( NOVEMBER 5, 1903.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
5
SOCIALISM
ttr. Obachala Hu a Word to 0a tm h
FepclUts B!!t They Skld all
Bom SaelallsU
. Editor Independent: Were I to
epeak to the populists today having
been one of them it would be "with
no word of discouragement. As a
party we came into existence a protest
against existing conditions. We fought
as best we knew and have the en-
first hooted and derided, now serious
ly considered and permanently fixed
In the minds of a majority of the peo
pie. In the education incident to this
struggle, we ourselves have advanced
and ideas that once seemed revolu
tionary are now seen to be only pallia
tive. Thus the education goes on, and
the day of rear achievements will be
hastened or delayed accordingly as we
concentrate or dissipate our energies.
The populist party of more than 2,
' 000,000 voters, what has become of it?
Many have-returned to former politi
. cal affiliations discouraged and hope
less. Others are silent onlookers polit
ically, while the great majority have
been absorbed by the democratic party
and' what is that party? It is the
herculean struggle of Mr. Bryan's life
. to hold it to the principles declared
for in 1896. Think of it After seven
years it is a life and death struggle
within the party, not as to whether
it shall advance, but whether it shall
recede from the advanced step al
ready taken. I have no censuTe for
either those who went into or for
those who staid out of the fusion deal
I am satisfied all were making the
flerht of their lives aa dutv Drorrmted
The logic of conditions was insur
mountable, and if the populists had
pursued an opposite course and the
democrats have loat the presidency, as
they surely would and.did the pop
ulists would have been held responsi
ble, and, under the odium of this
charge, they could never have gained
recruits from out of the ranks of
those charging them with this per
fidy. The party could not have acted
differently and retained its prestige as
a party any more than it has done.
Nor, in all these "seven years of his-
tnrv hnvo T hart nn unkind word fnr
Mr. Bryan. He, too, was making the
fight of his life, is still fighting and
will fight on to the end for reform as
he sees it. That he has ideas far in
advance of anything he is contending
for, is doubtless true, and when he is
forced out of .his present environment
there is no telling to what advanced
step he may go But, mark you, to
be able to carry the greatest following
with him, he must be driven out. To
go out inopportunely would be wel
comed with the greatest delight by
the capitalist element of the party, as
the best means of crushing his influ
ence. But, to turn aside from this brief
summary of the situation leading up
to the present, what of the future? I
believe we are on the threshold of a
political revolution. A revolution
along lines more radical than anything
populists contend for more radical
than was ever contended for before.
The principle of competition itself is
being assailed and the principle of
universal co-operation being advo
cated. Private capitalism, with its at
tendant evils of profit and interest, is
being regarded as uneconomic, waste
ful and the greatest of sail means of
'exploitation. Anyone can understand
that, deprived of the power of extort
ing profit, rent and, interest, there
could not today be a millionaire in all
the land. No man could possibly nave
more than the value of his own ac
cumulated industry, and this means
that no man could be exploited of his
wages.
The question to which th world Is
Just awakening, is: Are the wealth
creatora entitled to the full value of
the wealth they create? The question
itself is an Insult to Justice. That it
should be propounded at this advanced
ago of civilization, much less serious
ly considered, In one of the marvels
that will puzzle future generations. As
If Is. half the world la not aware that
such a proposition Is in question in
dlstnant. perhaps, at the Intimation.
And yet the lnt census reports tdiow
that the average laborer gels only
1137 of the $2,451 his hbor produces
In a year. Once this fact becomes
coraeloualy flied In the minds of the
working inasHci, no mldjle-class or
palliative movement will appeal to!
them for a moment. Nothing bit the
complete overthrow of the aynteni re
IMMialhl for urh highway robbery,
This will ba n niovemnnt that will not
top with the rvmmnt owner
hip" of the railroad and teleersph,
but will demand that nil the marhln
ery f production b tnv.en over by the
rovrrnmnt or by th people rollee-tlvi-ly.
Thl will be twmlnlHm, ft-In I .
lam I tlmplv the living protet of
plunder,! tr Hflt the private
owinrUlp of the tool of production
which enables the owners of these
tools, but who do not use them, to
compel the men who do use them, bu
do not own them, to give four-fifths
of all they create for the privilege of
using these tools. Under private cap!
taiism and the principle of competi
tion there is no remedy. The system
itself must be abolished. There can
not be any half-way ground or gov
ernment ownership under a capitalis
System without a continual clash o
private and public interests and, as a
result, the greatest incentive for off!
cial corruption. The populist party
has served its mission. It has pre
pared the people for the next step, and
in my estimation, it will make a
great mistake if it attempts by inde-
3 X At l 1 x xl .7
ytmuem acuuii 10 uiwan uie uuwaiu
movement by a revival of the fight
along old populist lines. The whole
scheme of capitalist exploitation
should be exposed and abolished. This
means the introduction of the co-oper
ative commonwealth, under which all
labor will have free access to the tools
of production. This means that no
man can live oft. the toil of another.
