The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-07-10
EXAGGERATED, But
NOT ENTIRELY UNTRUE

The following, which is called by
its authors, The Workers New Dec
laration OF Independence" has been
issued and approved by the labor
unions Of the United States. 1t is
rather exaggered, and in some places
contrary to reason, but there is a
considerable amount of truth in
some parts of it.
When in the course of human
events it becomes necessary for an
oppressed people TO break the chains
that have kept them in bondage, and
assume before the people of the
world the wealth and equal station
to which the laws of nature and ma
lures God entitle them, a decent re-
spect for the opinion of mankind re-
quires that they should declare the
causes which impel them to assume
their rights.
We hold these truths to be self
evident: That all men are created
equal in privilege, and are endowed
by their creator with certain inalien-
able rights, among which are oppor-
tunity to live and enjoy the full so
cial product of their labor. That
to secure these rights governments
exist among men, deriving their just
powers from the action of the whole
people, regardless of sex or color.
That whenever any form of govern
ment becomes subertive of these ends
it is the duty of the people to alter
or abolish it, and to institute new
forms of government, laying their
foundation on such principles and or
ganizing their own powers in such
form as to them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and hap
piness. Prudence indeed Will dictate
that customs long established should
not be violently overthrow on
fwhims of the moment; and according
ly all experience has shown that the
working class has been more dis
posed to suffer, while evils are suff-
cradle than to right the wrongs by
abolishing the property forms ito
But when long train of robbery and
murder, pursuing invariably the same
object, eVinces a design to reduce
them to hopeless poverty and SER
vitude under a plutocratic despotism
| it is their right, it is their duty, tt
repudiate this class rule and all it!
| forms, and to provide universal de
mocracy; simply expressed, to safe
guard their future. Such has beer
the patient suffering of the working
class of America, and such is now th'
necessity which constrains them Il
alter the control of industry. TIL
history of the present rule of indus
try for private profit is a history o
repeated wrongs and usurpations, al
having in direct object the establish
ment of an absolute tyranny Owe
the workers. To prove this let fact
be submitted to a candid world.
1T tied the hands of the people b
providing, when the constitution wa
adopted, that only the house of rep
resentatiVes should be really elect
ed, the president being chosen by
house of electors, <the Senate by leg
islatures and the judges appointed
Tt disarmed the workers in vic
lation of the expressed words of tn
covenant which it itself drafted, an
then hired private armies ITO max
war on the helpless.
It usurped the power vested in tn
hands of the peoples representative
to make laws, by giving to an al
| pointed court the right to abrogat
those laws by declaring them uneoI
stftutional.
| For more than fifty years it di
| franchised the black workers an
kept them as chattles. From tn
] very start it has refused to accor
. to woman the right of citizenship.
lit opposed the establishment \
the public school, declaring 1T VIZ
dishonest and subversive of religio
and the 1amIIy or HE.
1t opposed the organization Z
workers, even when it itself was con
bining to raise prices, sending armit
and policemen to kill, and on falls
testimony commit to prison, tho:
who dared to unionize.
lit gave away the peoples heritas
of the land in empires to individu
favorites, thus laying the foundatio
of landlordism and plutocracy.
It's seized on wharf privileges ar
water powers in order to contr
the markets and place the worke
under tribute.
1T influenced the making of gran
of cash in order to finance RAJ
roads and manufactures whose so
purpose it was to charge profits {