The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-08-25
Wanted----Free Men.

morals and religions, of law and govern
ment, are the outgrowth of economic
conditions. that is, of the manner in
which we. as people, obtain our means
of life. The period of the worlds his
tory during which society was supported
by the chattel slave economy had its own
peculiar ideas about law, religion, art
and the various institutions Of the time
With the fall of chattel slavery as the
dominant economic system, and the
substitution of what was known as the
fuedal system, there came likewise
change in ideas. Fuedalism has passed
away as an economic system, and in its
place we have that peculiarly distinctive
economic system known as capitalism.
With the birth, growth and maturity of
this system there has inevitably grown
up corresponding system, of ideas, ideas
of law, religion, morals, art and govern
ment that differ radically from the ideas
of the past. The distinctive mark of
capitalism, that which distinguishes it
from all former systems, is the manu-
tacture of goods for exchange-for profit
All of these systems have been class
systems. They were all based funda-
mentally upon robbery of those who pro-
duced all wealth-the workers Under
chattel slavery the masters owned the
bodies of the workers, and thus took the
workers product. Under feudalism the
masters owned the land and thus took
the workers product. Under capitalism,
the masters own the tools of production,
that is, the jobs, and thus take the work
ers product. Under capitalism, the
masters pay the workers wage, that is,
a part of what the workers produce, and
take all the balance. This system, the
capitalist systematic commercial sys-
tents based upon the principle of buy
ing cheap and selling dear. 1t divides
society into two classes-those who sell
labor power, the workers, and those who
buy labor power, the capitalist. The
capitalists owning the means of life, that
is, the Jobs, hire the workers to work on
class, the capitalists control the govern
ment, the press, the pulpit and the in
stitutions of learning. These institutions
being thus subservient to the interests of
the capitalist class are used by that class
to teach and disseminate ideas favorable
to their interests. The capitalists know
that as long as the people hold ideas
favorable to their interests, their position
as the ruling class is secure. They fur
thermore know that when the people, the
working class, becomes conscious of their
| (the workers) real interests that the rule
of the capitalists will soon come to an
end.
At the present time, the majority of
the workers are not conscious of their
real interests, that is, they are not class.
conscious. They still have the capital.
list mind, that is, they hold ideas favor.
able to the capitalist class-ideas that
the capitalists want them to hold. The
"capitalist mind" causes its owner to de
fend and support the capitalist class
A Capitalist minded worker is good
worker-that is, he believes in working
hard all day and generously handing
over the product of his labor to master
and taking only part of it in the form
of wages. A Capitalist minded" worker
is the victim of his own ideas. He is
a slave of his own ignorance, and is
therefore to be pitied. On all occasions
he exhibits his Servitude by defending
the system that robS him. Being igno
rant, he will devote the best years of his
life to a job or position, for wage OF
salary, and firmly believe that he is
getting all that is coming to him. Being
dependant upon a master for his position
he will trim his ideas, his manners anc
: his conduct to suit the master. He is al
: ways at the beck and call of his employ
er, and will feel honored if he is treated
!, with the semblance of equality He is
/ content to play the part of menial tc
, his master. He is content to give uI
love, marriage, and an independant
station in life for the privilege of playing
!, the part of a servant
: Candidly, do you think such conditions
breed men? Are such conditions con
| ducive to the growth of Independent,
manhood Of course not. 1t breeds
what MIR. Roosevelt would probably cal
''mollycoddles" 1t breeds being that
: wants to let we'll enough alone. 1t ere.
: ates an intellectual loafer-one who is
5 too well satisfied with things as they are
: to want his placid mind disturbed
When some one tells him that his pocket
! is being picked, his reply is that we mus
t not destroy incentive" If he is told thai
J., as man he should demand a better
J, fuller life, he is afraid the family will bt
e destroyed" He is a social barnacie