davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
STRIKES AND RUMoRs OF STRIKES

THE ENQUIRER gives no news of the
numerous strikes new in progress
throughout the country, in this issue,
for the reason that to give half of the
news that comes through the associated
press would fill the paper, and for the
further reason that news that comes
through a acapltallstic source is very unre-
liable.
1t is certain that at this time more
strikes are in progress than ever before
in any period of the worlds history.
The St. Louis strike is not ended by any
means, and news comes to this Office by
persons just from there that the reports
by telegraph abyut traffic being resumed
is false. From this source it is learned
that there is no through freight traffic
and that what local traffic there is, the
Knights permit for the convenience of
consumers. From person from there
to-day l learn that it is hard matter for
passengers to pass over the road, in that
neighborhood as the tracks are covered
with freight cars for forty miles ou'.
News of the the twenty-frst says a
freight train just out of East St, Louis
was boarded by strikers and brakeman
severely handled. On the same day
several of the recent employees of the
road quit work for fear of violence. The
knights have formed a persuasion"
commmittee which is very succ: ssful in
persuading men to quit work. A large
quantity of arms was also captured by
the strikers few days since.
From New York news comes that the
striking car drivers failing to agree with
their employers, have ordered another
tie up and serious trouble is expected.
1t Is quite likely too that serious trouble
will grow out of the strik on the Lake
Shore road in Chicago.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

active, although their activity is.for
selfish ends.
Whatever may be the source of this
desire to live by the least possible exer-
ton, it seems evident that it will not fit
into astate of Communism. We must
pass through an intermediate stage. l
do not mean that justice is too strong q
medicine to take all at once, nor that
we must approach justice by degrees
but we must approach Communism (lf
that be the end) through period OF
self-dey, endence, in which each exists
by his own efforts, and, having justice
under that regime, we will learn gener-
osity from abundance.
Debaters sometimes confuse each
other by different conceptions of words.
A system, in which only the means of
production are common property, is
called by some, Communism. This is in
correct. If having part of all wealth
in common makes us Communists, then
we are such now, for roads, parks, ETC.,
are now absolutely common property
Communism, as an economic term, must
mean the absence of all ownership, for II
Communism in any part of the wealth
brings us under the term Communist" "
we must accompany the word by list
of the things common, and another Of
the things private.
We are now in stage which allows
the action ofboth principles. One school
of Socialism holds both to be natural,
and that the solution consists in defining
exactly what is common or public
wealth, and also what is actual, legiti-
mate private property.
Perhaps the most interesting phase OF
the subject is the question whether hu'
man nature is such that every individual
must, by a natural force, return to society
all he takes from it or produce in everV
instance the equivalent of his consump-
ton. If there be such natural law
how can it be distorted as it seem now
to be? b.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

last card, and calls out the state and ma
tional troops; trump this hand and the
game is yours. If you will not do this
if necessary, don't strike. AS a matter
of tactics strike is never iustifiable un-
less. you know you have the force
necessary to win it, by knowing
exactly how far each particular op-
pressor will 90 and being yourself PRE-
PARED. to meet him with superior force.
Asa trades-unionist, as logical, rea-
sonable human being, l can come to no
other conclusion than this: that every
labor organization in America must
either cease hoping for relief by the
strike" or must arm and as Gould ad-
vertised in st. Louis must "mean busi-
ness" .s' H..
If you organize for speech-making and
not for winning, debating society is
best; if for bonfres, parades and rega-
liza, try political club,-but if for bread
and butter, for your own existence and
that of those dear to you, then join the
ranks of labor, BUY YOURSELF A
GUN. BURNETrE G. HASKELL.
SAN FRANCISCO, April Is.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

THERE cannot be arbitration when
there is not neu raj ground to stand
upon. The laborer and the capitalist
are naturally bitter antagonists-ones
loss is the others gain-and neutrality
is out of the question. Therefore, be-
tween them arbitration at best, is but an
armistice; a temporary cessation of
open hostilitles; principle Is not ap.
piled, and fight is ever on the thresh-
old. There Is but one solutlon-the
capitalist class must be abolished; or all
must be capitalists.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
The Eight Hour Meeting.

