Publication date
1/15/04
Volume
25
Number
2
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1904/2/1904-2-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXV 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA., 
JANUARY 
15, 
1904 
No.2 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
The 
foregoing 
sentiment, 
expressed 
by 
W. 
B. 
Brinton, 
presi­ 
dent 
of 
the 
Peru 
Plow 
Company, 
was 
cheered 
by 
600 
members 
of 
the 
Illinois 
Manufacturers' 
Association 
at 
their 
annual 
banquet. 
"Our 
rights," 
declared 
Mr. 
Brinton, 
"are 
dependent 
on 
the 
settlement 
of 
the 
question 
once 
for 
all 
as 
to 
whether 
an 
employer 
can 
hire 
whom 
he 
pleases 
without 
being 
subject 
to 
the 
dictation 
of 
any 
organized 
body. 
The 
Chicago 
City 
Railway 
has 
won 
a 
great 
victory 
in 
establishing 
its 
right 
to 
engage 
its 
own 
em­ 
ployees. 
Without 
this 
right, 
which 
is 
becoming 
recognized 
by 
the 
great 
mass 
of 
people, 
the 
commercial 
supremacy 
of 
the 
United 
States 
will 
be 
at 
an 
end." 
FERTILIZING 
SOIL 
WITH 
BACTERIA 
Because 
we 
are 
in 
the 
dawning 
of 
the 
Millenium, 
the 
Lord 
is 
graciously 
lifting 
the 
curtain 
and 
letting 
in 
the 
light 
upon 
one 
subject 
after 
another.-to 
prepare 
for 
the 
great 
hIes 
sinO's 
of 
that 
glo1"'ious 
time 
and 
its 
re-awakened 
billions 
of 
hum~nity. 
From 
this 
standpoint 
the 
following 
article 
from 
the 
Literary 
Digest 
will 
be 
read 
with 
interest. 
It 
shows 
one 
of 
the 
ways 
the 
Lord's 
promises 
may 
be 
expected 
to 
be 
fulfilled 
and 
cause 
the 
wilderness 
to 
blossom 
as 
the 
rose. 
And 
every 
evidence 
of 
the 
kind 
adds 
to 
our 
general 
faith 
in 
our 
Father's 
willingness 
and 
ability 
to 
do 
all 
that 
he 
has 
spoken 
by 
the 
mouths 
of 
all 
his 
holy 
prophets 
since 
the 
world 
began. 
The 
article 
follows:- 
Soil 
that 
will 
not 
bear 
crops 
is 
suffering 
from 
starvation. 
This 
may 
be 
remedied 
by 
properly 
"feeding" 
it 
with 
fertilizers; 
but 
in 
certain 
cases 
the 
trouble 
may 
also 
be 
cured, 
like 
some 
diseases, 
by 
inoculation. 
In 
other 
words, 
soil 
deficient 
in 
nitro­ 
genous 
matter 
may 
be 
treated 
with 
cultures 
of 
certain 
bacteria 
that 
enable 
plants 
to 
absorb 
and 
utilize 
atmospheric 
nitrogen, 
as 
has 
been 
shown 
in 
Germany 
by 
Professor 
Nobbe. 
Fertiliz­ 
ing 
material 
sufficient 
for 
an 
acre 
may 
now 
be 
purchased 
in 
a 
sm.all 
~lass 
bottle 
.. 
Ra.y 
Stannard 
Baker 
tells 
in 
IIarper's 
Ma,g­ 
azvne 
Just 
how 
thIS 
dIscovery 
was 
made 
and 
how 
it 
has 
been 
util~zed 
.. 
According 
to 
Mr. 
Baker, 
it 
had 
its 
beginning 
in 
the 
ear 
her 
dIscovery 
that 
plants 
are 
fed 
largely 
from 
substances 
in 
the 
air 
and 
from 
consequent 
study 
of 
the 
problem 
of 
how 
the 
plant 
is 
able 
to 
appropriate 
this 
aerial 
food. 
