Nequa; or, The Problem of the Ages

by Alcanoan O. Grigsby; Mary P. Lowe

"Thus, by using the profit, which under the old competitive system left the hands of the producers, never to return, they were able to abolish landlordism, as far as they were concerned, and their wealthy oppressors congratulated themselves that they had gotten rid of a dangerous class. But the same causes continued to impoverish others, and thus create other dangerous classes, and the only way to get rid of them, was to give them an opportunity to dig their living out of the soil. It became a common thing for cities to organize movements which enabled the poor to secure subsistence by cultivating vacant lots. Indeed, this was one of the first signs that marked the decline, and presaged the early abolition of the then existing system of commercial and financial cannibalism that impoverished the people.

"This community demonstrated that labor could, even under the most adverse circumstances, by co-operating in production and distribution, get control of land and the means of production, and abolish tribute to non-producers in all its forms. You will find the history of these movements most intensely interesting, and I should think from what I have learned, of inestimable value in your native land.

"Since MacNair gave us the benefit of his knowledge of the economic system which exists in the outer world, our scholars have studied our own ancient histories as they never did before. Situated as we are, it is hard to believe that any people, no matter how ignorant they may be, would permit a few to take possession of the earth and starve the many, but such was the situation here in the olden times; hence, it is not strange that these conditions exist in the outer world."

"Well," I remarked, "since I think of it, I am not surprised that you can hardly believe such conditions could exist in any country claiming to be civilized. But why is it that the people of this inner world, understood the nature of this evil and removed it so long ago, while the masses of the people of the outer world seem to be utterly oblivious to the fact that there is anything wrong?"

"On this question I can only theorize," said Iola. "I have thought that it may have been the long continued ice age, that with its rigors, held the people of the outer world back and retarded their development until long after the inner world had made a very considerable progress toward civilization. But MacNair has a theory that may have something in it. He believes that the psychic conditions in a concave world, tend directly toward concentrated effort and co-operation, because the heads of the people all point toward each other and converge at a common center, while in the outer world they point outward, each in a direction of its own, tending directly toward individualism and the development of every selfish instinct."

"Well," said Captain Ganoe, who had been an attentive listener, "I am glad, for the honor of my own country, that a fellow countryman of mine has evolved a theory that has not been previously thought out and demonstrated by this most progressive people. I think, Jack, that we had better go to work and evolve an improvement on these airships that will enable us to carry the news of these wonderful discoveries to our own people."

"I have been thinking of the same thing," I replied, "and that is why I have always been insisting that we should use these airships for our short journeys that did not require speed. It is when we go slowly that I can study them best, and in my mind I have partially solved the problem of constructing a ship that would be proof against both cold and storms."

"Just like my luck," said the Captain. "I always succeed in getting an idea in my head after someone else has worked it out. But still I think that I am something of a mechanic and you can depend upon me to do my best to assist you."

"Thank you," I replied, "I shall certainly call upon you for assistance."

"I have reason," said MacNair, "for believing that Battell and Polaris contemplate something of the same kind, and I am sure that they will call upon both of you for your co-operation."