An enthusiastic meeting was held in
McClelland hall on Friday evening, the
sixteenth instant, to discuss the eight
hour question. Speeches were deliv
cred by Thomas Neaeham, C. R. Elliott,
J. ]. Smith, George Grey and others.
The crowd that pressed for entrance
could not enter the hall, and hundreds
were turned away.
Another mass meeting will be held at
the Mammoth rink next Sunday after
noon at 2 o'clock, to discuss the eight
hour day. An enthusiastic time is an
ticipated. A nominal admission fee of 5
cents will be charged, to defray hall ex-
penses, but none need remain away who
may be without the, nickel. Everybody
invited.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

the private owners, when by the strike
against alleged Injustice they attempt to
right themselves, they necessarily do the
people an injury and.
Whereas, All officials p sitionsshould
in free government be held only by
the will of the people, and injustice in
all forms should only be remediable by
law therefore,
Resolved. That in the interests of pub
lie tranquility and public advantage, the
railroads should be owned, controlled
and operated by the people. :
Resolved. That it is the sense of this
meeting that Jay Gould and his fellow
monopolists are the natural products of
the present economic system which cre-
ates, as the other extreme, the misera-
BILE creatures who. urged by poverty,
fill the places of strikers at the risk of
their lives. That while the system
which produces these extremes is in
dorsed and upheld by the political
power of the Knights of Labor. it is
futile for them to fight against the tyr
amy of Gould, or against the demoral-
izing influences of hungry men, who
must work on any terms or starve.
That these evils complained of cannot
be cured until the cause which produces
them is removed. .'
hat, as the action of Jay Gould is
bas upon the following PRINCIPLES and
justifcations: first, his fundamental
right under the system to increase his
possessions, wealth and power by everv
means permitted by the people; sec
ondly, by virtue of his rights of private
ownership in the railroads and tele-
graph, the right to do with his own as he
may please, even to the utmost limit OF
the law, or even 10 the successful eva
sion Of the same therefore, to limit the
power of jay Gould, the law governing
his rights must be enforced and modi-
fed, but to DESTROY his power entirely,
the laws that permit individuals to own
railroads and telegraphs as private prop
erty, must be abolished and to this end
we respectfully suggest to the General
Executive Board of the Knights of Labor
that they issue request to all local
assemblies to forthwith hold public
meetings in every congressional district
and demand that their representatives
in congress take immediate action to-
wards abolishing all private ownership
OF railroads and telegraphs, the govern
ment to take immediate control of the
Gould lines and operate them according
to tue methods by which the postoffice
is operated.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
DENVER, April 10.
Dakota Is q Liar,
. UNIoNIsT.

"The motto for the new state of Da-
kota is BY God the people rule Da-
kota is liar, blasphemous liar. The
people do not rule, never have ruled.
They are as completely tyrannized over
by party madness as the Poles are by
Russia or the Huns by Austria. We are
under monarchy of party mobism ; and
party shysters, tricksters, ballot box
suffers and election bribers rule, and
not by God either, but by their helli h
ness-"-Decatur, Qllinois,) Daily Labor
Bulletin.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Written for The Enquirer.
LINES.
On the Death Of Oslker Washington,
Shot and Killed in East s. Louis,
april Q, 1856.

DEDICATED TO HIS WIFE, MRS. EUGENIA
DAVIS WASHINGTON, BY MRS. KATIE
WEBSTER.
Sleep peaceful now, where thou art laid,
Beneath the willow tree;
How sacred has this spot been made,
By tears Pva wept for thee.
Assassin hands have laid thee here,
Cut down in life's young glow;
Loud calls voice whom towards fear
From out this grave so low. -
How silently this cold, damp sod,
In eloquence doth plead;
How strong this victim calls to God,
For vengeance on this deed.
In grief ask, why one so kind;
Was marked for deadly aim?
The leaden missel could not fail;
From practiced hands it came,
I could not stay the crimson tide,
Life's light was flickerlng low;
1 knelt in anguish by thy side,
And watched the life-blood flow.
And still hear, the dying sigh,
That pierced me like dart;
I could not bind the gaping wound,
That lay within thy heart.
could not stay the icy hand,
That closed thine eyes in death;
That hushed thy voice in calm repose
And soothed thy aching breast.
Alone Pm kneeling by thy grave,
In twilight's pensive hour;
Called from the earth by tears 1 gave,
Spring sweetest buds, and flowers.
Rest peaceful now; no treacherous hand
Can mar deaths calm repose;
And from the sod above thy dust
Will bloom the crimson rose.
DENVER, April II.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
The Logic OF the Strike.

