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Literary
December 16, 1848
Republican Herald
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
What is this article about?
A poem decrying economic inequality and unequal distribution of wealth, where abundance benefits the rich while the poor suffer, advocating for laws ensuring equal rights and freedom from oppression.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Poetry.
THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG.
When earth produces corn and kail,
When luxury from pole to pole
Reaps fruit of human toil;
When from a thousand, one alone
In plenty rolls along—
The others only gnaw the bone—
There must be something wrong.
And when production never ends,
The earth is yielding ever;
A copious harvest oft begins,
But distribution—never!
When toiling millions work to fill
The wealthy coffers strong;
When hands are crushed that work and toil,
There must be something wrong.
When honest poor men's tables waste,
To barrenness and drought;
There must be something in the way
That's worth the finding out.
With surfeits one great table bends,
While numbers move along
And scarce a crust their board extends—
There must be something wrong.
Then let the law give equal right
To wealthy and to poor;
Let freedom crush the arm of might;
We ask for nothing more:
Until this system is begun,
The burden of our song
Must be this one, this only one—
There must be something wrong.
THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG.
When earth produces corn and kail,
When luxury from pole to pole
Reaps fruit of human toil;
When from a thousand, one alone
In plenty rolls along—
The others only gnaw the bone—
There must be something wrong.
And when production never ends,
The earth is yielding ever;
A copious harvest oft begins,
But distribution—never!
When toiling millions work to fill
The wealthy coffers strong;
When hands are crushed that work and toil,
There must be something wrong.
When honest poor men's tables waste,
To barrenness and drought;
There must be something in the way
That's worth the finding out.
With surfeits one great table bends,
While numbers move along
And scarce a crust their board extends—
There must be something wrong.
Then let the law give equal right
To wealthy and to poor;
Let freedom crush the arm of might;
We ask for nothing more:
Until this system is begun,
The burden of our song
Must be this one, this only one—
There must be something wrong.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poem
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Commerce Trade
Political
Social Manners
What keywords are associated?
Social Inequality
Wealth Disparity
Economic Injustice
Equal Rights
Distribution Problems
Literary Details
Title
There Must Be Something Wrong.
Key Lines
When Earth Produces Corn And Kail,
When Luxury From Pole To Pole
Reaps Fruit Of Human Toil;
There Must Be Something Wrong.
When Toiling Millions Work To Fill
The Wealthy Coffers Strong;
When Hands Are Crushed That Work And Toil,
There Must Be Something Wrong.
Then Let The Law Give Equal Right
To Wealthy And To Poor;
Let Freedom Crush The Arm Of Might;
We Ask For Nothing More: