The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-18
Retl Masters Not in Front

NDTollp al IHb S0Ilnt OI l4t sdIltlll9 oA property even though that property be illicitly acquired and used to the detri- ment of the community. All of these honest men are credulously taught by the big sinister men above them that revo- lution mpends if we strike at even the most obvious injustice. They are taught to believe that change means destruction. They are wrong. The men who temper ately and with self restraint, but with unfiinching resolution and efficiency strike at injustice, right grlevous wrong and drive entrenched privilege from it's sane tuary, are the men who prevent reyolu- tions. Life means change: where there is no change, death comes. We who fight sanely for the rights of the people for in dustrial justice and social reform are also fighting for material well being, for jus- tice is the hand maiden of prosperity. and without justice there can be no lasting prosperity. We pledge ourselves not only to strive for prosperity but to bring it about, for it can only come on a basis of fair treatment for all: and on such a basis 1t shall come if the people intrust power to us.
 Knew What He Was Doing
 When I undertook this contest I was well aware of the intense bitterness which my re-entry into politics would cause. I knew that the powers that would oppose with tenfold the bitterness they would show in opposing any other progressive candidate. simply because they do not fear any other progressive candidate, whereas they very greatly fear me. I knew also that they would directly or indirectly in- fiuence the very men who pride them selves upon belonging to, and indeed typi- flying what they regard as the educated and respectable classes. But 1t has been to me matter of melancholy concern to see the effect that these influences have produced upon so many men in the north east, especially in cities like New York. Boston and Philadelphia, who lead lives that are on the whole rather pleasant, rather soft and who are free from all possibility of the pressure of actual want. It has been a matter of concern to me to see how bitter and irrational has pe-.. the opposition to us among very large proportion of these men, the men who are to be found in the most noted clubs, in the centers of big business and in the places especially resorted to by those whose chief desires are for ease and pleasure. We have with us small percentage of the heads of great corporations and of great corporation lawyers. including, believe, almost every man of either class suffi- ciently high minded and far sighted to see that in the long run privilege spells destruction, not only to the class harmed byAit, but to the class possessing it. We welcome the presence of these men. Every honest man, whatever his fortune should be our ally. The great majority of capi- talists, however, and of the big corpora tion lawyers so intimately connected with them, are naturally hostile to us Their hostility did not surprise me- The men who are most benefited by privilege, un- less they are exceptionally disinterested and far sighted. they cannot be expected to feel friendly toward those who assail privilege. But associated with them are many men whose selfish interest in priv ilege Is far less obvious.
 Wants Rich Men
 T genuinely regret that we have had With ns so small a percentage of the men for whom life has been easy who belong to or are intimately associated with the leisured and monied classes; so small a. proportion of the class which furnishes the bulk of the members of a large social, business and professional clubs, which sup plies the majority of the heads of our great educational institutions and of the men, generally who take the lead in up- holding the cause of virtue when only the minor moralities and the elegancies of life are at issue. My concern and regret over their action are not primarily for our sake but for the sake of the people. My con- cern and regret are primarily for these
 
 by joining with us, for ic is earnestly to be wished that this movement for social justice shall number among Its leaders at least goodly proportion of men whose leadership Is obviously dsinterested, who will themselves receive no material ben eft from the changes which as a matter of justice they advocate. Yet the good to the people would be small compared to the good which these men would do to their own class by casting in their lot with us as we battle for the rights of humanity, as we battle for social and in dustrial justice, as we champion the cause or those who most need champions and for whom champions have been so few. I have been puzzled at the attitude of the men in question.
 They are often men who in the pa st nave been very severe in their con demnation of corruption. in their con demnation of bossism and in railing at injustice and departure from the higher ideals of public service and private life Yet when the supreme test comes they prove false to all their professions of the past They fear the people so in- tensely that they pardon and uphold every species of political and business crook edness in the panic struck hope of strengthening the boss and special privilege and thereby raising a power full shield to protect their own soft per sonalities from the public. They are foolish creatures; the people would never harm them, yet they still dread the people.
 Stand Behind Crookedness
 They stand with servile acquiescence behind the worst representatives of crooked business and crooked politics in the country and by speech or by si- lence they now encourage or condone the efforts of our opponents to steal from the people the victory they have won and to substitute boss rule for popular rule Some of these men have in the past assumed to be teachers of their fellow men in political matters Never again can they speak in favor of a high ideal of honesty and decency in political life or of the duty to oppose political corruption.
 ITO do so would expose them to the de- rision of all who abhor hypocrisy and who condemn fine words that are not translated into honorable deeds
 Apparently these men are influenced