For the Enquirer.
A strike" is a general refusal OF
working people to toll for certain
specified oppressor upon his terms and
not upon their own.
From the labor standpoint, morally,
the strike is always right. We justly
insist that as all wealth comes from
labor we have right to demand the full
product of that labor and to regulate the
conditions upon which we will perform
it at ALL
AS matter of policy, of action, of tao
tics, we should always hesitate before
engaging In a strike and especially
should we hesitate unless We thor
oughly understand its logical course and
final end.
Every strike, no matter how small,
has in it not only the possibilities but
the probabilities of Revolution. Exam
Inc it carefully and you will find it so.
BY the strike you propose to accom-
plish your end because it ls just, and 30
as the first step you cease work. Then
your master, by the weapon of starva-
ton ('fear of want") FORCES some of your
own trade to take your places. You
also reply with forcible measure and
under threat of "ostracism" made by
you the "scab" throws up his job. Your
master now adds to the cry of his hun
cry stomach the argume IT of the police
mans club, guarantees your "ostracism"
impotent and the "scab" returns. When
the policeman is called in it is the pistol
that interferes, when the sheriff shoots
it is the state that sheds your blood.
But this ought to be your state; its ser
wants should be your servants; you pay
them, for it is the worker who pays all
taxes. You have however now, no al
tentative but to submit Internationally
to this chlcanery and threat of blood
shed, unless you have already deter
mined in your mi ia DIS to WIN, no matter
what the cost. And so if convinced
that your cause is morally right and that
moral convictions override all statutes
fraudulently made las these all are that
govern you) then you whip the police
man and again regain Yodr position of
adv antage. The master then plays his
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

IT is now evident to the most casual
observer, that the great battle for the
emancipation Of the toilers has COM
menced in dead earnest, and will not be
finally settled until either a Co-opera-
tive Commonwealth or an oligarchY is
established. The toilers have but one
enemy to fight, viz: The competitive
system of industry which embraces, an d
is the parent of all our present social
discord. The vehement denunciations
of Jay Gould almost implies that if he
were removed the troubles would cease,
whereas, any thinking man knows that
the present evils of society is inherent
in system and cannot be attributed to
any Individual The millions of suffer
ers from the system, being the giant in
this case, are the ones who are really
responsible for allowing the pigmy to
fasten the chains of despotism upon
them.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

Mr.. I. w. Baird, Of Baird's Minstrels,
has volunteered his company and will
give an entertainment and social at
the Academy of Music, Sunday evening,
April %, in conjunction with the "Elks,"
the entire proceeds to 60 to the "Elks."
The minstrel show is frst-class one, and
agooi and most ENJOYABLE joint perform
ance can be relied upon.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
RESOLUTIONS.
Adopted by the Society of Chicago So
cialists at a Meeting Held sun-
day, April is.
For The Enquirer.

For The Enquirer.
Whereas, Railroads are in fact public
highways under private control. and
such control is obtained by the influence
of money and their managers are pub
lie officials, self-elected; and presenting
the anomoly in free government of
representatives of the people, where
duties, obligations ID powers are, de-
fined by themselves and, !,
Whereas, The working force they en-
gage are by this arrangement at once
servants of the public and employees of
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Parneli Branch.