That the whole system of production
will be for use and not for profit, and
under this system all, co-operatively,
will be the beneficiaries of each new
invention and discovery in science
that lessens the hours of labor with
out, as now, lessening labor's product.
As a populist and an enthusiastic sup
porter of its principles in the past, I
ask brother populists to seriously con
elder socialism as the coming move
ment a movement that goes to the
bottom of the whole social and Indus
trial fabric, It is fundamental and
has its foundation upon justice.
C. EL OBENCHA1N.
Greenville, Tex. ,
(Mr. Obenchain certainly makes a
good argument but is it in harmony
with scientific socialism? Does he ac
cept as final the Marxian doctrine of
"surplus value," which, as The Inde
pendent views it, is a labored attempt
to say that the wage-worker isn t paid
all he is entitled to. Does Mr, Oben
chain believe in the "class struggle,"
and in "economic determinism?" If
he does, then, he ought to see the folly
of expecting the property-owning
"middle class" to Join, in any great
numbers, a proletarian movement.
Having no property interests to con
serve, the proletariat might Join with
any party and the fact is, the wage
workers do constitute the strength of
the republican and democratic par
ties especially the former.
But is it reasonable to expect the
average manufacturer, railroad mag
nate, banker any of the "grand bour
geoisie' to ally himself with the prop-
ertyless, wage-workers' party? Hard
ly. There might be one in an hun
dred thousand and even he would
rest under the suspicion that he had
"an axe to grind.", Is It any more rea
sonable to expect the farmer, small
business man, Jiome-owner any of the
little fellows, the "petit bourgeoisie"
to join the proletarian movement? No;
assuredly, no. The teachings of so
cialism ought, if studied with care, to
show, socialists themselves the absurd
ity of this latest "fad."
Holding to the rigid doctrine of
"surplus value" exploitation of the
wage- worker, and denying that ex plot
tation in any other way can account
for the present inequitable distribution
of wealth, socialists must admit that,
according to their own formula, the
farmer or other producer who works
for himself cannot be "exploited."
What if he is robbed through unjust
taxation, through extortionate freight
rates, through a protective tariff?
These do not count the scientific so
cialists say. Only through the "sur
plus value" route can, one become a
billionaire!
But what about the "class strug
gle," by means of which, through all
the ages, the enslaved classe if we
may believe the socialists have se
cured more and more of the things to
which they are justly entitled?
Haven't these things come aobut
through the contests between differ
ent bands of exploiters? And are we
now to forsake the materialism, of
Marx and bellevo that if we shall go
forth with a message of glad tidings
to the "petit bourgeoisie," that they
will suae their "egoistic ImpuhW'
and with a wild hurrah foraake- the ad
vantages they now hold over the man
with no property and Join him In his
movement to accomplish the "collec
tive ownership of all the mean of
production and distribution?" That
Hi't unrvonaM. If we reavm from
pope t prominentbut we are tlcus
In thla qje'lon from the standpoint
of lallsnu
When K-l;ilUt abandon the theory
of ''surplus value" and modify their
iraaa re atrrl.il Ism. they and the pop
,lita may be able to com to an un
d rtsndln. When they do tli U. they
lll htv modified that a!l-in l.W
demand fr the erlletlve ownership of
rvervthlrt that enter Into the pro.
duct Ion of wealth. Th?y will rtvo.
nke that cot!rtlr ownership ta only ,
U4 s
" A -
BEFORE
AFTER
celebrated bacterlologUt, who ha had
the hair, skin and nc.il p. and he will send you Absolutely Free a diagnosis of
yon r catie, a booklet on care of hair and ncalp, and a itainple box of the remedy
which he will prepare expeclul I y for you. Undone 2c pontage and write to-day.
PROF. J, H. AUSTIN
856 McVlcker's Theatre Building, - CHICAGO, ILL.
Farm Insurance.
Fire, Lightning, Windstorms
On Live Stock; Dwellings, Out
Buildings and Contents.
Farmors and Merchants Ins. Co.
Lincoln, Nebr Established In 1885.
Losses Paid to Patrons Over Tfaree-Qsarters of a
Security to Policy Holders $354,lJ5ii
No assessments. Assured
is no agent in your town
c
DC
necessary where the division of labor
is carried to extremes and where, by
the very nature of the production and
the machines used, Individual owner
ahlD bv him who does the work is not
possible, or not desirable, even if pos
sible. But then the socialists win an
be populists.-Asociate Editor.)
