The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-11-16
All Should Rejoice

contract, is placed above human
lite. Jurisprudence still rests upon
the natural rights doctrine so
classically eNpounded by John
Locke The natural right to prop
erty has been SO extended under
the sway of capitalism that TODAY
this right includes the private
ownership OF all the forces of pro-
duction. This natural right. Z.
property now reaches even the
life OF the toiler. He is forced out
in the labor market where he must
sell his labor power as a commod-
itE. Under the relentless discipline
of tho machine he must part with
his life at so much per day. Robbed
materially and spiritually of all
that makes life sweet, he Is learns
ing the lesson of revolt. There are
about u.s.. says Matterlinck,
thousands of poor creatures who
have nothing of beauty in thei,
lives; they come and go in obscu-
rity, and we believe that all is dead
within them; and no one pays a
heed. And then one day a simple
word, an unexpected silence, lit
tie tear that springs from the source
OF beauty itself, tells us they have
found the means of raising aloft in
the shadow of their soul, an ideal
Il thousand times more beautiful
than the most beautiful things their
ears have ever heard or their eyes
ever seen. o, noble and paid ideals
of silence and shadow. 1t is you,
above all, who soar direct TO Cod"
Then, listen TO this Indictment OF
modern life By John Ruskin: 1.-THE
old barons of the middle ages used
in general the thumbscrew to ey-
tort property; we moderns use, in
preference, hunger or domestic ar
fiction; but the fact of eXtortion
remains precisely the same.
Whether we force the mans prop
erty from him by pinching his
stomach or pinching his fingers
makes some difference anatomical
ly; morally, none whatever; VIZ. |
use form of torture of some sort
in order to make him give up his /
property; we use, indeed, the man s.
own anNieties, instead of the rack
and his immediate peril Of starva-
ton instead of the pistol at his |
head; but otherwise we differ from |
Front and E'oeuf, or Dick Turpin.
merely on being less dextrous, more !
cowardly and more cruel More
cruel, | say, because the fierce ,
baron and the redoubted highway
man are reported to have robben |
at least by rreerence,.-o only. thet
rich; we steal habitually from the !
poor. We buy our liveries and
gid our prayer books with piifered |
pence out of children's and sick !
mems wages. and thus fngeniousIy
dispose of given quantity or
theft. so that it may produce the
largest possible measure of DELI
catelv distributed suffering
With popular education and with !
our wonderful means of disseminate
ing knowledge, it must be expected !
that the toilar will learn the posi-
ton to which our scheme of life
has assigned him. 1t is just this
growing knowledge that accounts !
Tor the results of the recent cleo !
tons Being driven TO revolt by !
mis- accumulative wrongs, he is ran
idly developing determination to
take the reins of power into his
own hands. With common WRONGS
common sulfcrinSs. and common as
pirations. the workers are dcyelop- |
ing a sense of solidarity This
sense of solidarity will be shown in
the future by constant increas,
oe common action on the political
field. The welfare of reactionists
against this advance of the common
man may delay the hour OF his vic
tory somewhat, but it cannot ure-i
vent his triumph. The scenes are 4
being shifted and the stage is be-
ing cleared for new drama of I'm. .
man life.
SO let us all rejoice The new 4
life now in the making is to be l
vastly different from the sordiness 4
OF the present. In the day nov. 4
Life is to be above nov
ertE. For the shamb1es of compel 4
tive strife we are to substitute an Il
era of cooperative broth erhood.
The dream of the ages is on tho
way to realization. The elections
carry a message of glad tidings to
the heavy laden. The immetliat,
future will ring with The clash or
weapons in many hard fought
battle between the passing old and
the advancing now. but the issues
con not be in doubt. All the forces
OF progress are enlisted on the side
OF the common man and WIFI,