The Labor enquirer., 1886-05-08
Smart, patriotic citizen, aren't you,
with your torch and capeI

With your torch and cape!
4 II
And how is it with you, my country
friend?
Are you not tired of this political
mummery and trlckery that gives three
fourths of your earnings to stock jobbers
money lendersand railroad corporatlons2
You toll and sweat year in and veal
out to paw off that mortgage.
But it is as much as you csn do to pay
the interest.
The shylocks have got you whichevel
way you turn.
! "They toll not, neither do they spin >
But they make more out of your crop
than you do yourself Selah
Year in and year out, the old political
parties have promised you better times
They have both tried their hands,
And you have got -
Soup.
And this is the glorious constitution
and government for which our fore
fathers bled and died in l776.
Hadn't we better throw off supersti-
tious allegiance to fossilized parties and
go back to first principles, and live up to
the Declaration of Independence
Which guarantees to every citizen,
First, The right to life, which, of
course, includes the means by which to
sustain life
Second, The right to liberty, which
includes all its attributes.
Thirdly, The pursuit of happiness.
This is exactly what was intended by
the trainers of that declaration.
And this is what we should demand
no more and no less.
And there should be no dodging the
question.
If these principles were worth fighting
for then, they are worth fighting for
now.
And don't you forget it.
How can you help yourself2
In the first place, nv friend, you must
learn to what extent you are being
robbed.
Your first impulse will then be, to
kick yourself for not learning before.
You will learn to loathe professional
politician like YOU would snake.
You will begin to realize how weak
you are by yourself, and will want to
Join an org nization-
One that means business.
You may become Knight of Labor,
Or perhaps Join the worldwide Inter
national Workmen's Association.
You will study their literature and
learn how the toilers are to be emanci-
pated from the present system of wage
slavery
You will learn that labor applied to
the natural resources is the creator OF
all values.
You we'll learn by easy mathematical
demonstrate that with the aid oil
modern machinery, and assuming that
each member of society performed his
duties, an average of two hours work
per dav would be ample to provide all
with the necessaries, comforts and luXu-
ries of life
You will become rational, intelligent
human being with an object in life worth
living for.
Now, my friend, if yo really desire to
save your country if YOU wish to make
it what our forefathers intended it
should be; If you wish to save it from
becoming military despotism as IL now
threatened if YOU wish to crush out
the impudent money bag aristocracv
that is now asserting itselfand threaten
ing to destroy our republican institu-
tons if you wish to ally yourself
against the foes of liberty,
You will write Immediately to the
address of one of the parties given be-
low, who will put you on the right track.
And if you are not vaclllating min
compoop, you will do this at once.
J. J. MARTIN.
For information regarding the labor
movement address
J. R. Buchanan, 1858 Larimer street
Denver, Colorado.
W. C. Owen, I16 McAllister street, San
Francisco, California.
Daniel Cronen, 122 Front street, Port
land, Oregon.
H. G. Vrooman, Top ka, Kansas.
J. F. REYNOLDS, Decatur, Illinois.
j. Harrison Mills, 10 East Fourteenth
street, New York City.
Walter l. SAWYER, Yarmouth, Maine
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