The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1894-12-28
LABOR'S EFFICIENT wmAPON.
Take the Government by BaIiOts-If Any
one attempts to Recapture 1t with Hull
lets. Shoot Him on the spot.

Take the Government by BaIiOts-If Any
one attempts to Recapture 1t with Bull
lets. Shoot Him on the Spot.
Many hope for labor's emancipation
through the medium of strikes or bull
lets, but the only true method for labor
to obtain its rights is by the ballot.
This is my method. Do you object to
labor organizations going into politics?
Then what do you organize for? We
have seen that to strike against federal
bayonets is criminal folly: we must not
resist the government with armed
force. Then there is but one method
left, and that is the ballot. Organized
labor is entering the political field all
over the land. Why not we? Labor
has the votes. 1t can elect the officers
from president to constable, if it only
will, and at any time. We can capture
the government by the ballot; make il
our friend and ally; burn up all the
statute books. abolish all our present
laws and pass new ones based on JUS
tice and equity, with equal rights for
all and special privileges for none" We
can run the government to suit our
selves, and if the millionaires and cap
italists don't like our way of doing
things they can do what Mr.. Astor has
done. move over into England and
live there. They can take their money
with them, no matter by what method
they made it; but we will see to it thai
no more men pile up millions of
dollars out of labor. The only trouble
is concerning party allegiance. Party
idolatry is the curse of this land to-
day. Men talk as though loyalty to
political party is equivalent TO loyalty
to the government. We must break
away from party idols and be free men.
party, but make political parties our
servants to do our bidding. | stand
ready to vote with any party, no mat
ter what its name, il 1t will only do
justice to labor and restore to the peo-
pie their rights. Brothers, be careful
how you vote, and for whom you vote.
DO not be blinded by prejudice. Re-
member that all this cry about free
trade and protection is only to throw
dust in your eyes, or fill them with
smoke. The new Wilson bill Is only
an average of Q per cent. lower than
the Mckinley bill. The political con-
test before us will only be sham bat
tie, so far as the two old parties are con-
cerned, to deceive you and get your
votes. There is but little difference
between them as TO principle. The
last official act of President Harri-
son was to appoint a southern
democrat to be a United States
judge. One of the first acts of
President Cleveland was to appoinnt
a lifelong republican to be secretary of
state. The same man owns the Chicago
Herald and a controlling interest in the
Chicago Inter Ocean. He teaches free
trade in one paper to the democrats.
and high protection in another paper
to the republicans. on one and the same
day. Both parties are owned and con-
trolled by capital. When/a man asks
for your vote, find out who he is, what
his principles are, and who he repre-
sents. If he is a capitalist or repre-
sents their interests. it is not to your
interest TO vote for him, no matter
what his party label. Find out how
monopoly votes, and then let labor
vote against it. and see which has the
most votes II is unnatural to suppose
that organized capital, or its paid
agents, will vote for your interests.
Labor must have party of its own
and vote for its own principles, inter
ests and candidates, if it ever obtains
its rights Let the cry of labor be ION
TO Washington" The government has
captured you by bullets: now you must
capture the government by ballots; and
in the language of James Z. Sovereign,
grand master workman OF the Knights
of Labor. '-if anyone attempts TO re-
capture it by bullets. shoot him on the
spot. Extract from Labor Day sd<