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United States regulars, so that the wage workers may be held at the muzzles of the muskets of mercenary Hessians, as prisoners of war, and a strike be made the dead-line in the Andersonville prison-pen of monopoly. Hence the serpent hiss we hear daily from the bought up newspaper fraternity about the "dangerous class." They roll the Haymarket tragedy under their forked tongues as a sweet morsel. They exult at it. The mercenary detectives in the pay of monopolists, I believe, purposely produced it.* The workingmen had nothing to do with it. A God-send it was to the enemies of American liberty. The corporation-controlled courts have taken advantage of it, as a pretext to break down the safeguards of common justice and usurp all the prerogatives of government. They have deceived nobody. The people understand them.

Patience! Let committees of the friends of free government be appointed in every city to look after the families of laborers out of employment. Don't let starvation enter their doors to drive the workingmen to despair and impel them to deeds of violence; and soon, by the potent ballot, we will peacefully suppress the rebellion of capital against labor. Let the friends of democratic government be watchful to provide for the wants of the oppressed laborers, until we shall have time to marshal our forces at the ballot box, and vote the monopolists out of power and place in this country forever. Producers, farmers and wage-workers-patriots of America-unite!

Dear Mr. Kasson:

ESSAY V.-MUNICIPAL REFORM.

A Brief Reply to Mr. Kasson.

My Cabin Home, Sept. 15, 1883.

I have carefully read your article in the North American Review of September, 1883, entitled, "Municipal Reform."

It seems to me that you take a wrong view of the matter. The evil is, that the people do not govern-but designing "bosses" hoodwink and mislead the masses, and prevent a fair expression of opinion by packing the primaries and "fixing things."

The doctrine of our fathers, as laid down by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, is, I think, the only true ground of political faith to be occupied by one who would be in line with progress. Reaction toward autocracy will never be maintained. It is my belief that you have departed from the faith of the fathers, and that the sentiments expressed in that article of yours will never be engrafted in our laws without a bloody struggle. I would die a thousand deaths before I would yield my assent to such principles.

Very Respectfully Yours,

LEONARD BROWN.

I do not believe with Mr. Kasson, that the "ruinous principle to be expelled from the business management of our cities full of floating voters, is the rule which gives to a mere majority of irresponsible numbers the right of control, over the municipality;" I do not believe that the majority that so controls is a "corrupt mob;" I do not believe that "the people who do not pay are always ready to create debt against the people who must pay;** I do not believe it to be “a sound *The detective (professional perjurers) in the pay of the C., B. & Q. railroad officials are at work now (1888) to manufacture similar "outrages" - "dynamite conspiracies," etc., of the striking engineers and brotherhood leaders. The "dynamite" craze will be worked by the captalists for all there is in it, with corrupt courts, suborned witnesses and packed juries to aid them.

*No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from poverty-none less inclined to take or touch aught which they have not honestly earned.-Abraham Lincoln.

principle, which would justify a limitation of municipal suffrage to property owners and to the payers of taxes;" that is to say, I do not believe that as soon as the few have succeeded in robbing the many of all property, the many should cease to have a voice in the government of cities that because a majority of the voters of the city of Boston, for instance, are non-taxpayers, therefore a majority of the voters of Boston ought to be disfranchised; and I do not believe that "the control of the mere majority of irresponsible numbers" is the "breeding nest of municipal peculation, corruption, waste and extravagance the dark cavern of vicious politics, the lying in asylum of illegitimate politicians, the nursery of corrupt practices."

The following "Associated Press Dispatch" that I chance at this moment to see in a morning paper, explains the cause of corruption of city governments and shows also the remedy for it:

Nashville, Oct. 12, 1883.

"The annual municipal election to-day resulted in an overwhelming victory for the citizens reform ticket over the candidates for re-election of the old municipal regime. The reform ticket is composed of blacks and whites for the first time in the history of the city. Taxpayers are jubilant over the defeat of 'boss' rule of the corrupt ward system."

"Boss" rule is what robs the city treasuries; not the rule of the poor laborers, mechanics and school-masters-poor whites or poor blacks who live by daily toil, not the rule of the people who do not pay taxes: for these are cheated out of a voice under "boss" rule of the "corrupt ward system." Vile "rings" of corrupt politicians "fixing" primaries govern these "boss"-robbed cities. This is clearly shown in George Walton Greene's "Facts About Caucus and Primary" in the same number of the North American Review, in which Mr. Kasson's "Municipal Reform" article appears. But the specific remedy is finally applied at Nashville. An appeal is taken to the poor "colored men" for help, and for the first time, in the history of that city, are these poor people treated with justice and magnanimity, and their manhood recognized. "The tax-payers are jubilant over the result" of universal manhood suffrage and fair play for the poor despised colored men.

