i
1
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VOL. VL
People Are Afraid to Trust the Present
1 Banks.
AND WITH VERT GOOD SEASON.
IS '
Prof Thomas E. Hill Makes in Able
Argument for Government Bank
ing bhowa That It Would Cre
ate Confidence Among the
People aad Result
In an Era of Prosperity.
Hundreds of millions of dollars are
continually hidden by the great mass of
common , people in stockings, pockets,
safe, safety depositories and elsewhere,
and all this because they have no confi
dence in the banks as they are at pres
ent conducted. They have very distinctly
in mind the remembrance of a long line
of bank failures, extending as far back as
they can recollect, in which friends, neigh
bors, and possibly they themselves have
thus lost money. They do not need to
look back very far into the past. It is a
little more than a year since when over
eight hundred banks tumbled to pieces in
the United States, and of that number
seventy-two national banks failed during
the thirty-one days of July, 1893, and
thirty-two of these went down in the first
seven days of that month.
Hundreds of thousands millions of
dollars, thus lost by the common people
have never been recovered and never
be. What wonder, therefore, that the
masses of the people are continually se
creting their money and withholding it
from circulation, making scarcity and
theconditions which enable the money
lenders to get an exorbitant interest on
their loans.
It is seen from examination of the sit
uation that under present conditions of
banking no means exist whereby money
can ever be made permanently abundant.
There may be times when confidence is so
restored, temporarily, that business men
will freely place their money in the banks,
but let there be a few bank failures and
, money goes out of sight as quickly as a
crowd will disperse on the arrival of a
person afflicted with a contagious dis
ease. . What folly to talk of making contin
ual abundance of money in circulation
when people so lack confidence in banks
they will not trust them. Of what avail
to have the volume of money increased
by the addition of a thousand millions
of dollars in greenbacks, or by an equal
amount in silver and gold, if the people
will not place itin the banks by which it
can come into .circulation?
The situation that confronts us steadi
ly and sternly is perpetual scarcity of
money in the banks at the present time.
But this affords no relief in the rural dis
tricts. , Has any one heard of a re duc
tionlbf interest on farm loans? Has any
one heard of any means by which a farm
er can borrow one dollar of" a national
bank? Does any one know of any fanner
who borrows moneyescaping the highest
' legal interest and a commission besides
, to a broker who finds the money? Does
any one know of a person who is com
pelled to borrow money on chattels
wbo escapes with less interest than from
three to five per cent a month?
l And yet this excessive interest is eating
nt the vitals of the nation. "Every en
terprise of every description is suppressed
in consequence, and workmen stand in
idleness as the result. In a steady strug
gle with drouth, grasshoppers, winds and
low prices, the farmer has burdens
nough to bear; but when the additional
, weight cf large interest rests on bis
shoulders . the prospect of lifting the
mortgage is exceedinglyslim. And so he
lives on, year after year, in the' shanty
hotfse, while the workmen who should
rect for him a larger and more commo
dious dwelling, lounge somewhere in idle-
, ness.
Whatls true thus of the farmer is true
in every vocation. With intense compe
tition in every line of industry and the
uncertainties exist i nit as to the future in.
iteaiseiv 4 especially because of high
interest the enterprise does not go for
ward and workmen do not get employ
ment. With lack of work comes nearly all the
evils that afflict society.
How readily and completely all this
would be changed were the government
to own and operate the banks. What a
boon to the great common people who
now have no safe place to put money.
The government need not invest a dollar
in the banking business. It would only
be necessary to open the r6om, invite the
people to bring forward their money,
guarantee them against loss and give
them, say three percent on their long
time deposits. How rapidly the bank
would then fill with the money good
money, people's money,
vlt would then be in order to loan this
nyoney on security worth always twice
the amount which was borrowed at
''k uniform rate of four pe; 'ceut per
HIDING
MONEY
annum interest. And whatever the
amount which was loaned it would be
always deposited at once in the bank and
people would do business with checks.
Thus there never would be any decrease
in the volume of money in the banks.
