The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-07-13
SPEECH OF GEN. J. B. WEAVER.
HE REPLIES TO COL WATTERSON AND
UPHOLDS THE PRINCIPLES OF THE
PEOPLES PARTY In THE GREAT
QUADRANGULAR DEBATE AT
PHILADELPHIA.
HOW THE NATIONAL BANKING SYSTEM OPERAT ES-IILUS
TRATIONS TO FIT THE PRESENT CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
-POPULIST PRINCIPLES APPLIED is CHRISTIANITY
IN MOTION-THE SPEECH IN FULL

received marching orders. For long
weary months they had been In
camp taking lessons in the grim arts
of war, undergoing discipline, learn
ing TO obey, practieing the manual, +,
listening to the notes of the bugle.
Grim lessons, it is true, but prophe-
tic of scenes which were to follow.
Now all was tumult and activity
The files trill note and the roll of
the drum, the clanking of sabres,
the folding of tents, the rumbling of
artillery wagons, the galloptng of
horses, the hurrying to and fro of or
ders, the marshalling of companies,
regiments, brlgades, divisions, and
finally the stretching out of the nigh
ty host across the valley and over
the hill to meet the enemy in mortal
combat.
Now this was the heroic goal to
which all their camp life had been
but the index. Well, humanity is a
vast army, and it has it's camping
seasons, its great marches and its
decisive battles. | congratulate this
audience tonight upon the fact that
the vast throngs of civilization are
once more under marching or
ders.
"There's a sound of swelling waters,
There's voice from out the blue
Where the Master his arm is reveal
ing;
Lo the glory of the morning
Lights the forehead of the new
And the towers of the old time are
reeling.s
''There is tramping in the cities
Where the people march along,
And the trumpet of justice is call
ing;
There's a crashing of the helmet
On the forehead of the wrong.
And the battlements,,of. Babylon are
falling.
40 /, the Master Of the morning,
How we waited for his light
In the old days of doubling and fear
How we watched among the shad
| OwS
OF the long and weary night
For his feet upon the mountain ap
pearing -
But at last the command has gone
fort to the industrial forces the worlG
over:
Lift high the banner,
| Break every chain,
Wake from the thraldom of story
| Like the torrent to the river,
| And the river to the main,
Forward to liberty and glory ~
(Applause.)
For ages the human family seem
| to have been encamped and at in.
tervals they have made grand march
es toward civilization and to the fin,
al achievement of the Sermon on the
Mount. We are today at the com
mencement of a revolution, and
say to you brethrrn tonight that it is
greater revolution than any | have
every know anything about, although
[ witnessed the great one that took
place when I was lad, remember
that revolution and | remember what
it was about-that it was a great bat.
tie for the freedom of labor; but that
revolution was nothing compared
with the one we are in today. Dis
guise it, as you will or may, the pub
lie mind today is broken up as i,
never was before, and upon the very
Identical questions that brought
about the revolution that you and
| participated in when We were
boys.
| had a talk once with Wendell
Phillips at his home in Boston, and
he made this remark to me: "Mr
Weaver, there were but few people
who understood the underlying phil
osophy of that aEti-slavery move
ment In its last and best analysis
it was a battle for the freedom o.
labor. The war exte ndedthe nomin
al area of freedom f.. enough to in
elude the black man, but it did no
make him free, nor will he or hi:
white neighbor ever be free until botf
he and they are permitted, under
the lsws of this country, to accumu
late in their own pockets the wealth
which they produce zap
| plause.)
| Now there was a gentlemen borI
with silver spoon In his mouth, wht
never knew what want was from hi
cradle to his grave, and yet he spen
all his sublime life in working for tn,
down trodden and the lowly. and fo
| those who had no helper. Why, i
only takes two or three such men Il
redeem the whole human race, ant
to make it honorable to belong to it
| (Applause.) That was the type of ;
man he was. / said, why do yol
say, Mr.. Phillips" for he had jus
made the remark to me, THAT tn
battle for the freedom of labor ha'
| vet to be fought in this country
Why do you say that 7" Il say i
because the corporate power, the(!
money power in this country gaines
| by that war, all that the slave powe
lost, and ten fold more; and the rea
battle for the freedom of labor vii
have to be fought in this countr
against the corporate slave driver a
lit was against the chattle slav
driver
And with this introduction | shal
, now lay down some things which
, want to. have you bear in min
whilst discuss the questions befor
us.
L There are three things essential
human life on this globe:
Ii The earth, the atmosphere and tn
sunlight.
There are three institutions nece'