The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-08
LABOR STRIKES.
BY A. GAYLORD sPALD1NC.

Editor Of The Grange Aduonce:
Grangers and others know the uni
versal antagonism~of labor and capital,
which explains all labor strikes every
where. Wise or otherwise, they are al
ways justi6able or excusable, and will
continue, in the nature of things, until
justice and equity shall harmonic the
relations Of men and employ
ers and employees. Labor has the first
claim, that can never he yielded or re-
linquished, since life itself is only sus-
tanned by labor. The negro had rights
founded in human nature, an6 the REBEL
lion was his strike,-most terribly
bloody, to be sure, but the last resort.
In earth or heaven, who can ever blame
or condemn him ? 1t was the crack of
doom to hoary injustice, cruelty and tyr
amy, and should have been lesson far
extended, needed and applied. But
mankind are slow to learn.
The Grange is now grand and ex-
tensive strike of the white man, as well
az black. We avoid the blood, but
mean none the less. 1t is a claim for
justice and equal rights for the farmers
and producers, against non-producers
and vampires. Parties and sects are
ignored. 1t is question of manhood
and labor, against money and non-labor
or aristocracy. We inaugurate a new
order OF arlstocracy, namely, the
AR1sTocRACY OF LABOR.
Man is man, and who is more? Not
even President Grant or Henry Ward
Beecher. Men have their pets and idols
OF party and sect, Tut the Grange "a
vors none of them. Come down, come
down, we say to the )ordly millionaires,
and the hundred thousand and fifty
thousand dollar preachers and Office.
holders. No matter under what name
or head you put it-religion, church, BIZ
BILE or politics-it is all one thing to the
Granger. Come down to the farmers
half bushel. Ever so big or high, you
all have to eat the same bread with US,
and we produce it. It is common sense,
common labor, common right, common
humanity.
no privileged class of clergy, church,
or profession Of any kind, because the
farmer claims equal manhood, and such
Partially brushes him down. You may
boast of your Websters, Donnelleys, or
Ben. Buffers; but the essence of all law
even the seedy and swarthy farmers can
understand, and save the fees, though
his speech may not be reported in the
morning paper. You may be proud of
your Bsechers and Surgeons; but the
substance Of all true, practical religion
the plainest and humblest workers may
comprehend, without making any man
an idol, pope or god, for an easy and
genteel profession.
THE STRIKE.
All superfuous Offices, legislation and
burdens of old custom or habit, in the
past, we throw off and abolish, because
thereby labor is taxed, shackled and
crushed. 1t is strike; and we strike
in various ways, by oral and written
speech, by the newspaper and by the
ballot. Let the brave GRANGE AD-
VANCE strike. Never fear to speak the
saving truth. Speech is our great wea-
pom and power. Speak, sing, write,
print the burning and blistering truth.
''He that would be free, himself must
strike the blow.'' We may make "a
bloody strike, but there are wiser meth
DDS. Fallot is better than bullet. But
the best strike is cooperation.
Strike, printers: strike, mechanics;
strike, farmers; strike, miners of Penn
sylvania in the dark coal beds. Strike,
workers Of Goodhue county and of all
Minnesota. Strike the saloons, the
loafers, the shirk~, the aristocrats.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE
is noble and glorious strike; and the
success Of the Grange is the success of
that, because it is a Grange principle,
and fundamental. The Grange move.
ment is national, not sectional,
and therefore, when women vote
in California or Virginia, they
will do the same in Minnesota.
Millions of Changers will be millions for
xvoroon's ballot Thon loon - hoc,.