduring power, GO
!, ernment of by and for the people, wit
9 Iequal rights to all and special privilege
n to none. Republicanism in the Unite
t States has not yet been, weighed az
q found wanting, and against all Il
O portents Of gloom and forebodings