The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-07
SUICIDAL.
Such is the Conduct of Those
Claiming 10 be
D. A. "a.
Their Duplicity the Result of Ig-
\ nOrance and Contemplate
C0wardice.
Their Resolutions Not Representative
Of the Principles and Objects
Of the Order.

Editor Labor Enquirer
The action taken by District Assem-
bly, No. "a with respect To the Anarch-
lists on trial in Chicago smacks too much
OF capitalistic sweetmeats, the already
pronounced Judgment of the satanic
press and the one-sided decisions of the
judge who presides at the farce of try
ing them. Who gave District Assembly
No. "a the right to sit in judgment upon
men who are guilty of no other crime
than that of being honest IN their con-
victions and able to express them, far
seeing as to the consequences that will
surely befall us if we do not call halt
In the downward march of destruction,
and who are fearless in uttering their
warnings.
1t is downright folly, and shows la
mentable ignorance and supercilious
sycophancy on the part of District AS
sembly No. "a, to want to suppress ldeAs.
Can ideas be suppressed2 Can living,
burning questions be brushed away with
denunciatury resolutions? Is District
Assembly No. "a so stupid as not to
comprehend that the Anarchists are ad-
vocating the rights of man, 80 blind as
not to see that they have been clearing
the way for the eyeless Samson, so big
oted as to not accord to others the same
right that they themselves enjoy? Does
District Assembly No "a want to place
itself on record as advocating the abol-
ishment of free speech and a free press
1t were better to leave the f Id to its
own enemies, who are traversing it with
rapid strides. l suppose that next we
shall hear that Patrick Henry, Thomas
Paine, Jefferson, Franklin and the other
Revolutionary worthless, John Quincy
Adams, Wendell Phillips and others
were all lot of fanatics and traitors.
Whose favor is District Assembly No.
"a currylng? Whose wrath does it wish
to placate? Whose corns is it afraid to
tread upon? Why does it not denounce
the men who advertised for men of
grit" to kill innocent people in East st.
Louis? Why does it not demand that
those men of grit be put on tr ial ?
Why does it not demand that the MUIR
derers of Charles Stewart be broug ht to
justice? Why does it not condemn the
Infamous order to shoot low" given,
believe, in Milwaukee? Why does it
not demand, in thunder tones, that JUS
tice be dealt out to all those guilty of
shedding innocent blood2 Why does 1t
not demand that the mask be torn off Of
all those who are guilty of subverting
the remnant of our free institutions?
Wake up, District Assembly No. "a!
You are toadYing to the enemy that Is
holding the fuse that will start vol
cano going under your very feet. Do
you know the aims and objects of the
organization of which you are part?
The ultimate object Of the Knights of
Labor is the adjustment of the wage
slavery. This is the sum and substance,
boiled down and condensed, of all their
declarations and principles. This plat
form affords the greatest latitude for dis
cusson as to the best ways and means
of accomplishing it possible. AS high as
the canopy of heaven, and as broad as
the boundless sea, there is no question
bearing on this subject that may not be
broached, there is absolutely no limit to
The endIngs and turnings of the discus
sion that NAV come up, as long as they.
relate to the advancement of humanity.
Our cause is Just and glorious. 1t is
the same for which our forefathers
fought ITO years ago when they pro-
claimed to a corrupt and overbearing
government that even they, and not
only they, but all the human race, had
rights as we'll as heir oppressors.
While their degenerate offspring have
been glorifying the deeds Of their ances-
tors and neglecting the stern realities
and the pressing needs of their own
times, few self-devoted and humanity
: loving individuals have been sounding
the tocsin of alarm, and we are ruth
lessly awakened to the fact that while
we have been asleep another and more
monstrous, more powerful and more
dangerous, because mora insidious, tyr
amy has been forging the chains with
which to enslave US; has created un
natural and unrighteous statutes anC
henactments, under the gulse of law, tha
do not respect the rights of any man /
he is poor and wageworker.
To-day, in too many instances, if tn,
laborer asserts any manhood, he is dis
charged, a black mark put opposite bis
name, the news sent to every capitalistic
camp, and that man may tramp fron
Maine to California and from Washing
ton territory 10 Florida. looking in vail
for employment; that is, if he is not ar
rested on the way and put on the chain
gang for the awful crime of looking fo
work whereby to earn enough to keel
: the fame of life smouldering in hi
body. If a man refuses the pittanee OF
fered him as wages, he is left to die o
!. starvation. If man doesn't forswea
CONTINUED on fourth page.