The Labor enquirer., 1886-12-25
fower-scented pulpits to audiences COM
fortably sunk in soft cushions.

nave 6VeryWn6r6 auouk5t euou iounu
hands and warm, friendly
hearts in spite of our opposite opinions
and creeds. Thev are mostly atheists
and materialists too; but their paper
was ever open to my attacks on these
positions, and I have always found
them willing listeners to moral or relig-
ious talks-if only it was understood
that truth should be the only authority
referred to. and reasonableness the only
test. If they but feel sincerity and
sympathy in speaker. they are eager
listeners to all subjects, perhaps most so
to religious subjects. But pretence, hy-
pocrisy or empty words they hate. and
are not slow to show it.
They are very easily moved by great
and noble ideas. High moral ideals,
backed by earnestness and enthusiasm,
have unlimited power over them. Were
L to inaugurate in Chicago a crusade
against impurity, I should 60 to these
people first for help-to the saloons and
streets where they may be found. Once
seeing the truth and goodness of cause,
their willingness to sacrifice is great,
greater than that of any other class OF
men it has been my fortune to fall in
with. To truth they bend and yield
themselves at once. Convince them,
and they are yours. Come to them to
reason and argue, and you may be sure
of eager listeners. Love them, and they
will love you deeply; hate them, and
they will hate you. though they return
rather less hate than they receive.
They are very apt to be sharp, rough
and violent in language; but they are
er-hearted, rarely selfish and cold !;
tears of love and good will lie close back
of the curse of anger or fury. They are
honest; you will rarely be cheated or
robbed by these people, at least not as
frequently as by the better classes"
Briefy.I have found these people
always kind, always friendly, always
ready to "lend a hand,' and men who
without moments hesitation would
"lay down their life for their friends" ,"
and greater love, it has been said, hath
no man, than this.
Though mistaken, they would never
have made such mistakes and given
their lives for them. but for hearts warm
and tender and true enough to feel their
"brother's woe to be their hell, his bliss
their heaven" Though mistaken, still
they meant well, they were honest, sim
cere and brave; they did, in fact,
what" under the circumstances, "they
could" for the Son of Man.
If men curse them, may God bless
them. If they are abused besides being
killed, public opinion will come to blush
for that.
But the fact is these men nave done
much. The haYmarket meeting marks
quite step in the progress of the world.
We dare no longer be quite 30 blind as
before to existing wrong and misery
The light from their bomb may be the
signal of danger and need, which will
call some of our men to the rescue, out
of their pulpits and churches into the
saloons and streets to get acquainted
with these men, to learn what their
thoughts and wants and feelings are
like; to learn about the fearful gulf be-
tween their human wants and aspira
tions, and the needle-point of possible
attainment, which overwork and pow
erty allow; that 80 we all may learn tc
feel with them. Then peace will not be
difficult to establish. The death of these
men will be terrible emphasis to our
duty, terrible rebuke to our churches
THE voice of thy brothers blood crieth
unto me from the ground" God bless
them! And God bless all those suffer
ing, kind-hearted, warm .hearted, ignor'
ant, despised, ragged millions in oul
countries and in our cities, 30 full OF
love and nobility. though thew be "the
ofscouriDgs of the earth )" and NAV soon
that day dawn for which you long and
work, and the hope of which is your
only comfort in your dirty, murky
sooty notes.-the day when earth shall
hold no hungry and freezing children
any more,-when every child born into
the world shall be sure of tender care
and love, when every home shall be
warm and happy, and all men brothers
And say what we will about it, there
is grandeur and glory. halo of growing
light around that red fsg, which to-day
runs up in every civilized land, up above
our national and partisan colors and
emblems to bear witness that the same
red blood pulses in the veins of US all,
black or white rich or poor, learned or
ignorant; that God made of one blood
all the nations of men for to dwell on
the face of the earth )" that by ties Of
flesh and blood we are brothers ALL"
There is grandeur and glory and inspi.
ration in that despised flag, though as
vet 1t stands only for the brotherhood
and union of all who are oppressed,
outcast and despised; even though by
its side the pale, blue, ragged little ones
must carry, as their silent accusation
and rebuke, the black flag of starvation.
Still, who knows but that that red flag