﻿BEATING DOWN THE UNBEATEN 

By T-BONE SLIM 

GARRETSON, S. D.—Just now found out this town is in South Dakota—always before thought it in Michigan or Iowa. Hired out to a Norwegian here; board, conditions good—wages, humph, I guess there was an element of wages attached to the deal, not big, as wages go or come, but wages just the same—the same, I needed for razor blades. But I don’t believe he was pure-blooded Norwegian because he served lunch only once a day between meals—I’m used to eating five times a day while engaged in hard labor . . . temperature 107-111. 
He had the right idea though, he threatened to chase the women out of the house, as he said, “if they don’t make the coffee stout enough to make a harvest hand shock ‘a one j hour row’ in forty minutes—even coffee seems to have economic power. 
Don’t know whether it has any bearing on political platforms or elections—and, indeed, some of the late lamented platforms look as if they were born of barley corn or hard rye. 
Individualism, one of the essentials of politics and part of political minds is not so clearly a result of over-intoxication or prolonged debauch and is, therefore, more difficult to define or describe—and once described, or associated, it leaves a hard-cider taste in the mouth: 
Individualism is not much else than ingrained, thoroughbred selfishness. 
We, of course, have known this all along and never were deceived by the metallic sound of the word. 
Folks have a habit of placing wrong constructions on such delicate matters and thus it is individualism is considered perfectly respectable; whereas selfishness is classed right next to stealing an old maid’s false teeth . . . 
Take, for instance, another such case; Sig. Mussolini, according to the ambitious Mr. Hearst, is in favor of “Spirit of Expansion”—Oo, la la!—and the Industrial Union No. 110 favors Expansion of Spirit. One oi those is quite right—mebbe both. Now, the following few remarks are but gatherings or threads I have left’ out of my former ravings, the printing of which leaves me with a clean slate—a desirable frame of mind. 
Political action, in the broad sense, works from the top downward—downward, but but not to the bottom. 
Labor is at the bottom. 
Economic action works from the bottom upward—upward, but not to the top. 
Parasites are on top 
I hope this explains why parasites are in favor of political action— it gives them first crack at the fruit salad. 
It should also explain why the more sensible slaves are determined to use economic action—it spreads the pie heavier at the bottom. 
Labor being what it is, foundation of society, civilization and all other things, it would seem this capitalist system, as rotten as it is, could regain some of its former prestige if it would but operate to strengthen the foundation, Labor—and I’m giving these views free of all charge to the mismanagers of our welfare, recognizing their disability to think for themselves or anybody else. 
But to be not misunderstood, and to guard against being not understood, I must be very precise in my language; I must tell them exactly what to do, lest they go off at a tangent and fail in the accomplishment of the salvage—saving of the system now rapidly falling to pieces and dis-use. 
It stands to reason that no establishment can stand on a weak foundation. The foundation must be sound, solid. 
Labor is the foundation. 
No worthwhile establishment can stand on a hollow foundation. 
Labor is hollow. (Just now). 
Thus, it follows, the one and only way to rescue the tottering system is to strengthen the foundation —never mind the upper stories: they stand or fall with labor no matter what else you do. 
Now, the quickest and best way to strengthen Labor is with money—give them big wages. Simple remedy. Isn’t it? 
I’ll bet you never would have thought of it without my assistance. 
Labor, of course, conscious of its want, has thought it all along. 
It seems that were the caretakers of the system to concentrate and establish and enrich the foundation 
 with mortars of nigh wages, all other parts of the structure would cease their quaking and shaking and “settle down” to a long life of usefulness— not the best but usefulness just the same—all parts of the structure would adjust themselves to the healthy condition of the foundation, Labor. 
Otherwise we must conclude, paints, polishes, white-washes, re-inforccmcnts applied to the upper stories can but add to the load supported by the already crumbling foundation. 
There is no other way out — the foundation is cracking under the strain—and, gentlemen, nary a foundation yet “gave away” but the structure became uninhabitable or warped out of all shape and symmetry.—T-b. S.