Says 
the 
writer: 
"The 
chief 
chemical 
elements 
in 
all 
vegetable 
substances 
are 
oxygen, 
carbon, 
hydrogen, 
and 
nitrogen 
..... 
Nitrogen 
is 
the 
all.impo!tant 
element. 
Potassium 
and 
phosphorous 
are 
usually 
present 
m 
abundance, 
or 
they 
can 
be 
easily 
suppIied 
in 
the 
form 
of 
wood-ashes 
and 
other 
fertilizers; 
but 
nitrogen 
is 
more 
expen­ 
sive 
and 
more 
difficult 
to 
restore. 
Nitrogen 
is 
what 
makes 
the 
muscles 
and 
brain 
of 
It 
man; 
it 
is 
the 
essential 
element 
of 
all 
elements 
in 
the 
growth 
of 
animals 
and 
plants 
..... 
If 
the 
world 
ever 
starves, 
it 
will 
be 
from 
lack 
of 
nitrogen; 
and 
yet 
if 
such 
starvation. 
takes 
place, 
it 
will 
be 
in 
a 
world 
full 
of 
nitrogen. 
For 
there 
IS 
not 
one 
of 
the 
elements 
more 
common 
than 
nitrogen. 
not 
one 
present 
around 
us 
in 
larger 
quantities. 
Four-fifths 
of 
every 
breath 
of 
air 
we 
breath 
is 
pure 
nitrogen-four-fifths 
of 
all 
the 
earth's 
atmosphere 
is 
nitrogen. 
If 
mankind 
dies 
of 
nitrogen 
starvation, 
it 
will 
die 
with 
food 
everywhere 
about 
it 
and 
within 
it. 
"But 
unfortunately 
plants 
and 
animals 
are 
unable 
to 
take 
up 
nitrogen 
in 
its 
pure 
form 
as 
it 
appears 
in 
the 
air. 
It 
must 
be 
combined 
with 
hydrogen 
in 
the 
form 
of 
ammonia 
or 
in 
some 
nitrate. 
These 
facts 
have 
been 
well 
known 
to 
science 
for 
many 
y;ars. 
At 
the 
same 
time 
it 
has 
been 
known, 
as 
a 
matter 
of 
expe­ 
rIence 
among 
farmers, 
that 
when 
land 
is 
worn 
out 
by 
overcrop­ 
ping, 
with 
wheat 
or 
oats, 
for 
instance, 
both 
of 
which 
draw 
heavily 
?n 
the 
earth's. 
nitrogen 
supply, 
certain 
other 
crops 
would 
stIll 
grow 
luxurIantly 
upon 
it, 
and 
that 
if 
these 
crops 
are 
left 
and 
plowed 
in, 
the 
fertility 
of 
the 
soil 
will 
be 
restored 
and 
it 
will 
again 
produce 
large 
1ililds 
of 
wheat 
and 
other 
nitro: 
/1;en:demanding 
plants.. 
These 
restorative 
crops 
are 
clover, 
lupm, 
and 
other 
legummous 
plants-a 
classification 
including 
bf'ans 
and 
peas. 
Everyone 
who 
is 
at 
all 
familiar 
with 
farminO' 
operations 
has 
heard 
of 
seeding 
down 
an 
old 
field 
to 
clove; 
thereby 
restoring 
its 
fertility 
in 
a 
degree." 
, 
That 
this 
property 
of 
clover, 
beans, 
etc. 
is 
due 
to 
small 
nodules 
growing- 
on 
their 
roots, 
and 
that 
thes~ 
are 
produced 
by 
so-ca~led 
. 
"nitrif!ing-" 
bacteria! 
is 
now 
known 
to 
all 
students 
of 
SCIentIfic 
agrIculture. 
Actmg 
on 
this 
knowledge 
Professor 
Nobbe 
has 
developed 
his 
plan 
for 
soil-inoculation. 
