The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-08-07
(By Robert Watson Boyce.)
Reprinted from Seattle Argus, Feb

ballot.
WHY OLE HANSON?
(By Robert Watson Boyce.)
Reprinted from Seattle Argus, Feb.
IA, 1914.
1t isn't given to a man, very often,
to look into the soul of another man,
but when that privilege is given, the
result is worth while. We all have
our ambitions, our hopes, our fears,
and l have often wondered what the
impression would be had l the ability
to look into the souls of all the people
l meet during the passing of a day. a
week or a year.
More than a year ago l accidentally
ran across Ole Hanson. Following a
conversation that lasted more than an
hour, Ole Hanson wrote me a letter.
Prior to writing that letter he told me
something of his life history, one
chapter of which never will be
penned 1t was a chapter of heart
hunger, doubt and uncertainty, and in
order to keep back the tears l
changed the subject by asking him
why he wanted to be United States
senator. That question prompted him
to write letter l replied to it. l
am going to print his letter, which is
masterpiece, and by reading same
you will understand why l am going
to support Ole Hanson.
November &c, 1912"
My Dear Friend Boyce:
We were talking the other day
about the reason why l wanted to be
United States senator. l am going to
tell you why Il have taken the part
have in politics, etc.
Il am not anxious to hold any public
office for the sake of the great honor
or because of anything that might
fn fynr hal inn
such position. The mere fact of hold
inS office has never appealed to me
unless | believed l would be able to
aid in the great reforms (economic)
which must be carried out in order
that the people come free and self
governing.
The fight for better conditions
more liberty, real freedom, equal
opportunity, is one that has had my
support since boyhood. l early real
lied the wrongs that Cypress the poor;
the special privileges that rob the
many and enrich the few; the burdens
of the weak; the conditions that flint
the minds and hearts of the success
full; the hypocrisy of the time servers
and vote seekers; the cowardice of
the men in power.
II was born and lived for years.
long, weary, soul-crushing years
II
something was wrong. l was born
without any conscious desire on my
part to be born. | was innocent of
any wrong doing. | was as entitled
to an equal chance in the battle of
life as any mans son born anywhere
| was entitled to healthful food. warm
clothing; to bed at night; to an edu-
cation. Every child born in a civilized
country should have that much. With
~
in the strife of claw ana fang, Of crush
and kill, with any chance of success?
In q barbarous country all chill
dren start equal The food, the cloth
ing, the hunting and fishing knowl-
edge; the cave at night; the sun and
storm by day, all are for general dis
tribution. The beast of the field the
bird of the air are all gi' en- the adj
vantage of the b It beast snd bird e1u-
cation in order that they may survive.
All effort is to make each unit self
reliant, strong, powerful, sef-sussain-
ing in order that the entire conmun-
ity of savagc., beasts and IL. may
remain powerful.
I'm this civilized "a world, this
natural order is reversed A certain
h Nsen few who have inherited or &C
CURED power, wealth. Influence, have
in centuries gone by, gradually
Snapeh the MCIlu al1NlfS so tnHt TN ely
and their descendants, their particular
sect or tribe, may become Stronger
and stronger. and the great un-
privileged mass become weaker ami
weaker The great mass have no
chance. 1t has become an uneven
battle where a few who know what
they want keep from the mliority
what they are entitled to, ana hence
they rule while the others serve, only
securing such rights from the con
trolling tribe as they are able t.
wrest, little by little, from them
Occasionally from this great un~
wieldy, half knowing mass. starving
in poverty and Indebtedness some
man, overstrong, maybe, blessed with
a rugged boGY and an unyielding WILL
emerges from the pawns. breaks
through the centuries old crust and
becomes able to fight on a somewhat
more even basis with the so-called
upper or ruling tribe.
This man then does one of two
things. He either joins the ruling
tribe, assumes their point of view,
and proceeds to assist them and
further weaken the great mass, or
takes up the gage of battle TO create
justA conditions for all the people.
II he does the first he becomes the
well known characterize self made
man-who parades his scratch victory