Happy Moments
Editor Independent I am very
much interested in the article in the
last issue, headed "Nebraska Popul
ism." ; Here it was born, yes, thank
God, and the happiest moments of
my life were July 4, 1892, while I sat
in the Coliseum building in Omaha
and witnessed the birth of our grand
party, and why, becauso it was com
posed of men (Americans) that were
not afraid to think and express their
thoughts. For my part, I ask no high
er honor than to bo classed as one of
the Old Guard. I first saw the light
ir 1847 in the 6tate of Wisconsin,, and
after drifting around until 23 years
of age I came to Nebraska and started
the first settlement in this part of the
country, dug a hole in the ground and
lived in it four years. Who came af
ter? Why, the educated fellows, the
farmers that farm the farmers, the in
fluential fellows Well, by having a
robust constitution and a determined
will I have withstood them all and
expecf to dedicate the remainder of
my days to the interest of home-makers
instead of home-breakers.
In looking over the list of subscrib
ers to The Independent I am sorry to
see so small a per cent from our own
state. I consider it to be the duty of
every populist to support our state
paper and especially those whom the
people have honored by placing them
on our ticket or in oflkea. When a
man Is elected to office, hln duty docs
not stop there, but just commences.
and when I try to get him to subscribe
tor our papr and fall, to say the eat,
it gives me that very tired feeling.
G. STEWART.
Geneva, Neb.
(It U a fact that the mot r anient
workers in the pwple'a party have not
been the ofllcehoMere. They are the
men who never asked for ofllce, men
naplred only by the lofty ambition of
making the world happier and tttr.
It la to thene humble and patriotic
mn scattered all over this state and
other itateg, that make the rontlnued
publication of The Independent rwl
ble. The editor often thinks rf thrm
and more often wluhr that he could
f.nd words to convey to thm hl nmtl
tmle, and that of every wfll-wlsber of
mankind stored In thrlr heart! fur
U.cm,-r.d. Ind.)
Well lMaa4
t'.ll.M 1 n ltvrtn,l..nl I an. ... . 1 1
howttli it t'T our people. If f hud
I -. ... t ft .
hp uioary o i iare i wouia Sina U for
Falling" Hair
AND BALDNESS
CAN BE CUBED, There U but one way to
tell the reason of baldness and falling hair, and
that is bv micro ironic examination of the hair it-self
A The particular disease with which your scafp is
1 afflicted must be known before it can be intelli-
1.117 1UC U36UI UMIIUIUIIVUICS AIIU1MK
tames, without knowing: the specific cause of your
disease, is like taking: medicine without knowing
what you are tryinir to cure.
Send a few fallen hairs from your
combines to Prof. J. II. Austin, thi
twenty-livo years practice in lieae of
assumes no liability. If there .
write direct to the company.
a number of subscribers. I would be
glad if you would send me a few sam
ple copies to distribute among the
people. J. II. VANDERGRIFT.
Branchville, Ala.
A Glimmer
Lo, a glimmer, faint appearing,
Like some bow of promise, cheering
Like the herald of a blessing,
Soothea our grief, like love's caressing.
Courage, comrades, dawn is breaking;
Light will come mankind awaking
Roused from the stupor of the ages;
Men will see as did the sages.
Ah, those years of social blindness!
Darkness, then, mayhaps was klnd-
nees; ;
Veiling horrors woes distressing,
Making blindness, mercy's blessing.
Truth, the lisht for souls illuming
iove, tne name ror naie s consuming.
Friendly forces O, how cheering,
Is the faith that they are nearing.
Haste the day, that gladsome season
Men shall see by light of reason.
Phantoms born of darkness blind
ness Vanish in the light of kindness.
t
Long mankind have patient waited
Still, their woes are unabated.
Greed and wrongs and wars are raging-Ignorance
smites, without assuaging.
Light and love, alone, are needed
Vengeance never has succeeded.
Wars and chains have had their inn
ing Love and light are just beginning.
LYDIA PLATT RICHARDS.
Tasadena, Cal.
Will Die In the Harness
Editor Independent: Enclosed find
a dollar for one j ear's subscription. I
wish I could do more for the circula
tion of your paper, an I feel that it is
doing a great deal of good. 1 am one
of the Old Guard and have been in
the movement ever since the days of
Peter Cooper and expect to die in the
harness. a. 81 II I'M AN.
Osmond, Neb.
6ood Grocsrlis Chtap
Friend of The Independent will
confer a favor by efnllnt? an onW
for irrixcrle to Hramh & .Mlllr (?;,
who ad. aipiim on a neither pipe.
Th rod are nrt claw and a gnat
hsri:.Un. Fend your order ..today. If
yci are n-d a.'ttUfled yott can have
jour tmwy baek. Mention The Inde
pendent when you wrltr,
"ln't yon think Ml MUlyuns lua
beautiful cfi?"
Ye," replied Mr. Hunter Korku,
but they are not nearly to promlucnt
' her Roe,"