Money would always be accessib e and
could always be borrowed by the person,
having the security at a four per cent in
terest whether the borrower be a resident
of Massachusetts or a farmer in Dakota.
The shorttime deposit in the bank would
draw nointerest, but all borrowers would
pay four per cent. Thus ten persons,
each borrowing and depositing during
the day, would give forty per cent clear
profit to the government. But better
than all would be the increased revival
of business through the vast accumula
tion of money in the hands of the com
mon people, through their savings in in
terest, and the freedom from the pay
ment of high interest. Considerfor a lit
tle timethe far-reaching and beneficial in
fluence resulting from government own
ership of banks. Thomas E. Hill,
, Co-operative Washing.
The ideas of Ed ward Bellamy are being
put to a novel use by the London County
Council. This enterprising body, having
established its municipal lodging-houses,
is now about to start a public laundry,
where with the use of improved machin
ery, half a day's washing will be done in
a few hours for a few pence.
Mr. John Burns has given the system
his support. The New Commonwealth.
The Wolrd's Voter
This automatic, self-registering device,
destined to supply a long felt want, pro
vides a means whereby any and all
legally qualified voters, including the
blind and illiterate, can, without assist
ance, readily and rapidly vote for a
choice of all candidates In nomination,
or others, as the law may provide for or
permit of, and no more; the voting de
vice keeps accurate account of all votes
cast for each candidate as cast, and when
polls close by simply turning a key dis
plays to full view the total vote cast for
each and every candidate received during
the election.
This device dispenses with ballots and
all-night counting of votes, each voter
doing his own counting, thus reducing
the expenses of elections one-half amount
ing to millions of dollars for every gene
ral election.
The World's Voter, with a stringent
law governing the conduct of candidates
and parties preoious to election and dur
ing the election, wiil virtually prevent
fraud and corrupt practices entirely.
The Australian System has proved to
be but a slight improvement over the old
system, retaining most of the defective
points, and materially added to the ex
pense. America must provide a voting
system for the world, and not borrow
one. The World's Voter fills the bill ab
solutely, perfect in its auditing of votes,
simple, durable, light, strong in construe
tion, no springs nor weak complications
in it, practically there is no wear out to
it, and so plainly indicated that even the
blind and illiterate can vote on it intelli
gently without assistance. .
Convenient in size and weight and
hinged in sections su that one man can
in ten minutes' time pi ace it in position or
take down and fold in compact form,
and securely lock, suitable for moving or
storing. Comparatively insignificant in
price, as what they will save our present
expenses in a few elections will supply the
machines and reduce expenses one-half.
Their adoption is only a matter of a few
years, w hen the voting will be done un
der an American registering system.
Already New York leads off by demand
ing that "The best mechanical devices be
used in elections," by a vote of 85 for, to
only 45 against, in their adoption of a
new constitution to be ratffied by popu
lar vote this fall. New York feels com
pelled to resort to this method to put a
stop to the fearful frauds practiced in its
cities at every election. The World's
Voter is the only complete and practical
device of this kind yet patented. Allow
ing all mistakes made by accident or
otherwise to be easily rectified. Neither
does it confine the voters to support
regular nominees, but as now, anyone
can be voted for whom the voter prefers
to support, regardless of partisan norni-
The operation of the doors unlocks and
sets the device, being arranged one at
either end of the booth, the entrance one
being accessible from the outside only
and the exit one from the inside only.
The former is always locked while the
voter is in the booth and the exit one is
locked as he passes out, in its operation
unlocking the entrance door, rings a bell
informing the next voter that it is his
turn to enter, and moving an indicator
which displays a number to correspond
with the number on the clerk's registers
of names. Those voting are thus separ
ated from those to vote.
All wbo may be interested in the adop
tion of a perfect system of elections,
especially Governors, State Senators and
Representatives desiringfurther informa
tion in this connection including a draft
ed bill which will put a quietus on fraud,
bribery and trickery in elections, are re
quested to address the owner and inven
tor, T. Q. Ferguson.
Colby, Kansas. Box 57.
LINCOLN, NEB., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1894.
