The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-11
LABOR ~AGITATORS.
The President of the Lime-Kiln Club Dis
cusses the Question with Usual Wisdom.

cusses the Question with Usual Wisdom.
Detroit Free Press.
"De agitator and demagogue am abroad in de
land. " observed Brother Gardner, as he opened
| the meeting and motioned for Butternut Har-
rington to draw in an acre or two of his feet.
'De workin' man am bein' appealed to by orators
an newspapers to turn out to discushuns an de-
bates an convenshuns, an he am walkin' right
up to de mark. He am bein' told by orators:
l. Capital am his natural enemy.
3. Ode chief aim of cherry rich man am to
grind lie poo man down.
3. 'Legislashun am wanted for de laborin'
classes TO puItect EN- agin DER employers.
f. DE man who Arms twelve shillins a day
has as good a right to a brick house, fine blooded
horses, pi.ners an diamonds as de man who kin
draw his check for 5000, 600.
''Gemlen, we am all poo men an laborin' men.
Let us reason together. De average workin'
man was bon of parents poorer dan hisself. He
took to labor in preference TO a purfeshun, OF,
lack of eddecashun foced him to Earn a trade in
place of bloomin' out as a lawyer or a doctor.
Am dat de rich mans fault? Am it anybody's
fault! Wasn't it de best thing dat could be done!
By what right does de carpenter, painter or
| blacksmith urge dat he orter have bin sunthin'
else9 By what right does he sot up a growl be
kase de man around de coner kin count dollars
to his pennies!
Oar am sartin orators an newspapers dat
shed tears ober de condishun of de workin'
man one day, an mex mornin' hold EN- up
as better paid, better dedicated, better
fed an better clothed dan de same class
in any other kentry on airth, which
am de solemn truf. Plenty of men
in Detroit make 800 whar l make fifty cents.
What of it, If dey made only a shillin' whar l
made 81, would l be any better off! Could l
drap the white washin' bizness an go to pleadin'
lawl Oar am no laws in dis kentry made fur
employers. Why should we have any fur EN-
ployees2 A poo mans vote counts lis de same
as de rich mans. What, den, am de need of a
workin' mans candydate! Put a Detroit car
penter in de White House, an would wages be
any higher dan under de present incumbent,
who is rich ana gentleman! Would rents go
down, provisions grow cheaper, an painers go
walkin' into cottages9
II do not know by what right any man sers
| himself up as de champion Of de- lahorin' man.
l do not diskiver why Tar should be any COM
plants from de workin' men as a class. Each
one selected his trade. If dat trade doan' flour
ish he kin blame no one. Each one has made
his own way. If he has bin industrious an
economical, he has a home of his own an sun
thin left oyer. If he has bin de opposite, he am
now howlin' agin de rich. Five-sixths of our
laborin' men chew and smoke. 1t am a useless
and absurd waste of money, but who nm 30
blame fur it, Threefifths of our workin' men
drink beer. If der money goes to de saloon
keepers whar should de blame restf Not one
mechanic in ten am satisfied wild a Sunday suit
costin' less dan $40. Plenty of 'em own horses an
cows. At least one in five has his own home.
When DER wives come down town dey are
dressed like ladies. You see plenty of EN- at de
theater an circus an on de boats. De great ma
iority belong to life insurance lodges and SO
cieties which cost from s. to $50 per year. De
! mechanic smokes his %tentcent cigar an enjoys