The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-04-20
fRv p, n. Virgins J

or all Gods creatures the wage
slave is the most dumb is deserving
of the most pity. BY all the rules of
right and justice, he should share
with the former in possession Of all
the material wealth in the country,
because it is his labor that has pro-
duccd all OF the wealth that the for
mer has not produced.
II is The labor of The wase-slavs
that brings TO the surface of the
earth the coal that keeps The mil
lions warm. generates the steam tina,
send the great iron-horsc whiZzirg
across the continent and supplies the
motive power for practically ali of
the manufacturing establishments in
the country. 1t is the labor ri the
wagc slave that wrcst from the earth
the iron and the copper that are
smclted with the coal preparatory to
their use in a variety OF forms. 1t is
the waee-slavc that fashions the iron,
the steel. the copper and other, min
erals of commerce into merchant able
shapes and distribute them over the
continent 1t is the labor OF the
wage-slavos that builds the great cit
les. from the lowest sub-cellar OF the
great sky-scraDer TO the last stone
on the roof And it is the labor of
the wage-slave Joined with that of the
farmer that produces the food and the
clothing without which our 90 mil
lions of human-benes would be hun
germ. and cold.
Yet. what has the wage-slave re-
ccived for all this mighty output of
productive effort Does he own the
wealth that he and he alone brought
into existence. A Thousand times
no; it belong 10 Big Business. those
Christian gentlemen. to whom God in
His infinite wisdom ntrustcd the
property interest Of this country tand
all other countries for that matter.l
Does the wase-slave own the great
cities that were raised. paved and
perpetunted by his labor. Go to the
census reports and read them. less
than SO in 90 own the shack in which
they exist. and if the wage-slaveEs
were asked if they owned any of the
great structures of brick. steel. con-
crete and granite that their lalIor
had pushed skyward. he would think
his inquisitcr a fool or lunatic. The
wage-slaVo who with the farmer ere
atcs all wealth. is on the poverty-line.
struggling hard for Il bare existence.
Seldom moro thea thirty days away
from hunger. as he learns too often
when his wages stop for 4 few days,
unlike the farmer he cannot know
that he will have work even for an
other day. or shelter for another
month. The farmer burdened with
debt. may see his land slowly slipping
into the hands of the land shark ard
though the spectacle OF the fruits Of
Il lifctimc's toll gliding into the pocll-
cts of others. may be hcartbrcaking.
he ut least may know that he can
work tomorrow. that his day OF reck
oning is months or years away. and
that however little he and his fam
lily may have. they will at least have
food and shelter. with enough clothing
prolonged agony is oftentimps intense.
i seldom if ever takes the acute
brain battling form that the wage
slaves trouble assumes when his fnrC-
man comes to him and says. here is
your time. go get your money. We
don't need you. Youa re an agitatOr
a disturbcr YOU don't know when yo'.
are well off.
Or there will not be any work for
yon after Saturday night. The shop
is going to close down. Either one
of thes announcements and both are
commori-puts Mr.. Wace-slave right
up against the immediate prospect
of want-not against the prospect nf
want next month or neXt yea. but
of want within Il few days. His last
weeks wages may have been spent