The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-04-01
THE LABOR CRISIS.
An Impending Social Revolution
Involving the Question Of Mas
terry Between Capital and
Labor.
MANHOOD AND DOLLARS.
GOD AND SATAN.
HEAVEN AND HE'LL.

ton, no one who is at all conyersant
with history. and the signs OF the
times. can doubt from the great
number and magnitude Of recent la
Dor strikes, lockouts, and boycott
tings, it il evident there is wide
spread and dtep-seated discomfort
among the industrial classes, while
the rapid organization, and the for
midable strength Of the Knights OF
Labor ought to convince every un-
biased mind that something more
than patchwork or temporary re-
lief IS demanded by the nations
wealth producers.
The labor question has come to
the front, and 1t is useless for shys-
ter politicians, corporation dema-
gogues, or venal subsidized press,
to try any longer to get over or
around it, or to work up side issues
to attract public attention from it.
II il coming. and coming to stay.
It is the beginning Of one Of those
epochs in the progress Of civiliza-
tion, in which right will come upper
most in spite Of all the powers OF
darkness, the traditions Of the past,
or the wrongs Of ages.
The impending revolution rests
upon a moral basis, higher than the
plane Of the church OF to-day.
The very first OF the proclaimed
purposes Of the Knights Of Labor is
'To MAKE INDUSTRIAL AND MORAL
WORTH mot wealth. THE TRUE STAN
DARD OF INDIVIDUAL AND NATIONAL
GREATNESS
A writer in the Illinois State Jour
nal recently said: THE average min
lister condemns these labor Organi-
cations with an air OF superiority,
supported by the pocket book OF the
richest members OF his church.
The preachers preach what the
"boss" element in the church want
them to preach.
Capital cuts down the wages Of
labor to the starvation point, and
then turns round and makes big
presents to the church.
Labor sees this, sees itself robbed
by capital to pay the pulpit for abus-
ing those who are robbed.
Consequently labor has lost all re-
spect for the church, and the church
has lost its influence over the mass
OF the people.
Because labor has ever been the
slave of capital, is no proof that 1t
will always remain so.
It's day OF jubilee will come.
It's emancipation was heralded by
the star in the east two thousand
years ago.
It was prophcsied by Him who
drew his followers from among the
poor, down cast. bnt pure to the core
fishermen or Galilee.
From their firesides he pointed out
the shams OF the church and the So
ciety around them.
He was pre-eminently the friend
Of the poor, not because OF their
property, but because OF their moral
worth and hard lot.
Then, rs now, men could not be
very rich and very moral.
The religion Of Christ WAS based
upon justice, equity, and the mullen.
able rights OF man.
For two thousand years Christiani-
ty has been gestating in the womb
OF poverty, and every strike, every
pang Of hunger, every pinch OF want,
and every groan Of suffering desti-
tuition, has been q labor throe proph-
esying the birth Of liberty aud the
emancipation Of down trodden la
Dor.
The Savior's mission on earth was
not In vain. he taught the golden
rule.
He warned the rich that the gates
OF heaven were barred against them,
not because OF their wealth, but be-
cause Of the unjust, immoral, and in
human methods necessary for the
acquisition of great wealth.
There never were SO many rich
men In the country as at present, and
consequently there was never a time
! when so many wealth producers had
reason to complain.
/! Labor Is robbed In its wages.
!, Industry is robbed In its produc-
j ton.
!. Individual enterprise is robbed t.
support official extravaganza and
corporate extortion.
II is true the laboring masses OF
this country are better off on an av.
erage than those OF the old world
but it is because OF the cheapness OF
laud, aud the few remaining unde.
ye1oped resources OF nature.
The fact that labor Is better paid
| clothed, fed and housed In this couE.
try than In Europe is no reason why
1t should be contented with what
II has.
Labor Is entitled to all the bless.
ings which wealth can afford.
4 1t Is entitled to rs much OF the
good things Of this world us the
vanderbilts, Goulds, and Astors.
It produces all created wealth, and
were it not for the legalized process
ses Of extortion and plumber. the
wealth which is now being piled up
in huge mountains would be spread
out to fertilize the barren fields OF
industry, causing them to blossom
as the rose.
The labor Of America is not only
entitled to the fruits Of its own toll
but t. its per capita share Of natures
bOuntiful resources.
Because the master had paid mon
ey for the colored mans liberty, he
was not its rightful owner, nor be-
cause capital has paid money for
the birthright OF labor does it justly
own it.
Let him who claims that labor has
no cause OF complaint, propose to
exchange privileges with the toiler
or wealth pl oducer.
| It he will not then he acknowl.
edges the injustice complained OF by
labor.
!! Knowing the justice OF their claim,
and their natural inalienable rights,
to live as we'll as let live, the 1900.
900 OF American toilers will never
lay down their weapons Ut warfare
until they conquer monopoly, and
become masters OF that which their
hands and skill have created. Not
until manhood triumphs over dol
lars. justice over injustice, light over
! L.,