' 
Says 
Mr. 
Baker: 
."If 
these 
nodules 
were 
produced 
by 
bacteria, 
then 
the 
bac­ 
terIa 
m.ust 
be 
present. 
in 
the 
soil; 
and 
if 
they 
were 
not 
present, 
would 
It 
not 
b~ 
po~sIble 
to 
supply 
them 
by 
artificial 
means? 
In 
othe: 
words, 
If 
SOlI, 
even 
worn-out 
farm 
soii--or, 
indeed, 
pure 
sand, 
hke 
that 
of 
the 
seashore-eould 
thus 
be 
inoculated 
as 
a 
physician 
inoculates 
'a 
guinea 
pig 
with 
anthrax 
germs, 
w~uld 
[3303] 
(l9-20) 
"Condition 
of 
Anarchy" 
"A 
condition 
of 
anarchy 
has 
existed 
continuously 
in 
some 
States 
for 
months 
past, 
and, 
in 
fact, 
the 
acts 
of 
lawlessness 
committed 
under 
the 
sacred 
name 
of 
labor 
are 
of 
such 
frequent 
recurrence 
that 
the 
public 
sense 
of 
their 
enormity 
has 
become 
blunterl. 
The 
period 
of 
grea,t 
prosperity 
brought 
about 
by 
the 
unrestricted 
operation 
of 
the 
law 
of 
supply 
and 
demand 
is 
also 
being 
destroyed 
by 
the 
acts 
of 
violence 
of 
organized 
labor, 
and 
as 
a 
result 
we 
are 
now 
confronted 
with 
the 
possibility 
of 
a 
period 
of 
depression. 
"While 
we 
most 
emphatically 
object 
to 
being 
classed 
as 
ene­ 
mies 
of 
organizations 
of 
labor 
that 
are 
conducted 
upon 
lawful 
and 
beneficent 
lines, 
yet 
we 
are 
unalterably 
opposed 
to 
the 
pres­ 
ent 
programme 
of 
violence, 
boycotting, 
and 
tyranny 
now 
being 
carried 
out 
by 
the 
majority 
of 
labor 
unions. 
"We 
therefore 
urge 
the 
rapid 
organization 
of 
those 
who 
believe 
in 
the 
maintenance 
of 
law 
and 
order 
and 
the 
perpetua­ 
tion 
of 
our 
free 
institutions, 
to 
the 
end 
that 
they 
may 
wield 
their 
full 
and 
proper 
influence 
upon 
the 
destinies 
of 
the 
nation. 
Since 
organizations 
exist 
for 
the 
apparent 
purpose 
of 
defying 
law 
and 
common 
sense, 
and 
are 
able 
to 
intimidate 
and 
influence 
public 
men 
and 
municipal 
authorities, 
there 
is 
no 
alternative 
left 
to 
those 
who 
desire 
to 
preserve 
bearable 
conditions 
in 
our 
body 
politic 
than 
that 
of 
forming' 
counter 
organizations. 
"It 
is 
only 
through 
the 
machinery 
of 
organization 
that 
we 
can 
hope 
to 
exercise 
a 
potent 
and 
salutary 
influence 
over 
public 
thought 
and 
the 
conduct 
of 
public 
officials, 
to 
the 
end 
that 
the 
rights 
of 
American 
citizenship 
can 
be 
assured 
to 
free 
and 
inde­ 
pendent 
labor, 
the 
rights 
of 
property 
protected 
and 
legislation 
of 
a 
socialistic 
nature 
prevented 
from 
being' 
enacted 
into 
law." 
Strong 
Words 
at 
the 
Chicago 
Session. 
Bloodshed 
Predicted 
"If 
the 
fight 
for 
the 
closed 
shop 
is 
allowed 
to 
continue 
there 
will 
be 
scenes 
of 
bloodshed 
in 
this 
country 
that 
will 
surpass 
the 
days 
of 
the 
French 
revolution. 
