The Wilmingtonian., 1886-10-09


that the rights Of 'he poorest bumblest ma
Or woman Of toll should stand forth more
clearly, and be treated with more respect
than the privileges conferred upon or stolen
by the wealthiest in the nation. We are
Knights Of Labor becau politicians and
political paI ties have deceived, degraded and
debauched the people, because they have too
often gained power through deception and
fraud, and iu return for the confidence re-
posed in them they have basely deserted the
common people and knelt at the shrine of
gold.
We are Knights of Labor b cause We be-
lieve that law and order should prevail, and
that both should be founded in equity. We
are Knights of Labor because we belive that
the thief who steals a dollar is no worse than
the thief who steals a railroad that the
burglar who breaks open house OF vault
is no worse than the criminal who destroys
or orders the destruction of the property Of
railroad or telegraph company, and we be-
lieve that the same law should reach out
with firm, unshaken hand and punish both
criminals according to the magnitude Of their
guilt We believe that if it is wrong to steal
loaf of bread it is also wrong to steal the
land whereon the grain was raised from
which the bread was made, aLd if the land
was stolen according to a law made by dis
honest, time serving politician, we believe
that the law should be repealed and the land
restored 10 the people. We aie Knights OF
Labor because we believe, If the article
manufactured by the hand OF the American
laborei is worthy Of protection from foreign
competition, that the hand whose skill lends
value tn the article should be protected, and
we have determined to protect our labor, in-
dependent of politicians or political parties.
To remedy the evils we complain of is a
diff .ult and dangerous undertaking. The
need of strong hearts and active brains was
never 30 great as at the present time. The
slavery that died twenty-five years ago was
terrible bat, bad as it was, it never devei-
oped millionaire, while the new slavery,
which now reaches out with far stronger
hand than the old, has developed hundreds
of them. The lash in the hands of the old
time slave owner could strike but one blow
at time, and but one of Gods poor, suffer-
ering children felt the stroke. The lash OF
gold in the hands of the new slave owner
backs of millions, ind among the writhinp
tortuIe ed victims, side by side with the pooI
and the ignorant, ars to be found the we'll
to-do and the educated. The piwer OF the
new slave owner es not end when the or
dinaly day laborer bends beneath his rule
it reaches ont still further and controls the
mechanic the farmer. the merchant and the
manufacturer. 1t d rtates not alone what
the price OF labor shall be, but regulates the
| price OF money as well. This new slavery
counts amoung lis victims servants of the
to execute peoples will. Not alone does
it control the legislator at the State Capitol
but in the Hall of our national Congress you
will find it's most willing, cringing slave. Ii
reaches out even further and holds in 1t.
iron grasp the judge upon the bench nj
that aloue, but it has the power and due
confer the judicial ermine upon its most sub
servient creatures. Do l overestimate it
power? Have made single misstatement
If my word is not sufficient turn to the page
of the history of to-day-the public press
and you will lind the testimony to pI owe tina
W rat have said is true. Evidence in sbund
ance can be adduced to corroborut, ever,
statement made by the press.
The lash was striken from the haud of tn
slave-owner of twenty-five years ago, and
must be taken from the hand of the nev
stave-uwner as we'll.
The monopolist of to-day is more danger
nus than the slave-owner of the past. None
poly takes the land from the people in mil
ion acre plots it sends it's agents abroad an
brings hordes of uneducated, desperate me
to this country ii imports ignorance an
scatters it broadcast throughout the land
aud ii alone is responsible for every mantle
tation of aual chy that our country has wi
, messed. All men may nj be willing to a,
init that this statement is true, but whe
/ monopoly dies no more anarchists will
born unto this country, for anarchy is Il
s legitimate child of monopoly. While l co
demn and denounce the deeds Of violen
E committed in the name of labor during t
d present year, am proud to say that t
It Knights of Labor, as an organ zation, is n
# iu any way responsible for such conduct. ]
= is the tue Knight of Labor who with o
IS hand clutches anarchy by the the throat a
y with the other strauglts monopoly.
" Henry IL. Pennington Esq.
d Henry Pennington, clerk OF the mu
}. cipal court of this city died Tuesday mig