The Labor enquirer., 1883-06-23

acrank.o He says this thing is all
wrong, and he proves it by undeniable
evidence. He claims the right of every
man, woman and child who works for q
living to enjoy a reasonable share OF the
blessings and ease-of that life, as well az
of its burdens and sorrows. Who dares
to say he is not right? He stands up
in his knowledge of the past and pres
ent, and says that this right is not re-
spected, and declares the reason to be
the faulty, corrupt and class making sys-
TENS of our political institutions.
Is it necessary here to 60 into a tire
some and unpleasant review of those
unjust, corrupt and infamous systems
which are apparent to all? 1t needs
but glance at the records of each day
to show that the; administration of the
government is without honesty, purity
or regard for the rights and interests
of the great mass of the people. The
judiciary of the country is ruled almost
entirely by money, regardless of the
law, which in itself lis bad enough.
1 All this is known to every reading and
thinking man; but the man who speaks
out against it is called crank" Hunt
the language through and see if there
can be found more appropriate title for
those who see but will not open their
mouths, than "slavish towards"
And now comes the supreme turn of
the "crank"-his attempt to induce the
people to remedy the trouble. What
does he advise? He says to the people
that they must tear out by the roots the
treacherous, thieving political rings
which are betraying trusts reposed in
them, misapplying the few good laws al
| lowed to remain upon our statute books,
robbing us of our heritage, and booming
our posterity to hunger, prostitution
and misery. He calls upon them to
take the reins of the government into
their own hands, ousting the thieves and
| traitors, and send men to make and ad-
minister the laws whom they can rely
upon
This, in brief is the character and con-
duct of the man who has won for him
self the esthetic title of "crank."
= oF fol
and I thank God that my eyes are suf-
fciently opened to make me eligible to
membership, but at present le is not
considered very numerous. This IS the
man who says the ballot is delusion,
as used to-day; who says that the days
for obtaining justice through that means
are numbered with very few fgures),
and who claims that a people are justi-
fed in using any means to secure their
rights. The former class were once
less in numbers than the latter now are,
but the light is spreading and the yoke
is binding tighter, and rapid promotion
is the order of the day.
There were "cranks" fifty years ago
who said the black man should and
would be free, but only through the
shedding Of blood, while just as earnest
and honest men, like Henry Clay,
thought it could be accomplished peace
ably. The black man got his freedom,
but the mounds of earth, the widows
and sleeveless coats in our land to-day
tell who was right the easy-going man
or the Crank"
1 have no desire to awake sedition.
But revolution is necessary and will
come; first revolution of ideas, and
then of condition, either through peace
measures or insurrection. The choice
rests with the people, particularly the
ruling portion.
If the foregoing ideas are those of a
crank" mark me down as such, and
write it with indellible ink.