Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1915-10-28

him thy victualS for increase.
Why this prohibition of interest for
the use of money? Because money
is a public utility, created by the
public for public use as a medium of
exchange Of labor and b products OF
labor. All increase, or interest
charges for its use above cost of adj
m~inistration, is a tax on labor and
the products OF labor that must be
paid by the producer or consumer.
Hence it follows that if any COM
bination of men can secure a monop.
oily of this essential, they can rapidly
accumulate the wealth OF that ma
ton, of the progress OF which In u
own nation we have ample proof at
the present time. Had the other mod
ern means of exchange been in use
at that time and privately monop-
olized, they, too, would have been in;
hibited because of their power to OPP
press the people,. | accept those laws
for exactly what they express In plain
English. They were just, sound, hui
man and divine laws then are today
and ever viii be. h3
The wisdom and justices2of such
laws, and the necessity for, needs no
further comment than the historical
fact that I'M every nation since the
dawn OF civilization, where these laws
of God have been violated, and pri-
vate monopoly of land and money per-
mitted, untold misery by oppression
~hasbeenSthe fate of the masses and the
certain Impairment OF the morals and
manhood Of the oppressors and their
families has resulted.
Special Privileges.
At a state Christian Endeavor meet
ing in this city a few years ago an
eloquent preacher stated that nearly
all of those who had accumulated
| vast wealth had done so4through pubs
lie service. Leaving 1t without fur
Their explanation. the inference would
be that they had honestly earned it
and we're entitled to the thanks of
the public, instead of adverse criti-
cism.
I will admit that 1t was by
Of special privileges and public SER
vice charters, that they were en-
ab}ed to accumulate their millions
and billions, but I affirm that they
violated the principles of public SER
vice by administering them as per-
sonal property for private gain; and
they failed to render a just account
of their stewardship. All above a
reasonable compensation for service
performed belonged to the public,
and should have been returned to
the public. Justice demands an ac-
counting. and that the men who have
failed to render a just account Of their
stewardship for millions should be
dealt with exactly the same as the
man who stole a few dollars. We are
told (Romans 2-11) that God is no
respector OF persons" and we know
that His laws make no exception in
favor Of those who steal much. They
are plain and emphatic: Thou shalt
not steal"
There should be no private profit
in the administration Of any public
! utility, or necessity. To grant the
franchise, or permit the privilege to
private individuals, is to place tempta
ton in the path of the selfish. Lead
us not into temptation is our prayer;
and to remov temptation from the
path of others should be u duty.
Vote as You Pray.
How can we capture politics for
IGod?" The easiest thing imaginable
for a Christian people, and apparent
ly the hardest thing to practice. Vote
as you pray. Our system of govern
ment is that of delegated representa-
tive, and in practice, strongly par
|tisan. It is an ideal system to "steal'
from the people without its knowl-
edge the power of choosing its rul-
ers.' We do not want rulers; we
want public servants to do our will.
The system gives complete control
to a comparatively few men to man
ipulate the party machinery Of the
dominant political parties.
There is nothing the manager of
a campaign appreciates SO much as
IA liberal campaign fund. Tell me in
advance what interests are financing
the campaign Of an Individual, or a
political party, and / will tell you what
the record of that individual, or polit-
ical party, will be if successful at the
polls. Private monopoly cares moth
ing for political parties, except to use
them. They deal directly with the
campaign managers; no sentiment,