The Parnell Branch of the Irish Ma,
tional League of America will be ad-
dressed by H. C. Dillon, Sunday after
noon, at Good Temp,er's hal. 369 Law
renee street, at 2:3O p. m. There will be
songs and recitations, and full orches-
ira. The public are invited. Seats re-
served for the ladies.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
COAST NOTES,
Items Picked up and Opinions Formed
by the "OId Man, While In
San Francisco,

SAN Francisco, April 10.-Daniel
Cronen, of Oregon, who is now in this
city, has received information that he
has been indicted by the grand jury of
Portland, upon the charge of conspiracy
in participating in the anti-Chinese
movement This news will not delay
Dams return to his home; he will re-
turn to Portland when the Important
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

THE foundation stones of this repub-
lie rest upon the right of the people to
revolt whenever the government fails to
protect their best interests, and this
right of revolt becomes duty when it
is infringed by an oligarchy. What is
the situation to-day? Is it not time for
the people to arm?
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Salve For His Wounds.

A special dispatch from Little Rock,
Arkansas, states that Deputy Sheriff
Williams, who was assaulted and beaten
by the strikers while guarding the Iron
Mountain railroad property, has re-
ceived check for $500 from Jay Gould.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
CARPENTERl

| Carpenters Union, No. IS, of the Brother
mood of America. meets every Saturday
evening at Euclid Hall. All good Carpenters
are invited to join.
JAMES D. MACDONALD, President.
THOMAS MUIRHEAD, Rec. Sec.
FRANK BAYER, State Organizer
E. E. RICE, Cor. and Fin Secetary,
% COlfaX avenue.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Entertainment and Dance.

An entertainment and dance will be
given on Friday evening, April 80, at
Lincoln hall. in aid of Hope assembly
laundry. The object is to raise funds to
make some Improvements needed in
their business. Tickets, admitting gen.
tleman and lady, 80 cents.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Tine Sfarm King

"It is a coming hurricane in Belgium !;
futtering barometer in Italy squall in
Texas, all presaging the close proximity
of the Storm g."-Private letter.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
PLAsTERERs' UNION.

The Plasterers' Union, of Denver meets
every Monday evening at 1880 O'clock in St.
Joseph's Temperance Hall, corner Fifteenth
and Stout streets.f
HARRY COLE, President.
CHARLES NJ. McL'ABE, Secretary
Address, 100 East 18th street.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
TAILORS.

The Tailors' Protective Society. OF Denver
meets in Judge Jeffres' court room,
o'clock p. M, on the first Monday Of each
month. FRED WEIDER, President.
I. HAMLlN, Sec, 29l 10Th street
Room IS Skinner Block.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
TRADES ASSEMBLY.

The Trades Assembly of Denver and Vicin-
ity meets on the second and fourth Sunday
of each month, in Police court room, City
hail., at o'clock. A. MENCHE, President
T. HAMLIN, Secretary
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
TYPOGRAPHICAL,

Typographical Union, No. 49, meets on the
first SUNDAY of each month in Police Court
ROOM, City Hall, al 2 o. clock p. m.
o. l.. SMALLWOOD, Rec. and Cor. Sec'y
w. H. MONTGOMERY, Fin. Sec.
Collier d Cleveland's office
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
Attention Delegates.

District Ass mblY SO will meet on
Sunday, April 25, at 10 a. m. in McClel-
land hall. ALI delegates are urged to
attend. G. w. EYE, Secretary.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
RRICRT.kYFRS

Bricklayers' 1nternatIona Union, No. l, Of
Colorado, meets The second and fourth Mon
day evenings in each month, at No. 379 Lari-
mer street, Denver, Colorado.
JAMES COOK, Secy. NJ, SULLIVAN,
1923 Blake Street President.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
IRON MOLDERS.

hon Molders' Union. meets every second
and fourth Tuesday of each month at Reno
| Hail. Twenty-seventh and Holladay at 7:30 p.
m. J. J.. SMITH, Cor. Sec.,
| I015 Holiday street,
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY.
A Comparison Made Between the Two
Shows a Marked SINH
larity.

