The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-02-02
Colonel Fann Writes a Pleasant
Political Article.
He Deals in Some Facts and a Little
of Fiction.
GIVES COLONEL POLK A NEW NAME
Sir Knight POwderly Is Told About in
Way Which Is FOrcibIe
and Truthful.

This proposition is evidently an axiom
evolved from the daily experiences of
those who have failed to make success
out of life's ever varying vicissitudes; /;
and the logic of events, in this case at
least, proves the proposition to be, if not
of celestial origin, closely akin to divine
revelation.
But how about those whe expect every
thing, are perpetually looking just ahead
for the good luck that is, as they relig
iously believe, to make millionaires of
each and every mothers son of them !?
Man has ever been the dupe of circum
stances; loves to be humbugged, and
will cheerfully give his last hardearned
shekel to any plausible, designing dem
agogue who will promise to change the
order of things and lead him out of mis-
rule, hard times, and the perplexities of
an ever-increasing political discord.
We propose, in this article, to bring
into review two great national uprisiDgs
Of the deluded sons of the globe against
their oppressors; will glance at some of
their NEST prominent idiosyncrasiss as
we go along the trail of past events and,
in conclusion, leave you, kind reader,
to sum up the profits acsruing to the Sir
knights of the crusade.
Some years back, it does not matter
how long ago, that noble brotherhood,
yclept the knights Of Labor" bobbed
up all over the plain of discomfort, and
with rapidity equaled only by the enor-
nifty of their real, or Fictitious. grievan-
cies spanned the continent, tike Colos-
sus, from Maine to California. Their
avowed purpose was to correct the many
evils which had been silently creeping
into the labor problem-evils that had
become too oppressive for human nature
to bear.
Now all large bodies of men which have
some great object in view to accomplish,
something that will crafty ambition or
enslave a nation, invariably choose a
leader; and this leader is generally chosen
on account Of his acknowledged ability
to fill the position to which he is about to
be called. The knights of Labor were
not an exception to this time-hen nored
custom-the mantle fell upon Monsieur
Powderly. Colonel Powderly had spent
life of blissful seclusion in hamlet
over in the land of steady habits and large
coal fields; in his widest dreams it had
never once entered his head that the
mantle of the prophet would grace his
unknown but manly form; but good luck,
We are told, always comes TO those WHO
watch and pray, and he accepted the
office for the money that was in it for
him.
The deluded knights, in their sim
plicity of innocence, imagined that their
leaders knowledge would outweigh the
CO .bined wisdom of their order, which ii
doubtless did. He was now seated on
the throne of imaginary power, drew his
salary with unerring fidelity, and let the
wheels Of empire slide along in the old
ruts-the dollars were his, what more
could heart wish? But few men are blest
with wisdom sufficient to correct the evils
that are found in the everyday life of q
great Internationally was not among
that enyied few. The Knights have
dwindled down to zero, and the august
Sir Knight Powderly has fallen over the
spatter-board of forgetfulness failed tC
| a. 49, T., 1ao 81
of the labyrinth of hope deferred.
IncompetencY in the general assures
the defeat of the best equipped army
The history of the world verifies this as
sertion, and yet the toiling sons of labol
refuse to be convinced, still worship will
the devotion of an eastern devotee at tht
altar of their divinity. On the ruins o.
that magnificent structure, which hac
been erected by and through the com
bined efforts of the now defunct Knights
sits the pantheon of another, the lates
forlorn hope. the Farmers Alliance"
knowledge is, like ducks mustache
of slow growth precedent per see II
| vi lILllc Ndluc W TIC ~
take large group, and we can infallibly
predict what will be the effect of any
particular course of conduct, especially
that of the shekel-loving politician. The
alliancemen must have leader too, anC
they, in the plenitude of their love pu
the diadem upon the brow of Spermacet
| Diphtheria Polk. Colonel Spermaceti':
qualifications are many and extremely
varied, among these are an inordinatt
thirst for power and glory, the love o.
applause, withering hate of filthy lucre
and vast knowledge of diphtheria and
its positive cure. But just insinuate tc
the allianceman that his idol, Colone
fDiphtheris, has those little pearls o.
great price scattered among his othel
gems, and you may prepare to pull Woo