The 
closed 
shop 
is 
un-American, 
unrighteous, 
a 
restriction 
of 
liberties 
of 
our 
people, 
and 
a 
death 
blow 
to 
the 
individualism 
that 
makes 
for 
success." 
Platform 
Ado!)ted 
"The 
following- 
platform 
was 
adopted 
as 
an 
open 
letter 
to 
the 
public 
and 
affiliated 
associations: 
"Resolved, 
by 
the 
executive 
committee 
of 
the 
Citizens' 
Industrial 
Association 
of 
America, 
that 
the 
present 
industrial 
conditions 
have 
become 
so 
deplorable 
by 
reason 
of 
the 
inde­ 
fensible 
methods 
and 
claims 
of 
organized 
labor 
that 
the 
time 
has 
come 
when 
the 
employing 
interests 
and 
good 
citizenship 
of 
the 
country 
must 
take 
immediate 
and 
effective 
measures 
to 
reaffirm 
and 
enforce 
these 
fundamental 
principles 
of 
American 
government 
guaranteeing 
free 
competitive 
conditions. 
"In 
its 
demand 
for 
the 
closed 
shop 
organized 
labor 
is 
seeking 
to 
overthrow 
individual 
liberty 
and 
property 
rights, 
the 
prin­ 
cipal 
props 
of 
our 
government. 
Its 
methods 
for 
securing 
this 
revolutionary 
and 
socialistic 
change 
in 
our 
institutions 
are 
also 
those 
of 
physical 
warfare. 
Because 
of 
this 
warfare 
the 
industrial 
interests 
of 
the 
nation 
during 
the 
last 
years 
have 
been 
injured 
to 
an 
irrepa,rable 
degree. 
Many 
firms 
have 
been 
driven 
into 
bankruptcy, 
and 
the 
cases 
are 
innumerable 
in 
which 
workingmen 
have 
been 
disabled 
and 
even 
murdered, 
while 
numerous 
families 
have 
been 
rendered 
destitute 
by 
reason 
of 
the 
tyranny 
and 
seditious 
attacks 
upon 
society 
by 
the 
strike 
organi­ 
zations. 
EMPLOYERS 
OF 
LABOR 
AGITATING 
These 
are 
the 
Conditions 
We 
have 
been 
Announcing 
Since 
1875, 
as 
Evidences 
that 
We 
are 
in 
the 
Great 
"Day 
of 
the 
Lord" 
and 
that 
its 
Battle 
or 
Struggle 
is 
Impending. 
In 
December 
last 
two 
important 
meetings 
of 
manufacturers 
and 
labor 
employers 
were 
held; 
one 
in 
Dayton, 
0., 
the 
other 
in 
Chicago, 
Ill. 
The 
proceedings 
at 
Dayton 
and 
the 
object 
of 
the 
meeting 
are 
thus 
described 
in 
the 
daily 
press- 
"A 
resolution 
was 
adopted 
asking 
Congress 
not 
to 
indorse 
the 
eight-hour 
bill, 
when 
that 
document 
comes 
up 
for 
action. 
Another 
resolution 
requests 
all 
employers' 
associations 
through­ 
out 
the 
country 
to 
affiliate 
with 
the 
national 
body. 
Against 
Union 
Label 
"The 
determined 
stand 
to 
be 
taken 
by 
the 
association 
is 
indi­ 
cated 
in 
the 
passage 
of 
a 
resolution 
instructing 
all 
members 
of 
employers' 
associations 
affiliated 
with 
the 
national 
body 
not 
to 
place 
the 
union 
label 
on 
any 
of 
their 
output. 
"It 
is 
proposed 
also 
to 
establish 
a 
labor 
information 
bureau, 
where 
will 
be 
kept 
a 
tabulated 
record 
of 
all 
law-breaking 
and 
undesirable 
workmen. 
