The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-11-27
THE THANKSGIVING PROCLAMA
TON

HERE IS ONE WORKINGMAN WHO
DON'T BELIEVE IN 1T.
Editor Representative
Good Thunder, Mimi, Nov. 15.--Dear
Sir: Again the president issues
Thanksgiving proclamation. Why was
it issued? Can it be for the farmer, to
give vent to heart over-full with pros
perity? The country has not been pros
porous for years, and with the following
figures staring them in the face, is the
hope of the country frightened, and can
the millions OF our farmers concur in the
executive exhOrtation In 1872 wheat
Sold for s140 per bushel. The public
debt amounted to s2,253, POI, S2S.31; 1907
45G, 232 bushels would have paid the debt.
In 1893 the debt amounted to only ST.
526, 1915, 1855. To pay this with our 4S
cent wheat would take $3.50, SAC, S74 BUSH
els, an increase of 1870 ,9O8,642 bushels.
The interest in bushels has increased g.
8S5,9S5 annually at per cent. Who will
undertake to figure out how long it will
take to pay the national debt with pres
cent wheat would take $3.50 1854 S74 BUSH
1ec; potatoes, &c? Perhaps it could be
discharged with &c potatoes. / leave this
for the farmers Of Princeton, Mimi, to de-
termine. Is there farmer in America
who can concur in the executive COM
mand? Not one.
1t was not issued for you, farmers. Dig
your potatoes. For whom was it framed?
Surely not for that poor despairing negro
mother in the city of Chicago who prayed
to God to deliver her and her naked chill
dren back into chattel slavery" He who
does not feel the misery, the despairing
hcpelessness in that prayer does not de-
serve the name of man. Back into chat
tie slavery" to be blanketed like a horse
"a pecuniary motive-and fed, to be able
to render service. Issue proclamation
upon proclamation, load them on thun-
der clouds that they may be carried
through the universe with cyclone speed,
their intent pealed forth in roaring rever-
berations that will shake the earth from
pole to pole, and above it all that wall
ing cry-"back into chattle slavery
from that hopeless mother, will be heard
by the ear of humanity in spite of the
thunderous peals and the united applause
Of oppression.
The proclamation is not for the farmer,
worse than that of chattle slavery
"A new industry is founded. New man
ufacturing institutions spring up all over
the land, that are protected by the "Re-
publican tariff Millions of men find
employment; stocks are issued and sold;
capitalists before unheard Of spring into
being on account Of stocks watered up
and up into the millions, above first cost
at the end of the year it does not pay
dlyidendS, the directors preScribe-a re-
duction Of wages, 20. or so per cent is the
result! The working man protests. All
right. The employer goes into the free
trade" market and imports his labor. A
strike with all it's horrors is inaugurated.
The capitalist is ''basking" in some for
eign cline. Millions of Americans are
turned out ON Gods earth created for
man." but it is manipulated-"prece-
dents stare them in the face-they run
UP against legal bubble. Then begins
the weary tramp along the high ways, no
home, no friends, no hope Weary, sick
at heart, they sink by the roadside ex-
hausted and hungry, thinking and hoping
for little rest; for surely the public
highway will not be disputed with them.
But no. An officer is coming; and as this
is an age Of education, the tramp law" is
expounded to them-they must move"
Now begins scramble for starvation
wages. They offer themselves for a pit
lance to their former employers; some
receive work, others do not. Those who
do not, perhaps find the dissecting knife.
Those who do, work awhile, then they are
Informed they are not wanted.
Somebody has a new invention A
single machine will do the work of hun
dred men. Thus to the millions of Re-
publican "sansculotts" made by corrupt
legislation, are added thousands by the
innocent genius of an inventor. Ask the
victims Of invention to "render thanks to
heaven" for the "bounteous returns for
labor they are waiting for? Ask the horde
that were set adrift in the mining dis
tricts, to thank heaven" for the "free
soup" dished to them by the "single gold"
policy? Ask the victims of combined
wealth, at Pittsburg and Pullman, who
plead for and combined to maintain their
rights, to ssthank God for the bounteous
return of grape shot?" When wealth
combines and is used as power against
the rights and liberties of people; it is
anarchy. You may rob people of their
rights; but you cannot rob them Of the
Fright of rebelling against such robbery.
He VINO has robbed another of his prop
erty will next endeavor to rob him of his
rights to secure that property; for as the
enjoyments Of property consists in an
equality of rights, so ill-gained property
depends on monopoly of rights; and
when the robber becomes the legislator
he believes himself secure You cannot
extOrt words of thanks from an empty
stomach. To the millions against whose
rights all law seems to be directed, the
proclamation will stand as farce
Gold bonds and the Thanksgiving call
are dssued'in the same breath; and it will
bother mankind to frame an instrument
Of more contradictory terms Bonds
means honda e-slavery-against which
rivers of blood have been spilled Thanks
giving cannot be in any wac connected
with the present bond-issuing admins
tration.
1T may be said the call was issued for
the bond holder. But what has the bond
holder to do with Almighty God? Can
ain able ffnancier cordially love his coun-
try? He would disfigure the universe:
and does disfgure mankind Millions go
down to the grave, bent double with toll.
without enjoying single luxury De-
monetization is rightly denounced as a
crime. Has God anything to do with
perpetuating it? No. The proclamation
is blasphemy. To shoulder the crimes of
man onto Almighty God is blasphemy.
1t was not issued for the bond holder.
Greed once allowed to creep into the hui
man heart takes full possession and de-
YOURS all the tender feelings once innab-
tied there. The hawk after feeding
sunutuously upon the carton in the neigh
buring pasture, lights on dry limb of the