The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-15
An Impassioned Uttorance.

ST. LOUIS, April 6.-The joint executive
board OF assemblies 1Ol, 93 and IL,
Knights OF Labor this afternoon issued
the following address;
To tho Workingmen of the World
Friends and brothers, hear us, for we plead
for our rights. Men OF equity, look upon
us, for we struggle against giants ofwrons.
Mad with the frenzy OF pride and self-adu-
lation. begOtten as it is OF the success oil
outrage and infamy, there stands before us
q giant OF aggregated and Incorporated
wealth, every dollar OF which lie built upon
blood, injustice and outrage. That giant OF
corporate wealth has centralized its power
in and is impersonated by the eager iiend
who gloats as he grinds the life out OF his
fellow men, and grimaces and dances as
they writhe upon his instrument OF torture.
o We workingmen OF America who love your
liberty and your native land We great crea-
tors of wealth, who stand as the foundation
of all national good, look upon your broth
ers to-day. Gould, the giant fiend, Gould,
the money monarch. is dancing as he claims,
over the grave OF our order, over the ruin
of our homes and the blight OF our lives. Be-
fore him the world has smiled in beauty but
his wake is IL gravey yard OF hopes, II cyclones
path OF devastation and death. Our strong
arms have grown weary in building the
tower OF strength, and yet he bids us build
on or die. Our young lives have grown
grey too soon beneath the strain of un-
reuuited constant toll. Our loved ones
at home are hollow-cheeked and pale with
long and weary waiting for better days to
come. Nay, more than this, the grave
yards are hiding his vic tins fromour long
ing eyes. Brother workmen, this monster
tiend has compelled us to toll in cold and
rain for five and fifty cents day. Others
have been compelled to yield their time to
him for seventeen and thirty-six weary
hours for the pittance OF nine hours pay.
Others who have dared to assert their
manhood and rebel against his tyranny
are blacklisted and boycotted all
over the land. He has made
solemn compacts with the highest
authority in our order, and then has base
ly refused to fulfill his pledges. He lives
under and enjoys all the benefits OF a re-
publican form OF government, and yet ad-
vocates and perpetuates the most debas-
ing form OF white slavery. He robs the rich
and poor, the high and the low, with ruth
less hand, and then appeals to corrupt and
purchased courts to help him take our lit
tie homes away. He
BREAKS OUR LIMBS AND MAINS OUR BODIES
and then demands that we shall release
him from every claim for damages or be
blacklisted forever. He goes to our gro
GERS and persuades them not to give us
credit because we refuse to be ground in
his human mill. He turnsupon horde
OF lawless thugs. who shoot among our
wives and children with deadly intent and
then he howls for government help when he
gets his pay in coin alike. Fellow workmen,
Gould must be overthrown. His giant
power must be broken, or you and | must
be slaves forever. The Knights of Labor
alone have dared to be u David to this Go
liah. The battle is not for to-day-the bat
tie is not for to o-morrow-but for the troop
ing generations in the coming ages OF the
nplI f,,a OH al, 1rl ,3,
children. 1t is the great question OF the
age: Shall vein the coming ages be a ma
tion OF freemen or nation OF
slaves? The question must be decided
now. The chains are already forged
that are to bind us. Shall we await until
they are riveted upon our limbs? Nay,
God forbid. Work men of the world, mar
shall yourselves upon the battlefield. Work
men OF every trade and cline, on to the
fray. Gould and his monopolies must go
down, or your children must be slaves.
Think of the little olive plants around
your hearthstone that will be blighted by
his curse. Think of the little home he is
seeking to rob you OF. Think OF the
wife from whose eyes he has wrung
he has tortured drops OF blood. Who
can look calmly upon his perfdy, his
outrage his crime? For he has sought to
incite felony among our rank and file; he
has brought the perfidy OF vile men to en-
trap the unwary that he might stain our
fair name and gloat over our mis-
fortunes Once for ALL fellow workmen,
arouse! Let every hand that tolls be lifted
to heaven, and swear by him that lveth
forever. that these outrages must cease.
Let every heart and brow be turned to-
ward our common foe, and let no man
grow weary until, like Goliah, our giant is
deat at our feet.
EXECUTIVE BOARD, D. A. 1O1. 90 and IT.