MANIFESTO
Of the Australian Socialist League
of Worklngmen
Motto: "Socialism in our Time."
To the people of Australia:
In consequence of the rapid industrial
development of the last few decades a
development remarkable chiefly for the
displacement of manual labor by the
ever increasing labor-saving machines,
and the creation of a permanent and
menacing unemployed clses our indus
trial and social institutions are in a con
dition of fermentation and dissolution.
A feeling of uncertainty and discontent is
taking possession of all classes, and the
efforts made by the ruling class to patch
and mend a state of things that has be
come intolerable have proven vain and
inadequate. No sooner is one prop in the
shape of a law set up to support the
tottering house than it is discovered
that at ten other spots support is still
more needed.
Among the workers, the feeling of dis
content with their present conditions is
rapidly increasing, and more thought is
devoted every year by them to v the
problem of how to better their unhappy
lot. To them especially the Socialist
movement appeals for appreciation and
and support.
We live today in what is called the
"capitalistic era." There are two great
classes of society the one, thecapitalist
owns land and capital, the other, the
workers, owning nothing ; except the
power to labor. The modern wage,
earner receives only about one-third of
the product of his labor, the other two
thirds being' taken by the capitalist who
employs him or who employshis era
ployer, The capitalist era is characteriz
ed by intense competition which is felt by
the workers in the steady lowering of the
standard wage rate, and by the small
business' me,n in the fierceness of the
struggle which they ha veto wage against
the wealthy capitalist in their own lines
of industry, and their steady disappear
ance as a class through their innumerable
bankruptcies.
Gigantic firms like the mammoth deal
ers and the colossal manufacturers and
producers are rapidly crushing ont of
existence the small employers.
This concentration of industry, and the
more extensive use of labor-saving ma
chinery, causes a steady diminution in the
demand for labor and a steady increase
of the unemployed class, from whose
ranks are drawn the armies of mis-called
free laborers that defeat every effort
made through the medium of strikes by
organized labor to better its condition.
The worker who attempts by frugality
and industry to accumulate and to etart
in business as bis own employer is today
confronted with inevitable ruin, being
compelled to compete on unequal terms
with the gre-'t capitalistic rings who
dominate every department of industry.
Thus the iron circle is complete. The
worker is shut in and it is only in
extremely rare cases he succeeds, either
individually orthrough an organization,
in raising himself out of the condition of
dependence in which everything conspires
to keep him. ...
Let it be remembered that the cause of
all these evils is the steady concentration
of Land and Capital in the hands of a
few, and the depriving of the workers of
all ownership of them.
The only cure will then be seen to be
the Socializing of Land and Capital; that
is, to let the State, as the representative
of all, be the only Capitalist and Land
owner, and, consequently, the only em
ployer. Every citizen must have a share
in the ownership of all land and all the
capital in the country.
Every citizen must have a right to em
ployment, on farms and stations, in
workshops and warehouses, owned by
the State and Municipality, and con
trolled by administrators elected by the
people. If there is not room for every
one, working hours must be reduced all
round until there is. There must be
work for all and overwork for none.
There being no idle owning class, the
entire produce of the natiou will be dis
tributed on principles of justice. '
. . At .pracnVij&KH&ro'fi mm$
own an the means of production, and
take immense tribute of rent, interest and
profit.
Under Socialism, the method of pro
duction would remove the competitive
system, by placing under official ad
ministration such departments of pro
duction as can be managed collectively
(Socially or co-operatively), as well as
the distribution among all of the com
mon produce of all. according to the
amount of the productive labor of each.
Anarchic competition, which enables
dishonesty and cunning, instjadof merit,
to sncceed, would end, and national co
operation (under which national compe
tition the desire to excel, the joy in
creative work, the longing to improve,
the eagernass to win social approval)
would take its place.
There will then be no unemployed and
no sweating; there will be leisure for all
and education and happiness for alL
With theabolition of private ownership
of land and capital, the purification of
government would follow. One-half of
Parliamentary corruption is due to land
jobbing, and the other to capitalistic
"private enterprise," which is but a
gentler name for public fraud.
