The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-23
DYNAMITE is strong to-day at Acc.
PONDER ON THIS.

Readers nave you reau Lne aCcouuI VI
the hardships of the sewing women Of
New York, on the first page of this pa
per? If you have not, stop right here
and read it; then turn back and finish
this.
Now, will you still persist in calling
one who tells you there is starvation and
misery in this great "fr se" country equal
to what exists in Europe, a "crank,
fool and "lunatic ?''
That account was taken by represen-
tatve of one of the capitalistic papers
from woman who related from actual
experience. 1t is not a story taken
second-handed and embellished by a
"revolutionist," or even a journal that is
in declared sympathy with the move
ment for the amelioration of the condi-
ton of the working people. 1t is plain
cruel fact, picked up at random amidst
a thousand, of similar wretchedness.
Now, 1 ask you, can you read these
things, knowing they are absolutely true
if not even worse than they are rep
resented-and still be careless, still hesi-
tate to- do your duty as human beings
If these poor, hard-working, robbed,
(debauched, in some einstances), wretched
toilers were the only instances of the
cold.blooded, death-dealing systems un-
der which we exist, it would seem they
would be sufficient to stir in your breasts
the desire to strike blow at the chains
which enthrall them and the lash that
fays them.
You, men who read these lines, have
you forgotten your mothers, your sisters,
your wives? Then remember that these
miserable, hopeless slaves you have just
been reading about are everyone either
SOMEBODY'S mother, sister or widow.
Some of them-probably nearly every
one of them-haYe been the treasures
and comforters, the sweet counsellors
and guiding stars of homes once as
happy and prosperous as yours. Know
ing these things, do you not see what is
possible, if the Internal system which
drove them from happy fresides out
into the cold world to toll and starYe,
is not throttled? A desire to preserve
your own home circle, to save from such
horrible fate your own blood, should
awaken you and nerve you to action.
1t lies in your power to change all
this; to say to these fatigued, detected,
shaving sisters, REST; pause in your fe-
verish, death-dealing clutches for crust;
there is plenty, and to spare. Come out
into Gods sunlight and hear the birds
sing" Would you not have another
man do as much for your dear ones in
like condition?
And you, Christian men and women,
what have you to say to this? Have
you ever heard in all your church-going
life a more powerful sermon than is
preached in that interview? Can you in
any way more fully show your love of
God and appreciation of the sacrifice Of
His son than by devoting your life, and
all it contains, to the alleviation of these
His suffering children? Do you think
you are doing your duty to that God il
you stand idly by while such misery and
injustice exist in the world2 Spend less
of the precious moments of life in hag-
Cling over creeds and dogmas, and 60
forth healing the sick and clothing the
naked, and you will be more worthy
the Heaven of which you delight to
prate and sing. do not mean to 60 out
with old clothes and cold food; that
would not accomplish fraction of what
is to do. Arise in you unconquerable
power and stamp out the systems which
breed such disastrous disease. 1t is moi
charity you are called upon to render
but JUSTICE.
1t seems almost impossible that such
things as the poor woman tells of in the
interview can be and the people not cry
out against it, Yet it is so and because
few, who are not hardened, stunted OF
cowed, raise their voices against such
CRIME, they are hooted at, jeered at and
blasphemed.
1 dread war, most of all class revolu
ton. l have read of its horrors and my
blood has run cold and he who thinks
would advise the humblest of my fel
lows to- foment it, mistakes me. In my
small way ] would serve as guard
against such calamity and it is fol
that hope to see the people awaken
and prevent it by the wisdom of unex
cited action. If the PEOPLE do not pre-
vent bloodshed by their united and wise
action it win come as surely as effec1
follows cause; as surely as it has evel
done since the world was.
! defy any man or woman 70 show M
lI1lr6 : flolz &C. Yhnrn:s ;npl