National Republican., 1884-02-21
THE BREADwINNERs PLEA.

GO up the dark stairway, up Into the glare
VI me hot scorching gaslight and sitting arr A.
And behold there the toilers who delye In tho
That millions may read by the mornings bright
Go down u the GOAL mine and view the poor SlOd,
who's mis,ry and sorrow are known but 70 Coz
60 view the starved forms in the great teemlng
Go look upon toll wherever you WILL
And say, If you can, that our laws are just right
And the breadwinner wrong in the unequal hght'
You may stiae the good that enters the mindd, ~.
And gaze ON tho truth with the look Of the plina
You may may kneel in the church with humiii'ye
And a charity give and read the good book,
Or purchase pardon before the White Throne.
-, The poor peasant youth, whose ambitious SOUL
was fired by dreams OF q noble goal,
Is crushed by the weight Of poverty's chain,
But the still latent genius its fetters disdain.
Dragged down by the world with Its vice ana uS
with misery without and scorchings within;
Buneted about by cheat or fool,
V,r, Vr fashioned by want into suppliant tool:
Is Isitwonder he scOrns the world and Its ways
Where nothing seems good but the money 1t paysY
Where the lowly and poor, with genius Unborn
Ins Mre osiiy reouked and held up TO scorn; ~ .ho
| Where innocence blooms to be smirohed by the
breath
ofinfamous scandal and driven to death;
Mhere intellect loses what little II gains
When riches are pltted 'galnst learning and
. aovie% the sad faces, the frail shrinking forms
R Apd say II ye can that this is Coda world,
| That the banner of Christ is truly unfurpd;
That the dear, gentle Saviour who died for each
one
Would welcome ye home for duty we'll done;
| say. II ye can, IL Hin ye lovo most,
IL! IL Minmmon Is not the more powerful host;
nalh oven once held thy soul In It's thrall,
While ye roll in vast wealth and pander 70 lust,
| And children are starving for want Of crust
Do you think the dear Saviour, whose meek
And GOO. given birth. right was Chsrlty's part,
WIZ smile on thy homage with duty undone
And reward thee with blessings not righteousy
| won?
Do you, in your homes of elegant ease,
Where millions are spent each fancy to please,
| Eyer think of the squalor, the misery and want
OF the oyerworked millions whose earnings ye
The preacher will preach, with the fec of a
The Gospel of Christ; but 1T lacks the true ring
That will open the heart with sympathy's tear.
All, yes He will preach, not of God, but OF men,
OF the riches they gained In the now and the then
And sinful temptations 30 nobly withstood,
While right over there, within sound Of his voice,
The suicide dies-'tis starvation's choice.
The high born and low born all weigh Just thu
In the eyes OF the Lord, in honor, in fame;
And distinction of birth is but mere myth,
Fit subject for fools and to tickle fools With
The blue blood we read Of which flows in thu
OF the titled and great of monarchial reigns,
In all peoples OF earth since Time took his start.
Hath hown just as blue through the poor peasant
True manhood is greater than birthright or race
10 such we give honors and raise to high place;
Of S5d kings
Then say not that gold, with Its power and might
Shall longer hold sway 'galnst the poor and tn
right! -Stdney z. Bates.