The Labor enquirer., 1886-06-12
THE LEAGUE.
The Second Meeting at the Academy a
Success-Some Interesting Statistics
Given by Mr.. Byron Millett.
Secretary Treasurer.

proved such success that there ID now
no doubt but tnat the change from Nc
Clelland hall was wise one. Not as
many Of the League members were
present as ia usual, number having
gone to hear Rev. Mvron Reed preach
upon the labor question: but good
sized audience joined IN the opening
song, aud during the evening many
strangers dropped in and remained, al
tentively listening, during the balance
of the exercises.
COInrade Graves was first on the pro-
gramme, and during his remarks said
that only Socialists know what Social
ists want and intend, and that the pub
lie ought to attend our meetings to find
ont instead of taking the word Of the
the Socialists want to tear down and
destroy is either fool or liar, and that
under the present system it takes | 900
paupers 10 make one millionaire. The
speaker paid his compliments to Mr..
Wolcntt by disproving some Of the state
meuts recently made by that gentleman
in speech al Colorado Springs and in
conclusion said that a contented man
wa5 no good to himself or anyone else,
and that the gospel of discomfort 8 the
lever that moves the world.
An interesting paper was read by Com
rade Callahan, depicting the condition
of the working classes He claimed that
nature had provided for all the wants OF
man if he would only exert himself to
get them; but, that although the work
ers produce more than they need, they
live in continual want. and that one
half of them starye to support idlers;
that man was in lower condition to-
day than before the Introduction OF ma
chinery, having nothing to look forward
to but working. eating, drinking and
sleeping, without even the hope of FAY
ing by something for rainy day. This,
lie SAID, was not the Socialists idea Of
living
In few well-chosen words Chairman
Behymer called attention to the fact
that this was intended to be a Z vern-
ment "of, for and by the people, but the
principle had never been lived up to;
for had it cen, there would De no need
for such meetings as ours and that the
capitalists would be supremelY happy II
there was no organized labor. He gave
AN instance of where man had spent
$4,000 to carry an election and had bet
$4,000 on the result; thus clearing SlO,-
700, besides eecting the men that he
wanted in office, and the comrade said
that the man who buys vote is bigger
scoundrel than be who sells.
A short recess was then taken, after
which the chairman introduced Mr.. BY
ron Millett, who made the principal ad-
dress Of the evening, and TO which close
attention was given by the audience.
Mr.. Milett pleased his hearers on the
start by referring to the entranchlse-
ment of the colored pl ople, but that
one-half of our nOpulation-the women
are still disfranchised and yeE," said
he, they are subject to taxation and to
the criminal law" The speaker claimed
that history shows all great nations OF
the past to have been ruined by three
things: land monopoly, money monop-
DIV and class laws" and warned US that
history repeats itself. He then gave
some interesting and pertinent statistics
regarding Egypt, Babylon, Persia
Greece, Rome, etc. in support OF his as,
sertion, but as they were all OF similar
character it is only necessary % give one
" two as examples: In the prosperous
d.vs Of Egypt the, people owned nearly
all the land, but at the time Of her down.
tall they only owned about per cent
q France, Just before the great ReYolu-
ton of l7S9, the priests, etc, owned
lhreehths of the land. One-hall OF
England is owned by 100 persohs, who
Also own three-fourhs of Scotland 2OO,-
100 acres being owned Dy eight persons,
Uue-half Of Ireland is owned by 799 per
sons, and So on. He said that the
papers urged that capital and labor must
be harmonious" but under the present
system it was as impossible as for the
uon and the lamb to lie down togeIher
unless the lamb was inside OF the ion }
and that without labor capital would 60
hungry inside of one year. naked inside
Of three wears and houseless inside 81
Ten wears. Mr.. MilIett concluded Win
4 few words in favor of the Referendum
and took his seat amid hearty applause
The meeting adjourned after a snort
talk from Comrade Shove upon the nee
essity of having free money and abolish
ing interest; and also upon some mat
ters pertaining to the good OF the
league.
NJ SOIL.