The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-07-24

O1A0S Gu0 AuB0l-puF0, Cu6EuUWAASOS
maiden purity of our womanhood and
sells it for bread to keep the body alive,
and when it is sold thrusts it into the
ditch to be trodden under the foot OF
man. All, what a devil Belzebub,
the prince of devils, is not half so de-
PRAYED as thou, damned demon. False
once, forever false. And yet this mon
ster sits in banking rooms, in CONNER
clal exchanges, among railroad mag
mates, (maggots would be more proper
and gloats and shakes it's wicked head
over the evil it has wrought. 1t rests
on downy pillows beside the English
bribers and foreign potentates OF
finance and sings its weird song over
the thousands of hearts it has destroyed
and the homes it has blighted. 1t
creeps to the convict as he sleeps in
chains upon the cold floor and laughs
at It's W handiwork. 1t goes to the
poor laboring man and woman in debt,
and tears and poverty and says, "Ah,
you were once prosperous and happy,
see what I have donel Hal Hal Ha!
Manhood and womanhood are my vic
Tins! I'm lord of creationI"
And yet this tickle, false kihas
the audacity to again oferEIM to
honest men for election to Office. Have
we not seen and felt enough of thy
work9 Are all men fools that they
will forever bind themselves to a devil9
I was happy till thou, o, cursed demon,
took the reins of power and then stole
my property, my labor, my manhood,
my all, and now see me only a tramp.
o, sir, look upon these feet so tired
of tramping; thou caused every bruise.
Look upon this heart, o, so sad and
hopeless and di~sconsolate, thou didst
it all. Look on these clothes all torn
and tattered, this is thy masterwork.
0, sir, give me back my own, let me
free from thy power.
But he answered: "Ah, you d-n
tramp are a fool. You are strictly off.
I get well paid for making tramps like
you. See my home on Wall street,
see my bonds, see my jewels, see my
railroads, see my factories, do you
think I'd give up all these just for the
good will of the common people9 No,
Pm looking out for these corporations
and monopolies which are paying me
so royalty You were caught mapping,
that is all. Go thy way and tramp
till next election and then come up to
the polls and get thy 81 or S. for voting
for me and then continue thy tramp"
Is there not enough manhood left on
earth to slay this vile demon, this devil
that lives upon the life blood, the very
soul of a poor humanity3 Has the fire
of patriotism become entirely quenched
in the peoples hearts9 Are the tears
of hungry widows and orphans not
eloquent enough to move the voters
hearts9 Your homes are gone, your
hopes are going, why will you linger7
You toll and this devil gobbles up the
product of your toll and leaves you to
starve or beg or die. Will you still
vote to strengthen his reign of terror9
Will you wait until he drenches this
land with blood, perhaps your blood?
I'm only a tramp, but before I'd sell
my suffrage to this briber and robber
I'd get on top of a carload of dyna,
mite, fire it off and risk my chances in
a "land that is fairer this"
I'm afraid that Gabriel will get so &C
customed to sending Democrats to the
warmer climate that he will issue gen
eral orders to not ask any questions,
but just turn the left ali who come
branded as Democrats in order to save
time. This will be considered conclu-
sive evidence of their destiny. And
hell is not half hot enough for that
party that deliberately cheats poor
men out of their ballots, their bread,
their labor, their happiness, their
heaven, their all. You say we don't
do it. You do. Look at me-at tramp,
a tramp, sir, indeed. Who made me
a tramp but thou, false Democracy ?
I'd like to be a devil just long enough
to fasten the dark, clashing chains of
destruction to thy carcass and then
hurl it amid the eternal flames of OBJ
livion. But thy doom is sealed. The
people will rule yet. Thy grave clothes
are being arranged. Thy tomb is be
ing dug. Thy funeral obsequies are
almost ready to be gone through with.
Thy monument is being carved. No
sermon will be preached. No tears
will be shed. Thorns will deck thy
mound. Owls will boot near thy de
mise. Jackalls will bray over thy
L n--n - l-AE IN.IAA D.