The Labor enquirer., 1884-12-06
GET OUT OF THE RUT.
"A Wise Man Exhorts the Producere
Of the World to Do Their
Duty.

o. tne w oTla 70 10 IAelfS
Duty.
Editor Labor Enquirer.
LAS VEGAS. Dec Judging from the
result of the last election, it is plain that
the producers and wage workers through
out the land do not understand the prin-
ciples of the indianapolis platform, so
ably advocated by General Butler and
his co-workers and by the labor and
anti-monopoly papers.
Ny maternal grandfather used to inn
prove on the truism that habit is second
nature by saying that it soon becomes
the first, and this seems to be true of the
majority of mankind. 1t is Just as diff
cult to get people to break away from
old party associations as il IS to get a
heavily loaded wagon out of deep rut
or mire. In the latter case, the road
may be hard and smooth by the side Of
| the rut, but the wheels are an, ana IL
generally takes astrong and steady pull
to get them out $50 1T is with mankind
| in general. You may try to show them
the remedies for existing evils and how,
by acting in unison and concert, tn Dir
power would be great and their condi,
| ton could be improved; and still, from
Indifference on the part of some and ig-
norance and mental blindness on the
part Of majority, they fail to use the
means at their command for bettering
their condition and keep tramping on in
1.-The same rnts, all the time sinking deeper
and deeper into The mire.
The last presidential, campaign fur
nishes proof to the point. General But
Ter travelled through a good many states
and addressed great multitudes Of peo'
pie. He undertook to teach people true
political economy. Hetold the factory
hands and mill operatives in the east
that the western states had a supera-
bundance Of grain, flour and meat that
they would be only too willing to ex'
change for tools and clothing. Out west
he told the people that in the east ex-
listed misery and starvation for W rant OF
the very food of which they had SO great
surplus He showed conclusiyely the
ilEeffects of the contraction Of our cur
rency and the pernicious policy ofallow-
4 ing the bankers to hold the purse-strings
of the nation. He proved beyond contro-
yersy that the railroad, telegraph, com
panies and monopolies in general are
defrauding, the people and absorbing all
the wealth of the country. He exh horted
his hearers to stand firm together, and
they would thus make their power felt
and would extort from either or both
of the eapitalistic parties legislation in
their favor. Well, we know the result.
If republican protection was bad, we
have yet to learn that democratic free
trade will prove better. ! think that
some of the very men who were so
afraid to throw their votes away on
Butler. now feel or ought to feel a COM
Function of conscience for having done
even worse. F'.....s s.4- f..
What is needed, l think, is agitation
and education A hungry man will eat
! if food is given him, but no man is going
to take poison knowingly, unless he is
tired of life. So with the producers of
wealth. When they thoroughly under
stand the great injustice that has been
and is done them under the present
social system, and the easy way of rem
edying things, they will rise in their
might. Then Beecher's bread and water
for workingmen may do those who hope
for future and better life for compensa-
ton for poverty and want here. But
when the creator of all material wealth
learns that he can just as well as not
have competency il this life, am in
clined to think that he will, if necessary,
send his former oppressor to that other
place where Beecher and his co-minis-
ters have been telling US that there won't
even be drop of water to quench the
excruciating thirst of its inmates.
Now the editor of THE ENQUIRER is
not rich man. He has not an unlim-
tied capital to keep up the paper. He
depends on the paid up subscriptions
and advertisements to run the paper.
He is doing great work for the benefit
of his fellow-men, ana on the principle
that the laborer is worthy of his hire, it
is only right that he should be supported
with all might and main by those whose
material welfare he is working SO hard
TO advance. SUEcUs.
Let us Work lntelligently.
For The Enquirer -.
I Thr tlo /. ,of uo,Yr trtOrtlV |