The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-04
TUESDAY. JULY 4, 1893
THE NEW DECLARATION

NNE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN years ago
~ Thomas jefferson voiced the revolution
airy sentiment of colonial America by de-
nouncing George III of England He indicted
England's king in the following fashion:
He has refused to assent to laws the most
wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has dissolved representative houses re-
peatedly, for opposing with manly frmness
his invasions on the rights Of the people.
He has kept among us, in times of peace,
standing armies without the consent OF our
legislatures
He has affected to render the military in
dependent Of, and superior to, the civil power.
He has abdicated government here, by de-
claring us out Of his protection, and Waging
war against us
Therefore, Jefferson reasoned: These
United Colonies are and of a right ought to
be- free and independent states"
While httingly celebrating the anniversary
Of the Declaration Of Independence, we should
bear in mind the fact that President Roose-
welt has loosed the rhetoric Of far more
momentous edict Of emancipation.
The American revolution was chiefly
political secession from the British empire.
In its economic aspects 1t was primarily a
struggle of rising capitalists against the aris-
tocratic landlords. The economic doctrine Of
the patriots was that which is today espoused
by our economic reactionares-the notions of
laissez-faire, natural rights, and unrestricted
indiWdualism which have been invoked by the
supreme court to sabotage efforts to bring
about regime of social justice and economic
decency.
On March 4, 1888 Franklin D. Roosevelt
denounced a more sinister tyrant than George
III or any other monarch of history-organ-
lied cupidity and speculative piracy:
Values have shrunken to fantastic levels;
taxes have risen: our ability to pay has fallen;
government of all kinds is faced by serious
curtailment of income; the means Of exchange
are frozen in the currents of trade; the
wthered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on
every side; farmers find no market for their
produce: the savings of many years in thou
sands of families are gone Plenty is at
our doorstep but a generous use of it
languishes in the very sight of the supply.
Primarily, this is because the rulers of the
exchange of mankind's goods have failed
through their own stubbornness and their
own incompetence, have admitted their failure
and abdcated. Practices of the INSCRIPTIONS
money changers stand indicted in the court
of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and
minds Of men,
Stripped of the lure of profit by which to
induce our people to follow their false lead
erShip, they have resOrted to eXhOrtatiOnS,
pleading tearfully for restored confidence.
They know only the rules of generation OF
Self-Seekers
They have vision, and when there is
no vision the people perish
The money changers have fled from their
high seats in the temple Of our civilization.
We now may restore that temple to the
cient truths. There must be an end to
speculation with other peoples money.
The grievance of the American people
against George III in 1776 were Slight COM
pared to those of Americans today against
the predatory financial interests which have
brought our country to the edge of the abyss.
At the most, Gorge III wished to stop snug
Cling, tax colonists on the basis of their ca
pacity to pay and reorganize and administer
the British empire in North America
The evils we have suffered at the hands
of old-line capitalism are far more serious and
devastating We have a painless and chaotic
economy in which some people starve and
others burn wheat in the fields; some go I'M
clothed and others pillow their cotton under
the soil
Speculative finance has Quilted industry
transportation utilities and mining. The rich
have hogged the social income to such degree
that the masses can not buy. thus undermining
the whole capitalistc system
The small fry have learned the something
for nothing ethics Of our moguls and, applying
them in their petty and vulgar ways, give us
a crime and racket bill annually amounting
to & quarter of our national income. Patriots,
collaborating with plutocrats perpetuate the
war system and drain off three-quarters of
our national budget to pay for wars-past,
present, or future.
Theodore Roosevelt talked much about the
square DEAL" but it went little farther than
words with him. If his illustrious cousin is
able to introduce some decency and Justice
into capitalism, he will have brought about
more fundamental revolution than any his
toric change of political masters. and his in
augural address will supplant both the Dec
laration of Independence and the Gettysburg
address as our foremost document of liberation
and dedication
ABOLISH CHILD LABOR