For the Enquirer
have been trying to ascertain how
far the teachings of the bible and the
teachings of Socialism agree the one
with the other. and here is the result of
my investigations: The bible teaches
the unity of the race, the fatherhood of
God and the brotherhood of man all of
which are in accord with the teaching of
Socialism.
The bible teaches that God gave the
earth with all animals, fowl and fish to
his children as the means from which
they should obtain their livelihood, and
that the land should never be sold; and
the Socialists claim that the land be-
longs to the people in common. The
bible teaches that usury or interest has
always been the means. of expressing the
poor and forbids the same, and this the
Socialists also teach, that usury or inter.
est is the great engine of expressing and
robblng the poor.
The bible teaches that rich men in all
ages have oppressed the poor and
robbed the fatherless and widows, and
the Socialists say that this is true. The
bible teaches that capitalists or employ
ers of labor have IN all ages oppressed
the laborers and have kept back their
wages by fraud. This is the charge that
the Socialists make, that the capitalists
fleece the laborers.
The bible teaches that there is good
time coming when Justice and right
eousness shall prevail in the earth ;
when wal and bloodshed shall cease and
every man enjoy the fruit of his own
labor, and shall SIT under his own vine
and fg-tree and none make him afraid
and this is what the Socialists contem-
plate under the new Industrial Cooper
ative Commonwealth when thepresent
system of injustice, robbery and greed
shall be exterminated from among men,
and this present principle of competition
dog-eat-dog, the essence and outcome OF
which has been aptlY expressed in the
following lines:
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24
"If you'd get rich you son of a -;
You must paddle your own canoe,
And cheat your neighbor, if you can
He'll do the same by you"


The bible teaches that the whole law
is fulfilled in one word, even this
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self" DO ye unto all men as ye would
they should do unto YOU for this is all
the law and the prophets" And this is
one of the cardinal doctrines of Social
ism. The bible teaches that in the time
of Christ the merchants and exchangers
had made use of the church and turned
it into den of thieves; and the Social
lists say that the church of the present
day is used by the merchants and
money changers for the same purpose; ;
and that, instead of being place for the
people to worship God, it is used as
propaganda for capitalism, and as con-
sequence they have no use for the
church as it is to-day.
The bible teaches that character and
disposition makes the man and the
Christian, and not profession or church
membership. "By their fruits we shall
know them" said Christ. So say the
Socialists-and so say 1. The bible
teaches Communism thus: And the
multitude of them that believed were of
one heart and one soul, neither said any
of them that aught of the things that he
possessed was his own; but they had all
things common neither wa there any
among them thai lacked; ); for as many
as were possessed of lands or houses
sold them and brought the price OF the
things that were sold, and laid them at
the apostles feet, and distribution was
made unto every man according as he
had need" But here Socialism and the
bible part company. Socialism says:
Every man according to his deeds"
HE that will not work, neither shall he
eat" Public things belong to the pub
lie. Private things belong to the indl-
vidual. This will be justice to all.
A UNIoNIsT.
DENVER, April 10.
The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-24

The publisher of this paper is not resP0,n, POI
sibie for the opinions Of contributors; ,,H dne
columns will always be open 1or the olsGts s az =
sion of ali sides Of the labor questions Oh tue
day contributions always welcome.
Daily Honolulu press., 1886-02-23
Archibald Fo,be, beginning.
iChicago News.l

tCnlcaEO NeWS.J
Having returned to England from the
seat of war, "the sole man in all the vast
expectant London, outside the German
embassy, to whom belonged the knowl-
edge of the disposition of the German
troops engaged in weaving round Paris
that environment of blood and iron, :"
he resolved to make one more effort to
place his services. 1t was toss-up as to
which of the great London dailies should
be applied to, but fortunately The Daily
News won the toss, and hir. Forbes found
himself appreciated Mr. Robinson, of
The News. met him pleasantly and, after
listening to what he had to say, re
marked Yes that sounds very interest
lug aud valuable. VIII you oblige me by
writing three columns ON the subject,
and will you consider guineas
column adequate remu0erationY If so.
please let the copy be sent in as rapidly
as possible. Having returned to his
lodgings and begun to write Mr.. Forbes
found that he had much more than three
columns of matter tn say. and went back
to explain the difficulty. He saw the
managing editor this time, and the follow.
ing brief dialogue followed
Is tbs your stuff" he trenchantly
asked laying his finger ON the slip of
proof before him.
Forbes glanced at it and said it was his
stun.
well, then, said he, "well take as
much of this of stuff as you care to
write
The next day Forbes started for Metz to
represent The Daily News at was
then, he says "that in reality my career
as war correspondent began.