"The 
present 
methods 
employed 
by 
unions 
in 
conducting 
a 
boycott 
were 
bitterly 
denounced. 
"A 
bureau 
of 
organization. 
publication, 
and 
education 
will 
likely 
be 
located 
at 
Dayton, 
although 
the 
headquarters 
will 
be 
at 
Indianapolis. 
Vou. XXV ALLEGHENY, PA., JANUARY 15, 1904 No. 2 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER EMPLOYERS OF LABOR AGITATING These are the Conditions We have been Announcing Since 1875, as Evidences that We are in the Great ‘‘Day of the Lord’’ and that its Battle or Struggie is Impending. In December last two important meetings of manufacturers and labor employers were held; one in Dayton, O., the other in Chicago, Ill. The proceedings at Dayton and the object of the meeting are thus described in the daily press— “A resolution was adopted asking Congress not to indorse the eight-hour bill, when that document comes up for action. Another resolution requests all employers’ associations throughout the country to affiliate with the national body. Against Union Label “The determined stand to be taken by the association is indicated in the passage of a resolution instructing all members of employers’ associations affiliated with the national body not to place the union label on any of their output. “It is proposed also to establish a labor information bureau, where will be kept a tabulated record of all law-breaking and undesirable workmen. “The present methods employed by unions in conducting a boycott were bitterly denounced. “A bureau of organization, publication, and education will likely be located at Dayton, although the headquarters will be at Indianapolis. Platform Adopted “The following platform was adopted as an open letter to the public and affiliated associations: “Resolved, by the executive committee of the Citizens’ Industrial Association of America, that the present industrial conditions have become so deplorable by reason of the indefensible methods and claims of organized labor that the time has come when the employing interests and good citizenship of the country must take immediate and effective measures to reaffirm and enforce these fundamental principles of American government guaranteeing free competitive conditions, “In its demand for the closed shop organized labor is seeking to overthrow individual liberty and property rights, the principal props of our government. Its methods for securing this revolutionary and socialistic change in our institutions are also those of physical warfare. Because of this warfare the industrial interests of the nation during the last years have been injured to an irreparable degree. Many firms have been driven into bankruptcy, and the cases are innumerable in which workingmen have been disabled and even murdered, while numerous families have been rendered destitute by reason of the tyranny and seditious attacks upon society by the strike organizations. ‘Condition of Anarchy’’ “A condition of anarchy has existed continuously in some States for months past, and, in fact, the acta of lawlessness committed under the sacred name of labor are of such frequent recurrence that the public sense of their enormity has become blunted. The period of great prosperity brought about by the unrestricted operation of the law of supply and demand is also being destroyed by the acts of violence of organized labor, and as a result we are now confronted with the possibility of a period of depression. “While we most emphatically object to being classed as enemies of organizations of labor that are conducted upon Jawful and beneficent lines, yet we are unalterably opposed to the present programme of violence, boycotting, and tyranny now being carried out by the majority of labor unions. ‘We therefore urge the rapid organization of those who believe in the maintenance of law and order and the perpetuation of our free institutions, to the end that they may wield their full and proper influence upon the destinies of the nation. Since organizations exist for the apparent purpose of defying law and common sense, and are able to intimidate and influence public men and municipal authorities, there is no alternative left to those who desire to preserve bearable conditions in our body politic than that of forming counter organizations. ‘It is only through the machinery of organization that we can hope to exercise a potent and salutary influence over public thought and the conduct of public officials, to the end that the rights of American citizenship can be assured to free and independent labor, the rights of property protected and legislation of a socialistic nature prevented from being enacted into law.” Strong Words at the Chicago Session. Bloodshed Predicted “Tf the fight for the closed shop is allowed to continue there will be scenes of bloodshed in this country that will surpass the days of the French revolution. The closed shop is un-American, unrighteous, a restriction of liberties of our people, and a death blow to