The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest / The writings of philosophers, poets, novelists, social reformers, and others who have voiced the struggle against social injustice; selected from twenty-five languages; covering a period of five thousand years

by Unknown

The Statue of Liberty

(New York Harbor, A.D. 2900)

By Arthur Upson

(American poet, 1877-1908)

Here once, the records show, a land whose pride

Abode in Freedom’s watchword! And once here

The port of traffic for a hemisphere,

With great gold-piling cities at her side!

Tradition says, superbly once did bide

Their sculptured goddess on an island near,

With hospitable smile and torch kept clear

For all wild hordes that sought her o’er the tide.

’Twas centuries ago. But this is true:

Late the fond tyrant who misrules our land,

Bidding his serfs dig deep in marshes old,

Trembled, not knowing wherefore, as they drew

From out this swampy bed of ancient mould

A shattered torch held in a mighty hand.

By Francis Bacon

(English philosopher and statesman, father of modern scientific thought; 1561-1626)

Let states that aim at greatness take heed how their nobility and gentlemen do multiply too fast. For that maketh the common subject grow to be a peasant and base swain, driven out of heart, and in effect but the gentleman’s laborer.

By Daniel Webster

(New England statesman and orator, 1782-1852)

The freest government cannot long endure when the tendency of the law is to create a rapid accumulation of property in the hands of a few, and to render the masses poor and dependent.