Manifestly, the only true remedy for the evils that afflict all governments-City, State and National, is to extend the elective franchise to all adult citizens, male and female, native-born and naturalized, white and black, rich and poor, and thus make the public interests the business of all men and all women, and the chief study of the people in the home circle, support an independent press devoted to the interests of the many and not bound with adamantine chains to the chariot wheels of monopoly and jobbery and corrupt "rings." There is no "corrupt mob" to out-vote the masses, male and female. Let these be not deceived and hoodwinked, and misled by designing demagogues, and the administration of the affairs of City, State and Nation will be pure and satisfactory.

Mr. Kasson admits that in the most remarkable case in our annals this pillage of public funds was only revealed by an "independent press, and punished by the slow but firm uprising of an indignant community." This is a wonderful admission, pointing out, it appears to me, the only possible cure for the disorders Mr. Kasson complains of affecting cities, and directing with index finger to correct "Municipal Reform"-"An independent press"-"firm uprising of an indignant community." The "community" need not go so far as to "usurp the duties of the regular officers of the law," as it did in the case he mentions; for the "community" is the only rightful appointer of "officers of the law." Let the "community" control and all is safe. Thieving politicians that usurp control through "boss" and "machine" management and who are not elected by a fair expression of the voice of the "community," must be put down. Let the people govern and all is well. But politicians elected to office by "tax-payers" alone, would not necessarily be more "honest" than if elected by the "irresponsible

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majority." It does not make an official "honest" because elected to place by rich men, nor dishonest because elected by poor men, and party knaves may deceive the rich "few" as easily as they do the poor "many"-"daily personal association lulling suspicion" as well in the one case as in the other. Is it true, what Victor Hugo says? "Imagine everybody governing! Can you fancy a city directed by the men who built it? They are the team, not the coachmen. What a god-send is a rich man who takes charge of everything! Surely he is generous to take this trouble for us!" Perhaps there is a little spark of irony in this. for Victor Hugo is a democrat. "It is." he says, "the people who are on-coming. I tell you it is man who ascends Ah, this society is false One day. and soon, the true society will come Then there will be no more lords; there will be free, living men. There will be no more wealth, there will be abundance for the poor.; there will be no more masters, but there will be brothers. They that toil shall have. This is the future. No more prostration, no more abasement, no more ignorance, no more wealth, no more beasts of burden, no more courtiers, no more kings-but light!"

Would not Mr. Kasson's logic end in making city governments and all other governments autocratic-upheld by and upholding a hateful plutocracy, as two boards on end leaning together, uphold each other— and would it not bring back "divine right of kings?" Would there not be a Dictator at Washington, supported by and supporting the plutocrats of New York and Boston-agents of London "financiers," the Barings and Rothchilds-this Dictator appointing "commissioners" to govern cities and States, as Washington City and Utah Territory are tyrannized over to-day-"model governments," according to Mr. Kasson's reasoning, Washington City being governed by a board of three "commissioners," appointed by the President-("Dictator')—and Utah Territory by a board of five "commissioners," appointed by the President ("Dictator")! These issue "rules"-or, in other words, make laws for City and for Territory. This "commission" system is a damnable tyranny, and history will so define it. And this sort of government is preparing for all American States and Cities, and Mr. Kasson's paper, entitled "Municipal Reform" is, it seems to me, a finger-board pointing the way to its speedy inauguration. "Bosses" (corrupt politicians, who have been fed at the puble crib for a quarter of a century, and petted by the people until they have come to despise their masters), are evidently plotting and planning the overthrow of democratic freedom on this continent. It is time the patriots (toilers of our country) awakened from their slumber of false security.

Mr. Kasson certainly fails to make clear a distinction between city and State governments. The State does not “give" the people of a city the right of self-government. "All power is inherent in the people." The city is a "State," and the earliest to adopt democratic governments Athens and Rome, for instance. The functions of the city legislature are as important to the welfare of the people of a city, rich and poor, as are the functions of a state legislature important to the welfare of the people of a State, rich and poor. The State, I repeat, does not "give" the city the right of self-government any more than the Federal Government "gives" each State, admittd into the Union, the right of self-government. This right is God-given-a "Divine right." Democratic government is peculiarly well fitted to the wants of cities, and ever pre-eminently satisfactory-calling out and developing the highest order of manhood. Democracies alone produce great men. Let our cities become more and more democratic; for the "irresponsible majority of numbers," that Mr. Kasson sneers at, will always do the right when they know the right. When they do wrong it is when they are misled. The poor non tax-paying voters are not robbers. Poor men are ever the most ready to give their lives an offering to save their country's flag and liberty.

ESSAY VI.—THE PATH OF PEACE.

I. The New Republic.

According to the generally recognized law of evolution, what is to be must proceed from what now is. And history teaches that sudden and radical changes in government are seldomly made by the popular vote in time of peace. The American Republic, born of revolution, was patterned after the commonwealth of Oliver Cromwell in many essential respects. Our common law is the same as England's. The kinship of the two governments is plainly discernable. The Tree of Liberty that our fathers planted (arrived at mature growth and full fruitage), is "Our Own Columbia" that is to be.

That there may be no misunderstanding of my meaning by the reader, the following theses, embodying briefly a statement of the principal social reforms advocated by my pen, are here presented.

1.

