The Labor enquirer., 1883-02-10
UNITE!

Capitalistic oppression and tyranny,
the lack of fair and equitable division
of the products Of labor, the recognition
of the unjust share of those products that
go to the real producers have made the
labor question a burning one, and the
solution cannot much longer be deferred.
The;vice and crime, as we'll as the suffer
ing and misery consequent upon our pres
ent system of so-called civilization
clearly show that the hour for the over
throw of that system has long since been
marked on the worlds dial. The wise
men of the earth are fast beginning to
recognize that the oppression of the mil
lions for the elevation of the few is not in
accordance with the objects and plans of
a just God, and many are rising in their
places and eloquently proclaiming the
rights of all men born equal under the
sun. The people in the lower walks, the
down -trodden; and suffering many them
selves are rapidly becoming educated to
the idea of their true merits and the
rights therein vested The distant NUT
terings of the thunder that shall burst in
in mighty clap, rending the cloud that
has so long lowered over us, letting in the
bright rays of the emancipation sun, are
heard in the distance; have been heard
for several years. How long this omin-
GUS and joyful sound shall remain as
only mutterings whether it shall mutter,
moan, ebb and sob itself away, to sleep
again for centuries remains, my brothers,
with us. In us lies the power to rend
the &hackles that fetter us and make us
ignoble that should be noble. Will we
use that power? Will we delay it longer
than is absolutely necessary in the nat
ural course of things? How long are we
yet to tolerate this mass of misery, want,
vice and crime? We are the power; we
feel the evil, that degrades us; we know
what causes and what will remedy that
evil; we know that the suferings of hu-
manity can be alleviated and the human
race be cured from the social disease
that is gnawing its vitals, and without
violating the laws of everlasting Justice.
Then why do we wait? The only answer
we can find to this question is, that we
are not thoroughly united. We are, to
some extent, playing at cross purposes.
We all aim at the same goal the same
destination is desired by all; bat the
routes vary trife. And for this triae
is the emancipation of the whole human
race delayed; it were possibly impaired
hey yond recovery. Then let US unite, Let
us join hands in one mighty circle and
close in upon and crush the mammon
aristocracy that is freezing the lite blood
in our veins. But, some one says, we
are united we all think the same way
we all recognize the injustice of present
systems, and we unhesitatingly say 50.
J, Then why, this continuance of misery?
Why do we not accomplish the much
desired aim? 1t is simply because we
are not united. That there is man in
the universe to-day who eats his bread
in the sweat of his face whose soul does
not revolt at the wrongs heaped upon
him and his fellows, we do not believe
but that there are millions who do not
evince the moral and physical courage to
risk that bread for twenty-four hours in
an effort 70 thereafter omit the sweat
every thinking man knows. And that
there are thousands more who, because
of their petty jealousies and fanatical
theories, do not do their duty by hu'
manity is as well known. Thus the
weak -kneed and egotistical in Tor out of,
the ranks send thousands of their fellow
creatures daily to fill paupers' graves
and bequeath to the thousands daily
born a heritage of poverty, misery ano
crime.