Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-04-30
ASKS SOME QUESTIONS
Editor News

TO ask you TO puDl1sn III Tue Oequdcuet
News how much money was paid IL
by the candidates to hold the republi
can primary. and how much was PAID
out. and where it went. Now, Mr..
Know 1t All, if you are the man
who handled that money, if | were
You | would be a man and tell them
how much was paid in, and where ev-
cry dollar of it went. They tell me
that Just one man out here got one
dollar for holding the election for
two days, and the Others got nothing.
Now, Mr.. "Know 1t All, l don't
believe in having hard feelings over
politics. We should all be men and
vote for what is the best for the peO-
ple. Mr.. "Know 1t All, you are
no fool. You know that the republi-
can party has never done anything for
the laboring people. I have been a re-
publican all my life up to a few years
ago, but to give justice to myself and
my children, and all working people
and their children, cannot vote eth
err of the old party tickets. l cannot
vote for parties that have allowed the
working people of this country to be
robbed of their birthright. Accord
ing to the scripture we are all de-
scendents of Adam, and if that is so.
which believe it is, every man who
doesn't own his part of this land has
been robbed of his birthright and the
two old parties which have been in
power so long have allowed this to be
done. Now, the working people have
gone to thinking for themselves and
voting for themselves, instead of let
ing somebody else think for them
and tell them how to vote and who to
vote for. In 1865 Abraham Lincoln,
man whom the republican party con-
siders, or at least claims to consider
its god, made the following predict
ion.
II see in the near future crisis
approaching that unnerves me and
causes me to tremble for the safety
of my country. AS result of war,
corporations have been enthroned and
an era of corruption in high places
will follow and the money power of
the country will endeavor to prolong
its reign by working upon the preJu-
dices of the people until all the wealth
is aggregated in few hands, and tie
republic is destroyed. l feel at this
moment more anxiety for the safety of
our country than ever before, even in
the midst of war. God grant that my
forebodings may be groundless. An
archy itself is sometimes limited at as
a refuge from the powers of the peo-
Pile. In my present position | could
scarcely be justified were I to omit to
raise warning voice against the
approach of returning despotism
it is assumed that labor is available
only in connection with capital that |
nobody labors unless somebody else |
owning capital somehow by the use of
it, induces him to labor. Labor is
prior to and independent Of capital. |
Capital is only the fruits of labor, and |
could not have existed if labor had |
not first existed Labor is the super
ior of capital and deserves much the
higher consideration | bid the labor
ing people beware of surrendering the
power which they possess and which If
will surely be used to
shut the door of advancement for such
as they and fix new disabilities and
burdens upon them until all of liberty
shall be lost. "
In the early days of our race the
Almighty said to the first of mankind:
In the sweat of thy face shalt tnOu
.at bread" and since then if we &C
sept the light and air of heaven, no
rood thing has been or can be enjoyed
~ us without first having cost labor,
md inasmuch as most good things
ave been produced by labor, it fol-
ows that all such things belong of
light to those whose labor has produc-
d them, but it has so happened in all
gees of the world that some have la
,ored and others have without labor
njoyed a large portion of their
ruits. This is wrong and should not
ontinue. To secure to each laborer
be whole product of his labor as
early as possible is a worthy object
f any government. L seems strange
hat any man should dare to ask a
ust Gods assistance in wringing
read from the sweat of other men
aces. This country with its institu-
ions, belong to the people who inhab-
it, While Lincoln's vision reached
ut far beyond that of the average
ian, he never dreamed that his pre-
lotion would be fulfilled in the short {
pan of fifty years, but it is here. His I
rophecy has come to pass and what
re you going to do about it, Mr.. e
Know 1t ALL" There are 80 men
no work to one capitalist 1t is up {
} the working men what they will do
bout the condition at the ballot box. 9
ife is strife for every man, for every c
IN of thunder, then be a lion, not a
NIB. and don't be trampled undef. ,
H. L. RANKIN.
tina, TehG.