Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-17

in his epoch making work He says:
The methods of production of the ma
terial things of life settles generally
the social, political and spiritual
process of life.' This is literally true,
as history proves.
| But production changes by the dis
covery of some force in nature,-steam
and electricity,-and society is forced
to readiust itself to the. new methods
| of production. That has happened
now. The productive power. of labor
is so great and the forces of nature
are so completely under mans con-
troll that material poverty has become
unnecessary. 1t is a disease, social
crime
The First Union.
"a brief examination of the history
Of unions and cooperative efforts Is
instructive. The first unions were
sexual Man and woman mated by
an impulse beyond their ken. They
formed the family; from that grew the
horde, the tribe, the nation: but these
ancient unions were compelled by
outer conditions-hostile nature, and
human and brute enemies.
They were defensive and offensive.
AS man advances and gains mastery
over nature unions of all kinds be-
come less and less dependent upon
outward conditions. They become the
expressions Of freedom. For man is
destined to become free by mastering
nature. There is vital difference be-
tween unions forced by outer condi-
tons and those arising from spon-
taneous inner impulses. The former
lead to the latter, but only the future
can unfold the glory of human des-
tiny freed from physical necessity and
exterior compulsion. Today's unions
are largely for personal interest, but
with an ever growing sense Of brother
hood.
"The irresistible tendency is toward
world including union that shall
guard the welfare Of every human
being. The civilization Of today is
passing because it does not respond to
the needs Of the people.
The Welfare of Ali
Poverty. want, the moral and phys
ical degration of the working class,
the debaucheries and corruption OF
the rich condemn the system of which
they are the fruit. We shall form a
social system in which the welfare of
all shall be the chief consideration.
Mans bitter selishness of the past
was necessary. It evolved the marvel
GUS human form, the powerful cum
ming from their mastering nature
but selfishness is not the end, the pur-
pose Of life.
Running silently through the his
- III s,{ M Il
of love and the immortal aspirations of
the race.
Human nature is not evil. None
are outcast or lost. Separation is an
illusion, selfshness mistake. There
is deeper law than self preservation.
Man is becoming conscious OF this law.
The comrades who sacrifice time,
money comfort, everything for the
cause ofssocialism are realizing this
deeper law.
Socialism is not personal It is
social. 1t is for all. The first step
towards it now is the solution of the
economic problem. Capitalism divides
society into two classes-the owning
and the working class. Socialism
knows only one class-the working
class 1t will own the means of pro-
duction and distribution collectively
and will thus provide every human
being the opportunity to provide for
himself and those dependent upon him
by very few hours of daily work I'M
der the most favorable conditions all
the necessaries, comforts and luxuries
of life
"The wealth producing power OF
labor is magical, and when we once
stop the awful waste of the present
system, it will be easy to provide
for all"