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Life of Albert Parsons

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p73

wage-workers an average of $304 each, while 250,000 "bosses" received in profit $4,000 each on the average; that 2,738,000 wage-workers got three-eighths of their product in wages, while the non-producing class—beign less than one-tenth of the population—nevertheless appropriated over five-eights of all that these laborers produced; that there were 11,500 business failures last year, 90 per cent of whom possessed less than $5,000; that over 2,000,000 persons are now in enforced idleness; that as production increases wages decrease. The speaker gave facts to show that the same condition of affairs existed through Europe as in America. He showed by facts that poverty, crime, insanity, and suicide had increased 400 per cent in proportion to the population in the last thirty years.

He showed the origin of private property was in fraud, force, and murder, and that Governments were instituted, and constitutions adopted, and laws manufactured to uphold and perpetuate the outrage; that Government exists for the sole purpose of depriving men of their natural rights; that authority and force was the weapon of tyrants held over their slaves. The speaker said that, after evolving for 109 years under the Republic, the people were about to rise in revolt and throw off their economic bondage. He told them that "to be forewarned was to be forearmed," and that they must be prepared to meet force with force.

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