COL. R. G. INGERSOLL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2262, 8 January 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

COL. R. G. INGERSOLL.

Undek the heading "Sermon of an Tnfidel, ' the New York World of Nov. 15th has the following : —The Free Thiukers closed their congress the past week. At Chickeriug Hall, Col. Bob Ingersoll made a characteristic speech, in which he introduced some rather startling ideas. '• No man can own §5,000,000; the dollars own him," he said. •' He becomes the key to the safe in which the shining pile is hoarded. The poor have to learn that pity rather than envy is what the rich need from them, and the rich have to learn the true and honest heart that bear, beneath rags. Anarchism is a protest against tyranny, and that is out of place in this country, where we have despite all its short comings, the greatest aud the grandest Government the world has ever seen. The land which God put out of doors is free to every child of nature. No man has the right to own more land than he can use. He ought to be deprived of it. I do not blame the rich for what they have, and would not take a penny's worth from the richest of them, except at a fair valuation, but I would take it until every man and woman born into the world had a chance to live through his or her days here iu comfort and happiness. Great inventions were never intended to pile up great for tunes and curse the labourer. Nor will strikes settle anything. The first sue cessful strike will be the last, for the people will rise and show that the grasp of the labour tyrant .must be kept from the throat of capital, j'ust as sure as the grinding heel of monopoly must not he placed on tho prostrate form of toil. When we have a nation of homes, of those centres where love reigns, where the race is not for riches but for happiness, then the goal will be reached and content will prevail."