United labor bulletin., 1910-11-10
LABOR IN SLAVERY AND FEuDAL
TIMES.
(By the Rev. Charles stelzle.)


In some respects, modern slavery has
not been so extensive nor so horrible as
that which existed in Greece and Rome,
but the story is nevertheless one which
stirs the blood. Colonial slavery is blot
upon many modern nations history.
In twenty years during this period in
America, 100000 negroes were exported
to the United States. From 1880 to 1886
it is estimated that 2.130.000 negroes
were imported into all the British, col
onies in America. Naturally great num-
bers of slaves died while in captivity be-
fore leaving Africa, and many more died
during the ocean passage. Probably only
one-half of those captured survived the
various stages of their transportation to
America. There was the greatest reck-
lessness in their treatment and the ut
most Indifference to their suffering.
Slavery has been abolished in most
countries, but it still exists in the Mo-
hammedan East, although usually only
in households. While there is undoubt-
edly still some traffic in slaves, 1t is al
most universally against the laws of the
nations. and those who engage in it do SO
contrary to the edicts of congresses and
parliaments which have been supported
by practically all civilized peoples. In
some countries a system of peonage is in
vogue, which amounts to practical slav-
cry But, on the whole, the system OF
slavery no longer affects the laborer to
such degree that the workingmen suf-
fer very materially on account of it.
In discussing the question OF the abo-
lition of slavery, Mr.. j. Osborne Ward
says, in Ancient Lowly":
We shall submit that the religion OF
Jesus, planted by a manual laborer and
forming the basis of hope upon which
stands the great labor movement of our
time, has been the power that
openly struck the first well-organized
blow at the system of masters and slaves
and boldly championed 1t as a principle;
and in essence 1t has never since shrunk
from its prodigious task toward realizing
the much contested doctrine of human
equality"
Following the system of slavery came
that of feudalism. Men had passed
through the hunting and fishing period.
They began to settle on the land. They
had learned how to till the soil. They
did not own 1t. but the land lords" gave
them the use of the property on condi-
tion OF tribute or service. The lord gave
them protection from the common en-
emy. This system was developed prin-
cpally from the fifth to the ninth CEN
tury. There were many forms of feudal-
ism, conditioned upon the situation pre-
vailing in different countries and upon
the character OF the baron to whom the
serfs gave tribute. The serf rarely paid
any rent for the use of his bit of land.
In 1a hnr f,,
or in other ways was his ordinary tax.
With the development of the professional
military class and the growth of city life
through the grouping together of the ar
tisan and other classes, feudalism gradu-
ally disappeared In 1860 England.
through Parliament, abolished land ten
ures. Scotland followed in 1747 In
France the revolution of 1889 brought the
same result; In Germany and Austria 1t
was the revolution OF 1S4S-5O which &C.
complished its destruction. In Russia 1t
was destroyed In 1861. Meanwhile, great
changes had been wrought, SO that when
the system was finally abolished, little
of the original condition remained.
During this period religious leaders
who were raised up from among the peo-
pie fought against the system. They tes-
tilted to the value of the Individual.
They taught that before God all men
were equal. Says Thorold Rogers, In
six Centuries of Work and Wages:
"Wyclif's poor priests had honey
combed the minds OF the upland folk
with what may be called religious social
ISM The preachers told the people that
1t would be better for them to die with
arms In their hands than to be thrust
back, without an effort on their part, into
the shameful slavery from which they
had been deliyered.'".