THE INQUISITIVE BOY

By “SPOKESHAVE” (circa early 1900’s)
Out of the vault – this sums up our message like few others – please pass it on

What place is that, pa?
That is a brickyard, my son.
Whose brickyard is it, pa?
It belongs to me, my son.
Do all these piles of bricks belong to you?
Yes, my son, every brick of them.
My! How long did it take you to make them? Did you make them all alone by yourself?
No, my son; those men you see working there make them for me.
Do the men belong to you, pa?
No, my son; those men are free men. No man can own another. If he could the other would be a slave.
What is a slave, pa?
A slave, my son, is a man who has to work for another all his life, for only his board and clothes.
If a slave gets sick, who pays for the doctor, pa?
Well, his owner does; he can’t afford to lose his property.
Why do men work so hard, pa? Do they like it?
Well, no, I don’t suppose they do, but they work or starve.
Are these men rich, pa?
Not to any great extent, my son.
Do they own any houses, pa?
I rather guess not, my son.
Have they any horses or fine clothes, and do they go to the seaside when it is warm, like we do, pa?
Well, hardly; it takes them all their time to work.
What is a living, pa?
Why, a living – well, for them a living is what they eat and wear.
Isn’t that board and clothes, pa?
I suppose it is.
Well, are they any better off than slaves, pa?
Of course, they are, you foolish boy. Why, they’re free; they don’t need to work for me if they don’t like to; they can leave whenever they choose.
And if they leave, won’t they have to work, pa?
Yes, of course they will; they will have to work for someone else.
And will they get any more than a living from him?
No, I suppose not.
Well, then, how are they any better off than slaves?
Why, they have votes; they are free men.

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