To achieve these results we advocate
only the use of Parliamentary means.
We have nothing but the sternest repro
bation for those misgufded and desperate
men who advocate either opes violence
or secret crime.
We propose to form a Parliamentary
Socialist party, and. thus alter legisla
tion in the direction of Socialism. Al
ready the people own, through the gov
ernment, many industries railways,
post and telegraph offices, etc. There is
uo reason why the list should not be ex
tended until it embraces all.
The corruption which at present
characterizes the publicly-owned indus
tries is due to their being controlled in
accordance with present-day commercial
ism and to the fact that the competitive
system in vogue outside acta and reacts
upon them. When all industries are
publicly owned, the evils complained of
today will certainly disappear.
These are the aims and methods of the
Australian Socialist League. Our princi
ples will be found to be altogether differ
ent from the wilful misrepresentations of
them which are current.
Socialism has nothing to do with athe
ism or with any religious views.
It does not mean that it is either neces
sary or possible to 'alter human nature.'
It does not propose to "make all men
equal."
It means no contempt for machinery,
no dislike of education or culture, no
enmity to brain work or invention.
We simply contend that be national
co-operation and by that only by extend
ing the functions of the state as an em
ployer, can the whole of the people be
placed in a position of decent rational
and manly independence.
Join the ranks of the Australian
Socialist League, and help forward the
cause of yourself and your children. Let
no one underrate his or her power, or
imagine that one more or one less makes
na difference. No one, not even the weak
est, can be dispensed with for furthering
the advance of humanity.
Signed on behalf of the Australian
Socialist League.
W. P. Mitchell,
General Secretary,
High House, Caetlereagh street, Sydney,
September, 1894.
Expert Experience.
' I believe that a review of the develop
ment of machinery in the manufacture of
boots and shoes might be of interest to
some and will serve as a means to point
out the real reason why so -many shoe
workers are unable to secure work at
living prices, or, in fact, at any price
whatever.
I will go back to the year 1870, when
I engaged to learn the trade. The hand
method was largely in vogue at that
time. The machines then in use were the
Singer and the Howe sewing machines,
used in the manufacture of the uppers.
The introduction of these machines some
time before 1870 served to do the work
that was formerly done by hand in pre
paring the uppers for the last.
The displacement of the hand labor by
men by the advent of sewing machines
opened up a field for the cheaper labor of
women and children the women as
operators and the children for pasting
the linings and preparing the work for
the machine.
The men who bad formerly sewed the
uppers by hand drifted into the bottom
ing or soling department of the trade.
The pegging machine in the soling de
partment was one of the first to displace
the slow method of hand pegging on
men's, women's and boy 'a heavy work.
Each of these machines, with one opera
tor, would do the work of ten men.
The McKay sole sewing machine, whfch
is very extensively used to this day, re
volutionized the hand and muchine peg
i ing on ladies' and gents' fine grades.
The machine, with one operator, does the
work of. twenty-five men and gives a
much more flexible and stylish shoe,
though not so durable. These displaced
men took up other branches, as did the
former hand sewers.
The Vision of the Seven Rings
From the "Words or a Believer.",
It warfa gloomy nignt; a starless sky
pressed upon the earth, like a black
marble lid upon a tomb.
And nothing broke the silence of this
night, if it were not a strange noise, like
the delicate beating of wings, which from
time to time were heard over the open
country and over the cities.
And then the darkness grew thicker,
and every man felt his heart oppressed,
and a shiver ran through his veins.
And in a hall, hung with black, and
lighted by a reddish lamp, seven men
dressed in purple, and whose heads were
encircled with crowns, were seated on
seven seats of iron.
And in the midst of the hall was raised
a throne made of bones, and at the foot
of the throne, by way of afoot-stool, was
a crucifix turned upside down, and before
the throne an ebony table, and on the
table a vessel full of red an frothy blood,
and a human skull.
Aad the seven erowned men appeared
thoughtful and sad. and from the depths
of their hollow eyes their escaped from
time to time the sparkles of a livid fire.
And one of them havingrisen approach
ed the throne with faltering steps and
put his foot on the crucifix.
