The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-01-23
UNEMPLOYMENT.

Most Of US are little concerned
about the general trend of affairs.
The question that gcauses us the most
concern Is our own immediate inter.
ests. We cannot as rule see our
interests, as expressed in the condi-
tlons that confront the other mem.
bers OF society; We simply think that
as long as conditions are favorable to
us, as individuals we should not find
fault or complain; and this thought
mas gained such hold upon the aver
age person that he has simply fallen
into the rut of contentment, and con-
stders that the conditions that are
placed before others are unworthy of
notice b yhim.
1t seems to me that for a person to
make the statement that there are
2,000 idle men In the city of Duluth
at the present time, and as conditions
as they appear at present do not war
rant us In believing that they will
change for some time, would give
occasion for hiding our faces in
shame. In Duluth we can count our
wealth In the millions; we can see
the smiling face Of nature, as she
heaps upon us the bountiful store of
the good; things OF life. The crime,
and the hideousness Of the crime lies
in the fact that a few men have been
given the right OF control and this
rlght OF control carries with it the
right to compel people to walk the
streets in idleness.
1t Is said by some that man was
cursed by God by being compelled to
eat his bread in the sweat of his
brow, but to be doubly cursed by be-
Ing denied to use the right of the
first curse, if it be a blot upon man
kind to work, what an awful, terrible
blot OF the greatest magnitude, and
1t the pictures OF the ever consuming
fires OF hell has held us in fear of the
future welfare Of our souls, what an
awful fear that consumes the very
conscience, the very thought that all
the future has in store for any of us
must be given oyer to that greed Of
own 1t, and will not allow you to
use 1t unless can make a profit out
OF you? What means this that the
welfare of all must be giver over, that
spirit which is devoid of a good
thought? What of the hogs as they
scramble In the trough, denying the
weaker ones the right to be fed until
they have become bloated and can
hold no more? &#
Much of the future depends upon
the. condition of the mind. If the
mind be driven to or beyond the point
OF endurance 1t will be able to see
but little other than. that it must be
compelled to force from the owners
the right to work, and this may be
done by force for it is known fact
that when mankind as:xa~whole sees
that wrongs are being. committed and
that they suffer tor these wron gs, but
have been led to. believe what they
did was for the best, and when they
later learn that what they have done
was at the behest Of the so~called in.
tellectuals, what can be: expected but
that they turn upon their false teach
ers in hatred and contempt?
Why should we teach the existence
OF a hell that cannot begin to COM
pare In all OF its horrors, with the
man who is compelled to walk the
streets, with no money in his pocket
and no chance to work? VIII we be-
neve that such condition would
create a healthy frame Of mind, or
would it be reasonable for us to be-
lieve that 1t would have a tendency
to lead the mind into the path of be-
lieving that at nature has been so
good to mankind by giving us all we
need and can use, but that what was
intended for all, has been grated by
a few? -, - ..'.,'.
If the few can own, then the many
must suffer. If man-made law; can
ride the natural law, then why speak
Of hell in the future? Have we not
it here with us at present? Let us all
give the question Of the unemployed
serious thought, before II: is too late.
PIG. PHILLIPS.