The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-02-13


day.
1s 1t not high time that labor was
getting together and trying to invent
a game of her own and quit playing at
plutocracy's game9 If you play at an
other mans game, you are sure to get
beaten, is a trite but true saying, on
which a sermon could be preached to
the laborers of the present day. The
capitalist has been milking the cow
long enough while labor holds her.
The time has come when the capitalist
must seize her by the horns and hold
her for labor to get some Of the milk.
Time about is fair play.
Will we as laborers ever be any bet,
ter off3 That depends upon our future
efforts. If we make ourselves &C
qualnted with all the burning questions
of the day, and thus learn what to vote
for, and then do it, we will burst the
chains of oppression and soar aloft to
freedom and happiness.
When we collect our vast numbers
of men-brawny armed and clear
headed-who are trying to work out
their own salvation simply and alone
and reclining each in his own tub, like
Peter the Hermit, basking in the genial
sunshine of carelessness and indiffer-
ence, and direct our combined forces
against the proud citadel of plutocracy.
The only remedy for existing evils is
organization and work. When men
meet together and discuss subjects that
concern their own interests, they are
more likely to find the best methods
and plans for bettering their condition
What is the object of literary socie-
ties in schools and colleges2 Are they
not to improve their members intel
lectually9 Gould not the Alliance and
other labor organizations be made as
effectual in improving their members
as literary societies. We think so, and
believe they could be made of even
more worth than the modern literary
and debating societies, whose members
are not interested much in the work of
society, whiio the members of tie
various labor organizations are in
earnest-dead earnest.
Debate and argument are the great
fountain sources of truth and accuracy
of thought and speech.
When we laborers meet in our halls
and discuss everything political, social,
or otherwise which has tendency to
either benefit or to injure our class, we
will surely know more about our occu-
pations, more about governmental
AFFAIRS and consequently be better pre-
pared for usefulness in the workshop,
factory, or on the farm, and better
prepared to cast an intelligent vote at
the ballot-box.
Organizations benefit us morally.
When a man has something to think
about of Importance, he will get in
terested in it and be busy with it. You
know IAN idle brain is the DEVILS work
shop" There is an opportunity for
him to learn how to live better and act
better. There, too, he will learn to be
polite and courteous, sober, truthful
and honest. The tenets of the various
labor organizations are designed for
the bettering of men morally.
Then organization will benefit us
cially. We, as laboring men, are so
situated that we do not have much
time for social intercourse like the rich
and gay. We seem to be rather in
clined to stay at home and attend to
our own business, and live kind OF
hermit like life. Meeting at the lodges
will bring us into closer sympathy with
each other and foster spirit of fellow
feeling now sadly wanting.
Lastly united efforts cannot fail to
bring on better times, financially.
Education, as we have said before,
cannot fail to benefit us financially.
We are robbed by trusts and com,
bines and scheming politicians. This
we can avert by working together.
Let us, then, my fellow countrymen,
for the sake of our dear sisters, our
noble-hearted mothers, our country
and our GOD, arise in our might and
strike into oblivion the false system of
legislation that exists among us. II
ever our wrongs are righted and our
rights respected, we must work to
gether and battle as one man for justice.
Let us, then, with hands and hearts
united, with one purpose to inspire US
"a purpose as broad as our country,
as high as heaven, as pure as the saints
in glory and invoking the benedictions
of just and righteous God upon our
actions, endeavor to restore the ark OF
liberty, bequeathed to us by our noble
sires as rich legacy, to it's place IN
the holy of holies in our temple or