Then his limbs trembled and he seemed
about to faint. The others looked on at
him uumoved; but something, I know
not what, passed over their faces, and a
smile that was not human, contracted
their lips.
And he who seemed almost fainting,
seized the vessel full of blood, poured
some of it into the skull and drank.
And this drink seemed to strengthen
him.
And as he jifted up his head, this cry
came forth from his breast like a hollow
rattle:
"Cursed be Christ, who has brought
liberty again on to the earth I" '
And the six other crowned men rose all
together, and all together uttered the
same cry:
"Cursed be Christ, who has brought
Track liberty on to the earth!"
After which, when they were seated
again upon their iron seats, the first said:
"My brothers, what shall we do to stifle
liberty, for our reign is ended if hers be
gins? Our cause is the same; let each one
propose what seems good to him.
"For my part, this is the advice that I
have to give. Before Christ came, who
could stand before us? It is his religion
which has ruined us, let us abolish Christ's
religion." .
And they all replied: "That is true.
Let us abolish Christ's religion."
Then a second advanced toward the
throne, took the human skull, and pour
ed blood into it, drank it, and said:
"We must not only do away with reli
gion, but also with science and with
thought; for science would know what is
not good, for man to know, and thought
is always ready to kick against force."
And all replied: "That is true. Let us
abolish science and thought."
And having done the same as the other
two, a third said:
"When we have once more brutalised
men by taking from them religion, sci
ence, and thought, we shall have done a
great deal, but something will still re
main to be done. '
"Brutes have instincts and dangerous
sympathies. No one people ought to
hear the voice of another, for fear that
when one complains and stirs, the other
should be tempted to imitate it. Let no
rumour from outside penetrate amongst
us."
And they all replied: "That is true.
Let no rumour from outside penetrate
amongst us."
Then a fourth said: "We have our in
terest, and the people hay also their in
terest opposed to ours, if they unite to
defend themselves against this interest,
how shall we resist them?
"Let us disunite them so as to rule
over them. In eaeh province, in each
town, in each hamlet let us create an in
terest contrary to that of all the other
hamlets, and towns, and provinces.
"In this way all will bate one another,
and will not dream of uniting together
against us."
And they all replied: "That is true.
Let us disunite them so as to rule over
them. Concord wonld kill us."
After a fifth, having twice filled with
blood and twice emptied the human skull,
said:
"I approve of these methods; they are
good, but insufficient. To make men
brutes is good; but you must frighten
these brutes, you must strike them with
terror by an inexorable justice, and by
cruel punishment, if you do not wish
sooner or later to be drowned, lihe
executioner is the chief minister of a good
prince."
And they all replied: "That is true.
The executioner is the chief minister of a
good prince."
And the sixth said:
"I recognize the advantage of punish
ments prompt, and terrible, and inevit
able. There are, however, strong and
despairing souls who will defy punish
ment. "Do you wish to govern men easily?
enervatethem through sensuality. Virtue
is worth nothing to us; it nourishes
force. Rather let us drain it away by
corruption." , v
Then the seventh' havinglike the others
drimK ItSTvV.te. liuman skull, spoke thus,
witbi his feet upon the crucifix:
"No more Christ; there is war to the
death, eternal war between Him and us.
"But how shall we wean the people
from Him? That is a vain attempt.
What, then, shall we do? Listen to me:
we must gain over the ministers of Christ
with goods, honors, and power.
"And they wiil command the people,
in the name of Christ, to be submissive
to us in everything, whatever we do,
whatever we order.
"And the people will believe them,' and
will obey from motives of conscience, and
our power will grow stronger than be
fore." And they all replied: "It is true. Let
us gain over Christ's ministers.
And suddenly the lamp which lighted
the hall went out, and the seven men
separated in the darkness. ,
And it was said to a just man, who at
that moment watched and prayed before
the Cross:
"My day approaches. Adore, and fear
nothing."
NO. 23
Judge Wilson Foresees and Hap
pily Illustrates.
Ooalalla, Neb., Nor. 12, 1894.
