The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-18

! the shrine of the sanctity OF property.
even though that property DO Illicit
| ~ acquired and used to the detri-
ment OF the community. All of these
honest men are sedulously taught by
/ the big sinister men above them that
revolution impends IL we strike at
even the most obvious injustice. They
are taught to believe that change
means destruction. They are wrong.
! The men who temporarily. and with
self-restraint. but with uniinching
resolution and efficiency. strike at in
justice right grievous wrong, and
drive intrenched privilege from its
sanctuary. are the men who prevent
revolutions. Life means change;
where there Is no change. death
comes We who fight saneN for the
rights Of the people. for Industrial
| justice and social reform. are also
fighting for material well-belng; for
justice Is the hand maiden of pros
| perity. and without justice there can
be no lasting prosperity. We pledge
ourselves not only to strive for pros
perity, but to bring 1t about; for il
can only come on basis of fair
treatment for all, and on such,a basis
1t shall come. II the people intrust
power TO us.
Feared by Powers That Prey.
When l undertook this contest
was we'll aware of the intense bit
| terncss which my re-entry into poll
tics would cause. I knew that the
powers that prey would oppose me
with tenfoid the bitterness they
would show in opposing any other
progressive candidate. simply because
| they do not fear any other progress
sive candidate. whereas they Very
greatly fear me. 1 knew also that
they would directly or indirectly in
huence every man or men who pride
themselves upon belonging to. and in
deed typifying. what they regard as
the educated and respectable classes.
But 1t has been to me n matter OF
melancholy concern to see the effect
that these influences have produced
upon so many men in the Northeast,
especially in cities like New York.
Boston and Philadelphia who lead
lives that are on the whole rather
pleasant. rather soft. and who arc
free from all possibility of the pres
cure of actual want
II has been matter OF concern to me
TO see how bitter and irrational has
been tho opposition TO us among a very
large proportion of these men. the men
who are to be found in the most noted
clubs, in tho centres of big business
and in the places especially resorted 10
by those whose chief desires are for
ease and pleasure. We have with us
a small percentage OF the heads of
great corporations and OF great corpo-
ration lawyers. including, believe,
almost every man of either class suf-
ficiently high minded and far-sightad
to see that in the long run privilege
spells destruction. not only to the class
harmed by it. but to the class possess
Ing IT. We welcome the presence OF
these men. Every honest man. what
ever his fortune. should be our ally.
The great majority of capitalists. how.
ever. and OF the big corporation law
yers so intimately connected with
them. are naturally hostile to us. Their
hostility did not surprise nc. Tho
men who are most benefited by privi-
! icse, unless they are exceptionally dis
Interested and far-siShted. cannot bt
expected to feel friendly towards those
who assail privilege. But associat ted
with them are many men whose selfish
interest in privilege is far less obvious.
| genuinely regret that we nave had
with us so small q percentage of the
men for whom life has been very easy,
who belong to or are Intimately ass0-
ciated with the leisured and moneyeI
classes, so small a proportion OF the
class which furnishes the bulk of the
membership of the larger social, bust
ness and professional clubs ana which
supplies the majority OF the ncIdS OK
! our great educational institutions ana
/ of tho men generally who take tho lead
| In upholding the cause of virtuc when
| only the minor moralitics and the clt-
gaHcios of life are at issue. My con-
Germ and regret over their action are
| not primarily for our sakcs. for the
sake of the people Ny concern and
regret are primarily for these men
! themselves. They could do us good by
! joining. and 1t is earnestly to be wished
7 that this movement for social Justice
/ VIII number among its leaders At least
! a soodly proportion of men whose lead
ership is obviously disin;erested, who
VIII themselves receive no material ben
eft from the changes which as Il mat
I ter of justice they advocate.
| Yet the good to the people would
be small compared to tho good whica
/ 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 Industrial
! justice, as we champion the cause OF
those who most need champions, and
! tor whom champions have been 100
! few. have been puzzled at the attI-
tude of the men in question. They
are often men who in the past have
been very severe in their condemna-
! ton Of corruption. in their condem
nation o: bossism. and in, railing. at
I injustice and In demanding higher
J ideals OF public service and private
life. Yet when the supreme test
professions OF the past; They fear
, the people so intensely that thuy par
don and uphold every species OF po-
1itcal and business crookedness in
the panic stricken hope OF strengthening
! the boss and special privilege and
thereby raising powerful shield 10
protect their own soft personalities
| creatures: tho people would never
| harm them, yet they still dread the
people. They stand with servile ac-
quiescencn behind the worst represen.
! tatives OF crooked business and crook