St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-06-05

VINO gives up work now wneGner nc %
railroad man, mechanic, farmer, clerk or
any other kind of employe, will probably
give it up for starvation. You may not like
the line of steamers that you are sailing
in, but do not jump overheard in the mid
die of the Atlantic. Be little earlier
than usual at your post of work while this
turmoil lasts, and attend to your occupa .
tion with little more assiduity than has
ever characterized you.
My brotherly counsel, in the second
place, is to those who have resigned work.
It is best for you and best for everybody
to 60 back Immediately. Do not wait to
see what others do. Get ON board
the train of National prosperity
before It starts again, for start it will,
start soon and start mighty. Last
year in the city of New York there were
forty.five general strikes and 1T shop
strikes. Successful strikes, ninety seven;
strikes lost, thirty -four; strikes pending
at the time the statistics were made, fifty
nine; strikes compromised, thirty-two.
Would you like me to tell you who will
make the most out of the present almost
universal striker can and will. Those
VI
work.
My third word of brotherly advice Is to
another class of laborers-namely, those
who have been a long time out of work.
How many of them? Before this present
trouble began there were nearly 1900, 600
people in this country out of work and
could not get work. have worn myself
out again and again, as many of you have,
to get employment for those who be-
sought it. In some cases we succeeded, in
others failed. My brotherly counsel is to
get work before this trouble began, and
who have themselves and their families to
support, to 60 now and take the vacated
places. Go in and take these places
million and half strong. Green
hands you may be now, but you will not
be green hands long.
My sentiment is full liberty for all who
want to strike to do so, and full liberty for
all whe want to take the vacated places.
Other industries will open for those who
are now taking q vacation, for we have
only opened the outside door of this CONT
nent, and there is room in this country for
CVoSooosVoV poOP1c} dAu Luz odSh ouS VI CucAu
home, and livelihood and God.
So, however others may feel about this
excitement, as wide as the continent, am
not scared bit. The storm will hush,
Christ will put his foot upon'it as upon ag-
itated Galilee. AS at the beginning, chaos
will give place to order as the spirit of God
moves upon the waters. But hear it, work
ingmen of America Y our first step toward
light and betterment of condition will be
an assertion of your individual independ-
encs from the dictation of your fellow
workmen. You are free man, and let no
come between you and your
best interests. Do not let any man or any
body of men tell youswhere you shall
work, or where you shall not work; when
you shall work or when you shall not
work. If a man wants to belong to labor
let him belong. If he does
not want to belong to labor organization
let him have perfect liberty to stay out.
You own yourself. Let no man put
on your hand, or foot, or head, or
heart.
belong to a ministerial association that
meets once a week. love all the MEM
bers very much. We may help each other
in a hundred ways, but when that associa-
ton shall tell me to quit my work and go
somewhere else, that must stop right
away because brother minister has been
badly treated down in Texas, / will say to
that ministerial association: sect thee
behind me, Satanw Furthermore, have
. right to resign my pastorate of this
church and say to the people: 81 decline
TO work for you any longer. am going,
'Good.by But linger around the doors
On Sunday mornings and evenings with
shot gun to intimidate or hinder the min.
ster who comes to take my place. may
quit my place and continue to be a gentle
nan, but when ! interfere with my sue
,essor in this pulpit / become criminal
md deserve nothing better than soup in a
In bowl in Sing Sing penitentiary. Here
o q statement that would have every
aborer put in his memorandum book or
,aste in his hat, and every newspaper put
1t the head of its columns. There are
low about -, 0O0, 900 people in this country
wages, and about 100000 be-
onging to organizations that control
heir labor. would have all the
O0, 600 do as they please, and I would
rave all the other II, 100000 do as they
,lease. You will admit that the 600, 600 in
UGH organizations ought not to control
he II, 400, 900 laborers not In them. Your
lrst duty, o laboring man! is it to your
amily. Let no ONE but Almighty God
lictate to you how you shall support
hem.
Relief will come to the working classes |
i this country through better UNDER
between capital and labor. Be-
ore this contest goes much further it will |
,e found that interests are identical; what |
lelps one, helps both; what Injuries one,
njures both. Show me any point in the |
worlds history of 5000 years where cap
tai was prospered and labor onDressed M,