The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-04-13

claims, over the grave of our ordca. over
the ruin Of our homes and tho blight of
our lives.
fore hiE: the world has smiled in
beauty, but in his wake is a graveyard
OF hopes, IL cyclone path of devastation
and death. Our strong arms have grown
weary in building tower of strength.
yet he bids us to build on Our
young lives have grown gray too soon
beneath the strain Of unrequited, con-
stant toll; our loved ones ut home are
hollow checked and pale. with long and
weary waiting for better things to come.
Nay more than this. gravcyards are
hiding his victims from our lonsinp
eyes.
Brother workmen, this monster tiend
has compelled us to toll in the cold md
the rain for 5O:cs day; other have been
compelled to yield their time for seven
teen and thirty-Six weary hours for a
p'ttancc of nine hours pay; others who
dared 10 assert their manhood and robe
against his tyranny, are blacklisted and
b"ycotted all over the land. lie had
made somlemn compact with the highest
authority in our order, then has baselv
refused to fulfill his pledge.
He lives under and enjoys all the ben
etits Of arpubliean from of government,
and yet advocates and perpetuatcs n
most dobasing form Of white slaqery.
lie aobe the rich and the poor. the high
and the low with Il ruthless hand, and
the appeals to corrubt and purchased
courts to help him take our little homes
away. He breaks our limbs and mains
or bodies and then demands that we
shall relecc him from every claim for
damage or be blacklisted forcvr. He
goes to our grocers and pursuades them
not to give us credit because we refuse
to be ground in this human mill. He
turns upon us horde of lawless thugs
VIII" shoot amont our wives and children
with deadly intent, and then he howls
for Government hepf when he gets his
pay in coin alike.
FelIow-workmen Goula must be over
thrown. His giant Of power must be
broken or you and must be slaves for
ever The knigts OF Labor alone have
dared to be a David to this Goliath.
The battle is not for to-day,is not for
the battle is not for tomorrow.
our for the trooping generation in
the coming ages of the world; for our
children and on: children's, chill iren.
1t is the great question Of the age.
Shall We, in coming ages be a nation of
tlee men or nation ofslave The oues-
ton must be decided now. The chains
are already forged that are to bind us.
Shall we await until they are riveted /?
My, God forbid
Workmen Of the world. marshal your
selves on the battle field. Workmen of
every trade and cline, into the fray
Gould and his monopolics must go down
or your children must 60 down. Think
the little olive plants around your
henrthstones that will be blighted by
his curse. Think Of the little home he
s seeking to rob Of you. Think Of the
wife from whose heart he has tortured
drops of blood. Who can look calmly
On his perfidy. his outrage and crime, |
:or he has sought to incite folony among
our rank and field. He has brought the
pertidy of vile men to entrap the unwary
hat he might stain our fair name and
,ioat over our (misfortunes.
Once for all, fellow-workmen arouse /! !
Let every hand that tolls be lifted to
Heaven, and swear by Him that liveth
or-ever that these outrages must cease, !
Let every heart and brow be. turned
oward our common fore and,let no men |
srow weary until, like Goliath, our giant
s dead at our feet.
EXECUTIVE BOARDS, D. A. 1O1, 93.. II
He Couldn't Quite Call 1t That.