The Labor enquirer., 1883-05-19
CRIMINAL CARELEssNI1ss.

classes in this country are in the present
deplorable condition is because they
have not done their duty. They hold
the power in their hands to so arrange
things in this government that there
would be no abject wretchedness on the
one hand and indolent luxury on the
other We all know that the power to
do Justice to all its subject rests IN the
government; and we also know that the
people are the government. To-day the
millions are in subjection to the few;
men of heart mind and muscle are in
condition lower than the lowest animal,
because they have failed to do their
duty as men and exercise the preroga-
tives of that government.
Yearly, daily, hourly they see their
condition growing worse and will not
exert one particle of the power God, CIV
en- and re-established by the heroes of
1875.
Is this anything short of criminal
carelessness? Even the law of self-pres,
ervation seems to be dead letter, when
it comes to a general application. No
man will remain in a burning building
when he knows that such course will
cost him his life. The thing is brought
right down home to him then. He sees
death only few feet from him, and flies
for his life Through class legislation
and corruption in our government this
same death is being brought right into
the faces of many, in the shape of star
vation or suicide, all over this broad
land to-day. The infection is spreading
An epidemic is imminint. We all see
and know that. But we stand idly by
and say, sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof"
Shall we wait until the wave of desti-
tuition and want sweeps over the coun-
trv and we are swamped beneath its
overwhelming march, or awakened by
it's spray to spring up and join the ranks
of the salvation army that shall wage
the bread war or will we arise and as
sumo our proper place and procure
rights by the peaceable method of the
franchise? 1t sometimes looks like a
forlorn hope to expect the latter. Men
are hungry and in want to-day, and are
loud in their cries for their rights. To-
morrow they are granted another short
lease in life by some other man being
reduced to their former position, and
again become Indifferent. So it is:
when their stomachs are empty they
think clearer and faster and have an
acute realization of their misfortunes
but stuff hunk of black bread into
their mouths and their cries are stopped
and they lie down to be trod upon again.
So it only remains to have enough with
empty stomachs at one time to do the
thing. And when there are enough of
that kind, it will be too late to wait for
IllC olON pIOSCSSSS VI COu1lCllS. n SDS60V
method of justice will be adopted, and
many of the good and bad will 90 down
together.
While we frequently feel of late that
the problem will be left to this appalling
solution, we cannot but hope we may be
mistaken, and that the people will do
their duty before they are absolutely
forced to. We sincerely wish some one
had the power to make the men of
America take the stitch, in time. If
those who are members of our societies
would take more interest-would attend
the meetings regularly, and endeavor to
draw all the unorganized within the
fold: get the whole people to thinking,
then to working and voting, the thing
would be done, and done effeetually
without the sound ola single war-note.
Let us shake off this apathy that so
envelopes us at present, no longer be