Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1910-05-12
More About 1.-THE System"

talked of happy union in days to com,
when they would scratch out enough
to start in life. She would think O
the old Captain, all drawn over with
rheumatism, feathers all rumpled, bill
uneven, and many unsightly things
about him and Of his big pile Of
worms. She could also see the one she
loved and with whom she very much
desired to unite for life. If l take
him we both must continue to scratch
for realize now that scratch harder
and longer than / used to. So she
makes up her mind and married the
old captain for his pile of worms
The old Capt. Rooster takes her out
and shows her his large pile of worms
and tells her they have more worms
than they can ever use and that she
may take all the young pullets and
ROSTERS she desires as servants, so she
has one to trim her claws, one to dress
her, comb and plume her feathers, one
for this, ETC., all living off the Cap
/
to grow larger and larger. By this
time the chickens have so increased
that there are several times as many in
the yard They thought of this and
they began to reason with themselves
and say, AS there are so many more
scratching now than when we con-
tracted to pay the third, the old Cap
tain should reduce our rent. They
called all together and resolved that
they were paying too much rent. de-
clared it unjust, and appointed COM
mittee to see old Capt. Rooster and
lay their grievances before him. He
was ready for them and showed them
from political economy that the more
scratchers there were the scarcer the
territory and the dearer, so instead of
reducing he said he would raise their
rent and before they scratched any
more they must pay him every first
worm. They went back sorrowfully
to report and all went to scratching on
the new terms.
They kept on increasing and paying
half as rent until many often went to
roost hungry. Their condition grew
so hard that they went to the old roos-
ter. not to ask for anything but to tell
him how hungry they were, as they
had begged reduction on rent and
got it increased. After the old rooster
had listened to their story and could
see poverty and weakness depicted in
their eyes, he said: You have been too
good to me, / cannot see you starve.
I will loan you some worms. l will
loan you nine worms, take your note
for ten, But they all asked in one
voice, Why do you make it ten, why
this extra worm' This is interest
Interest What is INTEREST," So he
comes in with his political economy
and shows by reading and long talk
the rights of private property. He
loans them. By and by their notes
come due and they can't pay. He al
lows them to renew by giving notes
for eleven worms
About this time the young wife
says: would not loan them, because
| know how hard it is. They can
never repay. Old Captain said, What
will we do2 We can't let them starve
for if we do we will have to scratch
for ourselves. Oh put them in a
store and sell them two for one. This
was arranged and prices fixed, but
when the scratchers went to buy they
at once wanted to know why two was
wanted for one, why the extra worm.
This, said old Capt Rooster, is my
profit. Profit What is profit3 But
now the old rooster had grown to be
recognized as Major and Colonel and
his word was final. He does not use
his political economy. He at last has
them where they can't help them
selves. and if they don't want them,
they can starve. A few days after
this many are found too weak to
scratch and their fellow scratchers go
out and beg their comrades to all help
and feed these. The old rooster then
builds house of charity where the
poor may be supported by the scratch
ers when in poverty.
The young wife seeing many of her
former friends and relatives suffering,
says to old Col Rooster, "Let's take a
trip and get away from the cries of
these poor scratchers." So they decide
to take trip around the world. They
hunt some old rooster which can pres
ent all sorts and kinds of faces, lead
sr in the church preferred, who has no
regard for truth when the workers or
interests are at stake, and
who will continually drum them for
charity and for money to christianize
the heather and pay the preacher to
keep them obeying their masters, by
Servants, obey your mas
ters." ''Be content with your lot." {"
The harder our cross here the bright
er will be our crown in that imag- |
mary home in the skies.
The above represents the system OF !
government under which We live as
see it and am compelled, as an honest
man, to condemn il as conflicting with
every commandment given on the table