Most ample provision should be made by the several states and by the general government for the kindly and bountiful care and education, under the most devoted, philanthropic and competent teachers, nurses and matrons, of all orphan, helpless and destitute children and youth, to the end that it may be good for children to be born.

2. Most ample provision should be made by the several states and the general government for the kindly care of all helpless people, to the end that no one may be obliged to beg his bread.

3. All pains, penalties, punishments and tortures of criminals should be abolished, and the several states and the general government should establish reformatory institutions, comprising factories, workshops and schools, giving them healthful employment and remunerative wages, uniform with the wages of workingmen generally, and kindly direction in the path of righteousness, to the end that all moral disease may be thus cured and complete moral and mental healthfulness secured.

4. Equality should be brought about by the abrogation of all monopolies, including monopoly of the lands, of the medium of exchange and of the tools of production; and instead of competition, which is another name for war, instituting what alone will bring universal peace, harmony and christian love a beneficent system that may be appropriately and correctly styled

II. Universal Co-operation.

To secure this most important result (it being the foundation on which the new social structure must rest, its corner-stone freedom and not slavery), land limitation laws should be immediately passed, and the individual ownership of land confined to actual occupants of the soil. Our circulating medium (money) should be only legal-tender government scrip and (until completely outgrown in the popular thought), specie freely and unlimitedly coined by the government for the owners of bullion, according to their wishes, they paying the expense of its coinage, and not made legal tender, but left free to circulate on "intrinsic value" alone, which would exactly accord with the teachings of the hard money advocates, who say that "intrinsic value gives to specie its money quality-gold and silver being money by virtue of the metal, and not (they say), by virtue of law;" while on the other hand, it is claimed (correctly, too, I think), by the advocates of an exclusively paper money, that "law alone monetizes, and law alone demonetizes that money is wholly a creature of law, and that no substance is money, per se, gold and silver being no more money, according to their nature, than is paper. Money quality is conventional entirely."

Popular control of the finance and the abolition of interest is demanded for the benefit of production, the cost of exchange to be reduced to zero; the only end for which money should exist, being to

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Let

facilitate production and the equitable distribution of products. all banks of deposit become_governmental savings banks, that no loss may result to depositors. Let legal tender paper money be invested by government in lands, mines, manufactories, ships, railroads, telegraphs, telephones, irrigating canals, etc., etc., to the end that private capital shall no longer employ labor-lands free, money free, tools free -all industry co-operative-a truly democratic government itself being only a huge co-operative association, in which all the individuals of the commonwealth (men and women), have equal rights, franchises, privileges, advantages and interests-"life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," being guaranteed protection alike to each and all, by the common compact enforced by the popular will crystallized into law.

To this condition must all human society ultimately come. The universal thought of humanity is most rapidly culminating in this opinion fraternal organization is being fast perfected the world over, and all men, except those blinded by avarice, see the day near at hand when old things shall have passed completely away and all things shall have become new-not only old utensils, old machinery and old means of locomotion, transportation, distribution of products, diffusion of intelligence, etc., but old forms of government also. Society is about to be reorganized upon the granite foundation of equality voiced in the Declaration of American Independence, and primarily taught by Jesus Christ, and first instituted (soon after his crucifixion) by his apostles and the other disciples at Jerusalem, with James his brother the first president of the model commonwealth. "All that believed were together and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need." (Acts ii, 44-45).

Whoever is shocked at this idea of human equality, let him burn his New Testament at once and pronounce himself an infidel; for he surely lacks fidelity to the fundamental idea of Christianity, expressed in the command, "Love thy neighbor as thyself"-a religion manifestly designed, by its divine founder, to make mankind socially one family of loving brothers and sisters.

III. The New Anti-Slavery Cause.

Monopoly, the basis of wage slavery, must be put down, to the end that private capital, I repeat, shall no longer employ labor, and all industry shall become co-operative, the toiler selling in the markets of the world the products of his own labor, but not his labor, labor ceasing to be a marketable commodity, the system of slavery being broken down in which labor is sold to the highest bidder, as the laborer himself was formerly sold. The wage slave master grows rich by the same process the chattel slave master did, allowing his slaves (be it remembered always to the utter condemnation of the system), not so much as the chattel slave master, by the nature of that system of bondage and the dictates of humanity, that could not be ignored, was compelled to allow his slaves; for the chattel slave master cared for them in sickness and old age; but the wage slave master, today, in this so-called "Christian" land, is exempt from this obligation, allowing his poor slaves, out of the proceeds of their own labor, merely a meager subsistence while at work, with the right to lock them out and shut down the mill for weeks and months at a time, to "lessen production and advance the price of products;" the workers, in the meantime, cut off from the opportunity to earn bread, are compelled to starve or beg, many of them becoming tramps. The balance of the products of the laborer's toil remaining in the possession of the master, enriches him. He luxuriates at Long Branch "during the hot season," or sips champagne in the cafes of Paris, while his poor slaves swelter at their toil and go hungry to bed, the employer setting the price of the marketable commodity, labor.