The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-12
counter puts ON airs over both the me.
chanic and laborer.

ssBnt for me, but for my money, but fol
my enterprise my brains, my pluck
none of you would have anything
employ you sll l feed, clothe and house
you ALL" When the real truth of the
matter is that it takes every enc of us
laborers, mechanics, clerks and profes-
sional men-to keep one capitalist. Il
takes all our time, brains, energy and in.
dustry to keep the loafers Of the world
in luxury and idleness. A thousand men
must SOW in toll and tears that one may
reap in gladness. A thousand babes go
supperless to bed that one monster brat
may puke on silk
A thousand factory girls drudge out
their weary lives in stint and squalor
that one factory lord may coin their
blood and bones and brains to deck the
mistress of his lust and ease.
A hundred thousand railroad men
must sweat and toll and suffer the whole
year that one low brute may spread a
banquet for his kind.
And wherefore should it be thusP
Wherefore, but because knowledge is
power and ignorance is weakness.
Our oppressors are stronger because
they know more, and we are weak be-
cause we are ignorant ignorant 9of our
rights, ignorant Of our duties to our.
selves and to society, ignorant of the OBJ
jects and methods of organization, igno-
rant of scientific government. but, above
all and worst Of all, we are densely and
stupidity ignorant of our own ignorance.
But it is consofing tina, in life we shall
never know less, and the probabilities
are that we shall know a great deal more
before long. .e
Some of our fellow-laborers have been
to school, and the rest of us have met
the scholars, and the scholars, with all
the enthusiasm and impetuosity of
youthful learners, have been telling us
the wonderful things they have been
taught, and we havelistened attentively,
with eyes wide open and mouth agape,
and have resolved to attend school our
selves and tell all we know to our COM
rades, who cannot attend, or do not care
to learn. .E7l "a.
EQUALITY OF WOMAN.
Socialism was the first, and is still, the
only political, social or religious organi-
zation which recognizes the perfect
equality of woman with man.
1t is true, there are at present organi-
cations not socialistic, which advocate
'woman's rigllts"-that is, their right to
vote and scramble in the mire of politics
for political office, their right to make
idiots and knaves of themselves, their
right to join with the priest and the
politician in completing the enslavement
and utter degradation of themselves and
the man also. With that class of long
haired, mush-headed, sentimental idiots
we have no affiliation or sympathy.
The ballot, under the present system,
is "delusion and snare;" it has de-
bauched, enslaved and degraded man ; it
would do the same for woman, but in a
greater degree, as the cleaner and purer
the person or thing is, the more easily
detiled and the more filthy appears the
defilement.
If the ballot or universal suffrage had
any inherent virtue, to abolish injustice
and tyranny, and to establish justice and
liberty, our masters would never have
armed US with such deadly weapon !;
they knew we'll that thev were arming
children and idiots with toy pistols and
rusty sabers to strut around on fourth of
July and election days, aping the deport-
ment and actions Of freemen and philos-
ophers. And, furthermore, they knew
that if the idiots ever attempted to or
ganize and use their rusty sabers in dead
earnest, it would be simple matter to
divide, discomfit and disarm them.
Nay, gentlemen, some of US are not
children or idiots any longer; we want
gattling gun and dynamite, instead of
mere toy pistols and rusty sabers for our
sisters to play and dirty themselves
with.
Under the present system, the press,
the pulpit and the politician control 80
per cent of the male vote. The female
vote would be controlled in greater de-
gree by the same influences, especially
that of the church. ...
We do advocate that the conditions
and opportunities for betterment shall be
the same for woman as for man that
she shall receive equal remuneration for
equal time and service that every trade,
profession and occupation shall be open
to her, and no other impeachment or con-
ditlons imposed than those that are
placed upon man, viz: her fitness.
Woman must be made financially free
and independent of man.
Until her financial emancipation is
achieved, she will be the slave of man.
If woman was financially free, she could
marry when, where and whom she
pleased. ~ -.-
She could then marry for love, and not
for living, as now.
She could then marry man who loved
her, and not brute. to enslaye her.
Woman should be the equal comrade,
comnanlnn cnmnetitnr and helpmeet OF