The advocate., 1894-02-28

smile.
"This amt no socialist meetin', "
said the chairman. eff the gentleman
has any proper question to ask the
gentleman, let him proceed, but we
can't allow no Socialistic nor no anar-
chistiC talk from this platform. The
stars and stripes are good enough for
u.s." pointing to a large flag hung up
back of the stage. eve don't propose
to have no red flag here"
This was greeted with deafening
cheers, but as they ceased cries of "GO
onv $50 on!" came from the working
men in the gallery, and certain busi-
ness mans handsome wife audaciouSly
clapped her hands id approval of these
cries. Her husband gave her a severe
frown, and she Obediently subsided,
but she caught Johns eye and she
looked the encouragement she could
not otherwise extend. The opposition
strengthened the courageous black
smith, and, standing there at bay, a
noble look came into his face, he was
transformed, and his port and bearing
were regal. He stood silent but with
an air Of such serene defiance that his
opponents were cowed into respect and
listened despite their antagonism.
"Ladies and gentlemen" " he began
looking, when he said "ladies," !"
straight into the eyes of the fashion
able woman who had so bravely en-.
couraged him to go on; Ladies and
gentlemen, my father is an old soldier
with his wounds to show for it. He
fought for that old flag while some of
you who are so patriotic now were safe
at home scheming by your tricks OF
trade and your laws to make slaves of
him and his children, and l think l
love the stars and stripes just as much
as any of you. That old flag was
meant to wave over freemen-not ma
tion of serfs, and l love it so well that
! am ready Wehn the time comes, and
hope it will come soon, to be a sol
dier as was my father, and fight to re-
capture that flag of the free from where
it floats over your wheat corners and
pork corners and get it back again into
the hands of its ffiends-the common
working people of this country"
Repeated cheers greeted this. He
continued:
"But l have said not one word here
about anarchy or the red flag. l have
said not one word here about anything
but the teachings of Christ; and do
you tell me, Mr.. Chairman, that there's
such antagonism between them that
that flag and the golden rule can't be
allowed together on the same PLATFORM
Are there any preachers in this house ?
What do g0W say when workingman
is told he's disgracing his country's
flag if he says he believes in practicing
the sermon on the Mount?
The orator of the evening looked
aghast. The chairman, as some one
afterWard remarked, looked ratified"
The anxious candidate was in state
of almost total collapse. The business
men" in the audience looked foolish
and doubtful. John continued:
zone word more, ladies and gentle
men. I'm poor, common shop hand
and l don't live very high
anyhow; but before I'd vote
to starve other people to death
with their wives and babies and old
fathers and mothers, I'd starve to
death myself.
Tremendous applause from the
'1abor yOte,' with scattering hints Of
applause from a few others. The bus.
mess mans wife applauded again and
was again silenced by her husbands
froWn. John saw this and was half
angry, half amused. He proceeded:
"And think what they call these peo-
pie we are to starve. 'Pauper labor
of Europe. Do you ever hear Of the
pauper capitalists of Europe? Not
much?. Workingmen of all lands
are all slaves alike from the same
causes everywhere. They're all victims
of the same internal social system.
i IL 80 IL