The Labor enquirer., 1886-11-13
There is No Escaping II, and
II Must be Fought
Out.
Industrial slavery Comes In
and Takes the
Place Of
Black Chattel Slavery-Mammon's
WOrshipers Must 60, and
Mammon be Dethroned.

The following from the Toronto Topic,
paper circulating in an agricultural
community in Kansas, shows how radi-
cal ideas are going ahead among class
who will join hands ere long with the
wage workers; and when they do join in
the grand reform movement just being
started, the battle will be short and
decisive one:
The booming cannon in Charleston
harbor, a quarter of century ago,
sounded the knell of black slavery and
inaugurated the downfall of the slave
power. In the rsverberating echoes of
that shot, we vitalize the germ from
which sprang the parent of new slave
power-the capitalistic despotism of to-
day.
There was an irrepressible conflict
then, there is one of more gigantic pro-
portions and far-reaching importance
now, and the cry of whittier are we
driftine-up to wider and better light,
or down to a broader and deeper dark
ness, is question that concerns every
man who desires to be freeman rather
than slave,
The insatlate greed Of corporate des'
potism. having Its inception in the tyr
amy of the .money-changers whose
golden scepter shackles aud robs the in
dustry of the world, has grown to huge
proportions. Its blighting influence has
fallen upon every corner of our repub-
lie, which the founders intended to
make haven of liberty in its truest and
broadest sense-that the idea of land
of the free and the home of the brave"
might become reality, and not merely
dream.
The signers of the Declaration of In
dependence and trainers of the constitu-
tion were wise beyond their time, and
sought to erect safeguards around their
child of liberty that would efectually
shut out forever the encroachmeRts of
despotism, that had so long held the
masses in Industrial servitude to the
ruling few in the monarehies of the old
world. Wide and far-seeing was the
vision of our Revolutionary patriots, but
it fell short of beholding the modern
monster, that arch enemy of civil lib
erty, which has planted itself upon the
grave of black slavery and become, a
task master of relentless power over the
industrial serfs. Could they have seen
the possibility of this growth, the con-
stitution would not have been wanting
in methods by which we could have
strangled this power IN its incipiency,
and the people have escaped the tyr
amy and avoided the ordeal through
which they must pass in the coming
conflict between those who produce and
barely exist, and those who gather the
lions share from the hive Of industry,
and revel in luxury and wear purple
and fine linen every day" The cry of
give! give! OF this new despotism,
grows louder and louder, hence its de.
mands for tribute from industry hsye
become 80 exacting that labor has taken
partial refuge in organization, and pro-
tests against the exactions of corporate,
money, factory and rent-lords-"thus far
shalt thou 60 and no farther" calling
loudly for aid from every lover of lib
ertv IN the land.
The new "irrepressible conflict is upon
us! There is no escaping it, and for
veal or woe it must be fought out until
the nation shall be lifted out of the
slough of despond" aud placed up on
permanent plan of civil liberty, or sunk
to depth of servitude where human
rights, joys and sorrows have no claim
that property, money or corporate right
are bound to respect.
The tramp of soldierY in a western
city, where labor has dared to raise its
voice against corporate tyranny, may be
the Sumter of this modern irrepressive
conflict, but who can foresee the hour
and place Of its Appomsttox, or tell if
there shall be oneP If this be the Sum.
ter, there must be an Appomattox, or
freedom will die in the land that gave it
birth, and the unborn open their eyes to
life of slavery from the cradle to the
grave.
The Knights of Labor are the. first
powerful organisation to confront the
arrogance of our industrial tyrsnts, and
each member should swear by their
principles fealty anew: "Grapple them
to their souls with hooks of STEEL" with
hearts burning with liberty and love of
Justice, and make demands for human
rights in spirit oil, no compromise! no
surrender y until the abundant fruit of
their toll shall cease to flow into the eof-
fers of these organized modern slave
monsters, leaving labor but bare exist
ence, moietY of food for the bodies or
minds of its children.
| This conflict will be no child's play,
4 yet let us hope that We may not be com.
PEELED to purchase liberty anew with
human blood; yet the spirit of the op-
pressor seems to invite a struggle that
might command sucn price, but il
there be . god of justice. let us invoke