The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-03-01
NUGGETS OF GOLD.
General Master Workman Severe On in
X. OF /. Journal.

=. OF l.. journal.
The labor Of the present is made to
pay tribute TO the accumulatiOns of
the past, and is assessed on the pros
poets of the future
Give labor the full measure of JUS
tice first and make up any deficiency
in hUuiaE want with charity after
wards. and charity vii! 90 begging
for receiver.
People i'll high life, as a class. will
always oppose reforms. Men never
investigate their rights until they are
oppressed. Those who never want
have no personal cause TO in>es;i-
gate.
1t is the duty Of the Kn; ghts of
Labor TO plant the first principles Of
liberty 50 deep in the hearts Of ali
men that the humblest citizen in the
land will know for himself what it is
to be free.
1t is no longer necessary to impor,
paupcr labor from Enrope. We now
have sufficient number of native
paupers to satisfy the insatiatist de
slres Of the most heartless monopolist
in America.
Remember that neither force nor
the ballot can relieve the distress Of
the people until through organization
they form an intelligent idea of wha,
they want, and make Il united effort
TO get IT.
The great trouble with this country
lies in the fact that the average
American statesman has Il soft hand.
a heard heart, slippery tongue, !,
rough soul. Il tub full of stomach
and Il thimble full of brains. And
the votes of the working people elcc,
them.
1t IS charged 10y the advocates of
gold monometall,sm that the free
coinage Of silver is a scheme in the
interests of Il few silver mine owners
in the west. Tho fact is that silver
coinage means more collars, and
more dollars means more and happier
homes.
When we consider that The Good
Book says the love of money is :he
root Of all evil. we begin to realize
the vast amount of 9rubbing that will
be necessary to make a little clearing
in the wilderness of greed But the
grubbing must be done.
The labor question is moral ques
ton Many human beings yield t,
vice and vice because of the demora
lizing forces Of their surroundings
Man is what conditions make him
We cannot expect the virtues Of man
hood without we first provide the
conditions of manhood. Hungry
men, homeless men, haif-starved and
half-starved men do not enjoy the
conditions of manhood. they liv.
in conditions that brataliZe and blum,
the moral proclivities until all the
baser animal instincts dominate every
lofty aspiration and every noble in.
pulse.
The wages Of a common laborer is
now below the wages of common
horse, with the wages Of the common
lahorcr still going downward. When
one horse Is improperly cared for the
human society asserts and Furnishes
its owner, but when the laborer i,
compelled to suffer from cold and
hunger he is arrested and punished
rs vayrant Under the present con
stItut!on Of society it is better to b.
4 horse .han man.
We boast OF our civilization becaus.
it does not show the shining blade ol
4 battle axe at every turn of the road
but it marshaies !obb:es against legs
!atures, coverts ',e..tn into non asses
sable bonds, over avs the people will
PinAerton thugs. and robs labor
through taxation and usury Civiii
z.;!ou treel the cha:t!es, but there
now more white slaves sowing cotton
than there were black slaves p', kim .
it thirty Years ago, an'i more none,
and brains are now devoted TO fitch