Editor Wealth Makers:
When I was a boy the old-fashioned
flint lock guns were used by our fathers
and grandfathers. Sometimes they
would miss fire as the "f risen," the lit
tle steel which the flint struck, would
get ,so dry it would fail to bring
the spark from the flint to ignite
with the powder. Old hunters, in case of
a missfire, would at once lick the "frizen"
and try again. Now we, as Independ
ents, should apply this principle to our
selves. We have just been beaten all
over the couutry by the Republicans.
Now let us as a party of principles just
lick the "frizen" and try again, and mark
my words the time will come when we
won't have to lick the "frizen," but wa
will lick the Republican party, and not
half try. Two years ago the Republi
cans were badly beaten by the Democrats.
That party has brought no relief. This
year the Republicans have beaten the
Democrats. Two years hence both of
the old parties will have to give way for
the Independents; for about the first ses
sion of congress the Republicans and
Democrats in congress will pass a law
extending the Pacific roads' indebtedness
for fifty or one hunded years, and issue
two hundred million dollars more bonds
for the purpose of a basis for the issuing
of national bank currency. These things
will react and the masses of the people
will come to their senses and vote solid
for the only party that offers relief the
Independent party.
I want to appeal to every Independent
to stand by his principles and talk it to
others from this time on as you never have
before. Don't let this year's landslide dis
courage you. Our principles are right,
and right will prevail in the end.
John W. Wilson.
What One Worker Accomplished
An aggressive" worker in Richardson
county writes the editor, about his field .
work on election day and three preceding
days, but requests that it be not pub
lished with his signature, because he Is
talking about his own works. We will
withhold the writer's name, but quote
from his letter, hoping it may cause
others to work at future elections. He
says:
"The last three days before the late
election I spent going from house to
house and field to field in my township,
working for humanity. I found a full
dozen independent who felt sure they
were too busy to attend the election, andi
their individual vote would have littta
effect anyhow. After the severest labor
and giving some of them several visits, II
bad the pleasure of seeing all vote, and
'vote her straight.' Three temperance re-
fublicans and two temperance democrats
persuaded to vote the prohibition
ticket the first tiipe any of them hd
left their old parties. v I
I regard the once grand republican
party at present the supreme enemy of
right and good government, hence I did
all I could to cnt down republican votes.
I am confident I got many strong repub
licans to vote part of the independent
state and county ticket, and many to vote
our entire independent township ticket.
On my way to the polls early in the
morning I spoke fifteen minutes to a re
publican neighbor on 'good reasons why
republicans should be defeated and
finally got bim persuaded to stay at
home and not vote at all. He could not
be persuaded to vote populist just yet.
A corn busker I hired ten days ago, a
strong republican, was persuaded to
tote the entire idependent ticket. I
allowed bis wages to go right on the half
day he nsed going to vote. I don't know
how many other republicans I counted,
but feel sure there are a few. If one man
in each rural township did such work be
fore each election, God and the right
would win every time. I stayed at the
polls from opening time until counting;
was finished. Mr. Reformer ought to un
derstand that he is my brother's keeper.'
If yon are in advance of others in wis
dom and truth, 'woe be unto yon if you
preach not the gospel,' says holy writ.",
Uommentof Contemporaries
The petrified is pulverized. The Demo
cratic party is dead, dilapidated, and de
generating into dust. (The word damn
ed would sound all right in the above
sentence.) The three-cornered, cut
throat fight is at an end. The Republi
can party will now have to strip itself
and meet the reform party in the arena
for a fair and square contest to a finish.
Western Laborer.
The fnsionists have learned a lesson.
The next time, Populists will "keep in
the middle of the road." They can then
expect all liberal Republicans to leave
their old party. Western Laborer.
8ved by m Krave Engineer.
PERBT, Ok.. Nov. 12. As
bound Santa Fe railroad nasHeno-Bi-
train approached Black Bear river
Driage, live miles north of here, yes-,
terday, Engineer Phillips found that
the loner bridtre was in flumna Th
fireman jumped, but Phillips stuck to
ms lever ana stopped the engine
within a few feet of the
bridge.
