The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-01
LABOR IN. SLAVERY
AND FEUDAL TIMES
BY Rev. Charles Sickle.

ny 1ACSs OAN1ACS 0tC1L1Cs
Colonial slavery is a blot upon
many a modern nations history. In
twenty years during this period in
America, 100000 negroes were ex-
ported to the United States: From
1850 to 1856 it is estimate that
2,13O,000 negroes were imported into
all the British Colonies in America
Naturally great numbers of slaves
died while in captivity before leaving
Africa, and many more died during
the ocean passage. Probably only
one-half of those captured survived
the various stages of their transpor-a-
ton to America. There was the great
est recklessness in their treatment,
and the utmost Indifference to their
suffering.
Slavery has been abolished in most
countries, but it still exists in the Mo-
hammedan East, although usually only
in households. While there is un-
doubtedly still some traffic in slaves,
it is almost universally against the
laws of the nations, and those who
engage in it do so contrary to the
edicts Of congresses and parliannents
which have been supported by prac-
tically all civilized peoples In some
countries a system Of peonage is in
vogue, which amounts to a practical
slavery. But, on the whole, the sys-
tenn of slavery no longer affects the
1aborer to such a degree that the
workingmen suffer very materially on
account of it.
In discussing the question of the
abolition of slavery, Mr.. j. Osborne
Ward says, in Ancient Lowly'':
1--WE shall submit that the religion
Of Jesus. planted by a manual laborer
and forming the basis Of hope upon
which stands the great labor move->
ment of our time, has been the power
that openly struck the first well-or-
gained blow at the system of masters
and slaves, and boldly championed it
as principles: and in essence it has
never since shrunk from it's prodigious
task toward realizing the much con-
tested doctrine of human equality"
Following the system of slavery
came that of feudalism. Men had
passed through the hunting and fish
ing period. They began to settle on
the land. They had learned how to
till the soil. They did not own it, but
the "land lords'' gave them the use
of the property on condition Of trib-
ute or service. The lord gave them
protection from the common enemy.
This system was developed principally
from the fifth to the ninth century.
There were many forms of feudalisms,
conditions upon the situation prevail
ing in different countries and upon the
character of the baron to whom the
serfs gave tribute.
The serf rarely paid any rent for
the use of his bit of land. His SER
vice to the baron in time of war or in
other ways was his Ordinary tax. With
the development of the professional
military class and the growth of city
life through the grouping together of
the artisan and other classes, feudal-
ism gradually disappeared. In 1860
England, through parliament, abol-
ished land tenures. Scotland followed
in 1747. In France the revolution Of
1889 brought the same result: in Ger
many and Austria it was the revolu-
ton of 1848-50 which accomplished it's
destruction. In Russia it was de-
stroyed in 1851. Meanwhile, great
changes have been wrought, so that
when the system was finally abolished 7
little of the original condition re-
manned.
During. this period religious leaders
who were raised up from among the
people fought against the system.
They testified to the value Of the in
dividual. They taught that before
God all men were equal. Says Thorold
Rogers, in "Six Centuries Of Work
and Wages: -.
"Wycliff's poor priests had honey
combed the minds of the upland folk
with what may be called religious So
cialism. The preachers told the peo-
pie that ut would be better for them
to die with arms in their hands than
to be thrust back, without an effort
on their part, into the shameful slav-
cry from which they had been de-
liVered"