the individualism that makes for success.” [3303] The foregoing sentiment, expressed by W. B. Brinton, president of the Peru Plow Company, was cheered by 600 members of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association at their annual banquet. “Our rights,’ declared Mr. Brinton, “are dependent on the settlement of the question once for all as to whether an employer can hire whom he pleases without being subject to the dictation of any organized body. The Chicago City Railway has won a great victory in establishing its right to engage its own employees. Without this right, which is becoming recognized by the great mass of people, the commercial supremacy of the United States will be at an end.” FERTILIZING SOIL WITH BACTERIA Because we are in the dawning of the Millenium, the Lord is graciously lifting the curtain and letting in the light upon one subject after another.—to prepare for the great blessings of that glorious time and its re-awakened billions of humanity. From this standpoint the following article from the Literary Digest will be read with interest. It shows one of the ways the Lord’s promises may be expected to be fulfilled and cause the wilderness to blossom as the rose. And every evidence of the kind adds to our general faith in our Father’s willingness and ability to do all that he has spoken by the mouths of all his holy prophets since the world began. The article follows:— Soil that will not bear crops is suffering from starvation. This may be remedied by properly “feeding” it with fertilizers; but in certain cases the trouble may also be cured, like some diseases, by inoculation. In other words, goil deficient in nitrogenous matter may he treated with cultures of certain bacteria that enable plants to absorb and utilize atmospheric nitrogen, as has been shown in Germany by Professor Nobbe. Fertilizing material sufficient for an acre may now be purchased in a small] glass bottle. Ray Stannard Baker tells in Harper's Magazine just how this discovery was made and how it has becn utilized. According to Mr. Baker, it had its beginning in the earlier discovery that plants are fed largely from substances in the air and from consequent study of the problem of how the plant is able to appropriate this aerial food. Says the writer: “The chief chemical elements in all vegetable substances are oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. .... Nitrogen is the all-important element. Potassium and phosphorous are usually present in abundance, or they can be easily supplied in the form of wood-ashes and other fertilizers; but nitrogen is more expensive and more difficult to restore. Nitrogen is what makes the muscles and brain of a man; it is the essential element of all elements in the growth of animals and plants,.... If the world ever starves, it will be from lack of nitrogen; and yet if such starvation takes place, it will be in a world full of nitrogen. For there is not one of the elements more common than nitrogen, not one present around us in larger quantities. Four-fifths of every breath of air we breath is pure nitrogen—four-fifths of all the earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen. If mankind dies of nitrogen starvation, it will die with food everywhere about it and within it. “But unfortunately plants and animals are unable to take up nitrogen in its pure form as it appears in the air. It must be combined with hydrogen in the form of ammonia or in some nitrate. These facts have been well known to science for many years. At the same time it has been known, as a matter of experience among farmers, that when land is worn out by overcropping, with wheat or oats, for instance, both of which draw heavily on the earth’s nitrogen supply, certain other crops would still grow luxuriantly upon it, and that if these crops are left and plowed in, the fertility of the soil will be restored, and it will again produce large fields of wheat and other nitrogen-demanding plants. These restorative crops are clover, lupin, and other leguminous plants—a classification including beans and peas. Everyone who is at all familiar with farming operations has heard of seeding down an old field to clover, thereby restoring its fertility in a degree.” That this property of clover, beans, etc., is due to small nodules growing on their roots, and that these are produced by so-called “nitrifying” bacteria, is now known to all students of scientific agriculture. Acting on this knowledge, Professor Nobbe has developed his plan for soil-inoculation. Says Mr. er: “Tf these nodules were produced by bacteria, then the bacteria must be present in the soil; and if they were not present, would it not be possible to supply them by artificial means? In other words, if soil, even worn-out farm soil—or, indeed, pure sand, like that of the seashore—could thus be inoculated, as a physician inoculates 2 guinea pig with anthrax germs, would (19-20)

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