The Inquisitive Youth and His Fond Parent.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 64, 31 May 1912, Page 3

The Inquisitive Youth and His Fond Parent.

"Say, Pa, why ain't you a capitalist?" "Well, niy son, you see, I have not money enough ; it takes a pile of money to be a capitalist." "But, Pa, how do they get their moneyr" "Why, my son, they work hard and earn it." "You work very hard, do you, Pa!"' "Work hard! ' Work hard! Why, kid, how you talk I I've worked as hard as a horse all my life. Here I am growing old at 10, worn out with hard work." "But, Pa, if .you have workou so hard, why ain't you rich?" "Why—or-—why, what a question boy! ilow do you expect mc to answer such a question as that?" "But, Pa, I want to know, and you told mc tho other day to come to you if I wanted to know anything and not listen to those fool Socialists who talk down on tho street coiner." "So I did, my son, and I am glad that you have obeyed inc., Let's see, what was the question, 'Why ain't I rich?' Oh, that's easy! It's because 1 did not save my money." "Well, Pa, why don't you start- saving right now?" "Have money now! Why you young rascal, I can scarcely buy enough for the family to eat, say nothing about other things we need. There's no chanco of saving anything now." "Well, Pa. why didn't you save when you had lots of money?" "Why—er— drat it all, kid, I never did have lots of money. We've always been as poor as Job's turkey." Boy thinks a while. "Were the capitalists once poor like we arc, Pa?" Pa (proudly): "Yes, my son, and it shows the glorious privileges our Great Giberal Party has given to all, for while they wore once poor they aro now rich, and every man has the same opportunity as lliey had." "Say, Pa, who taught you to say that?" "Who taught mo to say wltat? Why, boy, what do you mean?" "I mean that you didn't think that all out by yourself, did you?" "Why-^-cr—l believe I did hear Banker Tak-cmin say something like that at one of our meetings last campaign, and it sounds so nice that I remembered it." "But, Pa, is it so?" "Why, kid, of course it's so." "Well, then, why don't you start in now and get rich?" "Well—or—drat it all, kid, it's no use; your old daddy is too old to play that game now." "I ain't very old, am I, Pa?" "Why, what a- question, boy; of course, vou'ro not old." "Willi be rich some day, Pa?" Pa thinks a while, then sighs. "I'm •afraid not. my son ; your Fa can't give you the right land of a chance." "Then it's a question of chance, is it, Pa?" "Well—er—l guests that fo about the size of it."

"Will I .stand as good a chance »is Ranker Takeuiin's b0,,, . c- odon .:' :: " "Well, I rather doubt it, my v.'i. You see, Ranker TakcniMi put i;,-;-J dollars in the bank at i-oinpounu ::■•.%-.- ---est for his son tho day he wa.s ui-in, and wlien he is 21 he will ha\c .. .t and much more besides." ".Say, Pa, what are you going to ;..n c mc when I am 21?" "\V<'l1 —er —candidly, my son, the way matters look now, you'll Ik - ;v to stick everything your old <l;uhi,, c.in give ion in your eye," Roy thinks a- while. "Say, Pa,- it- looks to mo like the chau es for workmen to. get- rid. ,;e migli y slim in this country. \'\ ';y don't you move away to some pLce where prosjiects are bolter?" "Why, Ivoy, the working people '-. vc the best chance in this country of-any place on the globe." "How many working people get ri'di in this country, Par"' "Well—cr —cr —I don't know tho exact number, but I suppose not over one in 100." "The best chance- in tho world for a working man isn't a very good chance, is it, Pa?" "No, my son, it isn't. The working people have a pretty hard row to hoe." "Say, Pa, is a working man's vote as good as a capitalist's vote?" Pa (again swelling up with pride); "Why, certainly, it is! The working num aro tho real rulers of this country." "This is a pretty rich counlrv, isn't it, Pa?" "Rich? Why I should m.v il is' It's the richest country on the face of the earth." "And you say that tho working men rulo it?" Pa (swelling again): "Yes, my son, the destiny of this great and glorious country is in tho hands ef its sove-cl-gu citizens, the men who till the soil and mine the coal, and do the work. The horny hand ef toil is the one that steers the ship of state." "That sounds pretty nice, doesn't it, Pa?" Pa (suspiciously): '''Yes, it does, but i) "That's another one of Hanker Takeuiin's, ain't it?" "Well! Sposen' it is?" "Well, Pa, it sounds to mc like a lot of 'tonimyrot,' for if this is such a rich country and the -workingmen really do rule it, then the workingn-en must be a, lot of nincompoops, or they would get together and ftsrni a po" '' Ta (furiously): "See here, you blasted brat of an anarchist! I know you've been down to hear those Socialists again. I sco, I'll have to give you another reminder. Just come out to tho woodshed for a few minutes; I'm going to givo you something to think about for tho rest of your lifetime." Lockwood, in ''Our 'young Folks."