Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-15

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which these men became great. would
II practiced on small scale, land
man in the penitentiary today
AS for Eugene v. Debs, you must
have made mistake in CHASING him
rs success, as he is only disconted
socialist, and owns nothing except
modest home in Terre Haute.
You still persist In introducing the
personal equation regarding my fail.
ure, ms you consider 1t. Now, Mr..
Shaw, never expect to be a great
capitalist, though know my chances,
If not my opportunities, are as good
as those Of millions of other young
men about me, but shall consider
my life success II can do some
thing, however humble, to uplift the
race, and will feel better satisfied
than II I had made million dollars.
But how about you? You believe In
the Idea Of accommodating a large for
are ready to hand II peretHoieta
tune. You believe the opportunities
are ready to hand II person will but
grasp them. You seem to be at least
as intelligent as the average, and yet
cannot find any record Of your name
In the latest edition OF Who's Who In
America" In view of the fact that
several socialists have actually had
their names printed In this register Of
successful men, think It IL about
time for you to drop this talk about
socialists being discouraged, discon-
tented men who have failed to grasp
their opportunities.
You state that few Of our wealthy
NSpvA - 1& 80
ability to manage their huge fortunes.
You seem to overlook the fact that the
Astors, Vanderbilts and others have
founded an cligarchy Of wealth in
which ability Is not necessary quail
fication. Harry Thaw is In an insane
asylum, but his wealth keeps on In
creasing. Marshall Fields grandsons
are mere children under the care Of
a guardian, but their Inheritance Is
held In trust in such manner that
It will increase many fold before they
are able to touch it. George M. Pull
man would not leave his wealth to
his sons, but left 1t in trust for their
benefit. John d. Rockefeller swore on
the witness stand that he had not been
in his Standard OIL office for over
twenty years, yet his wealth In
creased more during that time than
during all the years when he was
crushing out his rivals. Tho power Of
accumulated capital under the present
system is independent of the ability
OF the owner The control over the
means Of production and distribution,
which others must use to live, makes
them obedient, If not willing. slaves
and the power to nonopolize anything
be it oil, steel or meat, carried with
1t the ability 20 regulate prices, and
the surest means OF accommodating
wealth
You say that the socialist party is
composed of discouraged, disappoint-
ed, disconnected men. Tom Watson,
the old populist war horse, who pre-
faces his remarks by saying, Every
body knows how have fought the
socialists" has the following to say
regarding them, and he ought to know
them much better than you:
"They (the socialists) are fighters
from the ground up. and from hades
to breakfast. They are never discour-
aged, but defend their work like real
beavers and will sacrifice their COM
fort and their money to advance the
cause. They are not afraid OF the
FEDERAL courts nor OF the postoffice de-
partment. They will go to Jail. rather
than compromise principle. Their
tcampaign methods are clean and hon
est. Their presidential candidates are
absolutely sincere. able, consistent
and honorable men,
still think you have not advanced
any argument that will throw single
vote from the socialists, either OF the
old-timer or the new converts, az they
have all used these same old argu-
ments themselves before they were
converted to the socialist philosophy,
which is the reason we never go back
ward
We shall consider that we are not
keeping up with our opportunities this
fall II we do not at least double or
treble our vote, and put several So
cialists in congress. II you have any
new arguments against socialism, you
had better get busy and get them be-
fore the people now before the cleo
ton.
James McGahey.