The Labor enquirer., 1884-04-12

misery seemed too great for him. Passing
his inward eyes, he saw strange pictures
feet and dance. Hesaw the loathsome abode
Of his poor paralyzed mother; he saw his
little sisters upon the bare floor, playing with
blocks Of wood, gnawing the bark from them
in ravenous hunger. He saw his Boss in his
carriage stop before palatial home, enter it
and sit down at mahogany table, croaking
under the load Of a luxurious meal. he saw
the children Of his Boss dressed In silk and
satin, adorned with jewels and finery, toy
with the dainties of their repast. He saw
them throw choice morsels of food to King
Charles dog who would not eat them, because
being satisfied with food. He dried his tears
silently and walked out Of the miserable
workshop and never returned to 1t. He
quietly went to his poor home, tenderiy
kissed his poor mothers withered hands and
mentally recorded an oath, that henceforth
he would work for himself and gain better
wages. He went about town and saw great
many of his fellow-weayers and had long
talk with all Of them. At the expiration OF
three days there was meeting OF some 200
weavers in a beautiful copse of wood nearithe
town. All present wore timd and weary
look upon their countenances. The green
swarth looked beautiful, th g sun shone with
bright and encouraging hue, peeping
through the tree crowns, sending pYrotechnic
like dancing rays upon the many faded and
weary faces before it. Our poor boy arose
from the green carpet upon which all had
been seated, awaiting the arrival of their
many fellow-workers. Timidly, modestly
he addressed the men around him:
'Men, we must work for ourselves. We
can not bear reduction of our wages. We
can but starve at it. We must starye now.
We dare not be slaves any longer. We dare
not sacrifice our dear ones, our manhood, our
all, to the cruel dictates Of capital any
longer" ~ q
Becoming more enthusiastic as he spoke
on, he laid all his plans and desires before
these 200 weayers. 1t was nearly night when
they went fiome to their miseries. They
met there for the first time. 1t was upon a
Sabbath day. They met there every day
thereafter for week. The last meeting was
held upon the next Sabboth day.
Four weeks afterwards, the great estab-
lishment, in which to-day 2,oOO men weave
and work, was begun in very small and
rude way by these 200 weavers. They stood
together like one man. They worked on.
Our friend managed it all. Five years after
that first Sabbath meeting these 200 men had
conquered all difficulties. They were be-
ginning to erect large workshops in stone
and brick. They erected fine machinery
they built cottages for their families; they
owned the ground. To-day the establish
ment covers forty acres, and 1000 men are
the owners of it. They have their own
school and church, library and theater, baths
and beautiful but modest homes. They en-
large as they prosper, and take into their co,
operative brotherhood new members every
year. They manufacture the best cloth
goods in Germany, and they sell at irregular
and modest profit. They do their own man.
aging, their own labor, their own selling,
their own buying of raw materials. They
have their own machine shops, where they
make their own looms, boilers and engines,
They make their own wagons, harness,
household goods; everything they need and
want. They have their own stores, theh
own gardens, their own beautiful homes
They have their own pastor; they educate
their children themselves. They are theil
own bankers, brokers, middlemen and all
and yet they are not rich nor are they mo
nopolists. No, their constitution forbids
them to amass. All surplus over their work
ing capital and living expenses is forthwith
employed to build other shops and factories,
and other workmen become members OF
their cooperative society, doing good con-
tinually and properly.
That, man, is what l call Communism,
and Socialism. Can that not be done here
| also? Who hinders? What impedes
Where are the obstacles to such establish,
ments springing into existence in almost
every town and district of America?
All it needs is, cooperative unity, pluck
determination and execution. You are al
free men and brothers. Take hold of the
hammer and strike Throw off your yoke
and unite! Wrest success and independence
from monopolists and capital. You can do
| it, if you only will it to be so! W. x.