The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-02-09

T, ger and larger portion Of the produce
of the workers.
AS the ouroen OF the working ciass
grows heavier, numuers OF them urop
from the ranks or che workers. to be
cared for by the eleemosy nary insti-
tGtlons, the poor houses, asylums. etc..
are forced into crime, are lncarceratel
in the tails and penitentiaries. Again
crowded into small and unsanitary
houses, or cage-like tenements, living
on filthy, unpaved streets. disease
and degeneracy have increased, until
the burden OF caring for the non-pro
duceTs-the criminal rich, the crini.
nal poor, the rich idlers, and the In.
cspacitated laborers-has grown to pc
we'll nigh unbearable. For all this
burden is, has always been, and al.
ways must be, born by the men who
toll. In no way can wealth be pro
duccd except by the application OF
human intelligence and labor to raw
material. The task OF feeding. cloth.
Ing. sheltering and caring for this
large and ever increasing army Of
non-producers is, therefore, borne sole
lr by the men who toll with hand
and brain to produce the products
without Which mankind would perish.
And what is their reward for per.
forming this Herculean task? To toll
from morn till night like beasts: to
live in homes inferior to the very
stables of the rich idlers whom they
support; to be denied the opportunity
for recreation or education Without
hope Of improving their lot, they live
in poverty and misery until old age
or accident destroys their producing
capacity. and they go to swell the
numbers Of the dependent poor.
And what remedies have our up
holders OF the present system given
us for these intolerable conditions?
What have they done to alleviate the
conditions of their victims? They
have given us charity! "Organizei
Charity" If they would but give ns /.
organized justice, we would have 10
need Of charity. No more damlng
evidence Of the injustice and cruelty
Of our economic system can be fou11
than the enormous sums required
YEARLY to eke out the existence OF It's
victims.
They have multiplied our jails ana
asylums; they have multiplied our
lunatics and criminals. They have
given us more charitable institutions,
but they have abated not one jot or
title the hell-born system that makes
objects Of charity out OF men and WON
en- who might we'll be self-respecting
and self supporting, we're it not for
the burden these same "charitab BILE
people have placed upon them.
And they have the audacity to tel
US tnat there rs no reIIeuy lor pow
erty, ana wICh DIaspnemuus nps, tney
quite the words or Christ, seeking 20
uphold the robbery OF the WORKING
people by quoting the words of one
who gave his life for the poor and low.
~. They tell us that strong, willing,
ablcbodied men, eager to produce,
with inexhaustible supplies of raw
material on every hand, and with
the marvellous productive machinery
that our scientists and inventors have
given us before them, must remain
in poverty! But the day when that
false and vicious doctrine can be I'M
POSED upon the workin gman is at an
end. The standard of intelligence and
education has risen, and the working.
man can no longer be deceived by the
glib falsehoods he once readily accept
ed. Now he knows that If he can but
receive the product of his toll, can
hut have the privilege of using his
skill and strength in directing the
power of the machine. and can but
have access to the bountiful raw ma
terial which nature has provided. he
can produce for himself an abundance