The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1897-09-18
the American plutocracy.

Hard is 1t, y, my cOuntrymen, TO Dat-
tie against the imperial powers of con-
solidated wealth. Hard is it to face
the condition which has already super
yened in the United States. Such is
the alluring splendor Of wealth, and
such is the rough exterior of free
democracy, that many are seduced by
the former, and many are in dread of
the latter. Fortunes are made, and
those who wallow in them forget that
their estate might be by disaster or con-
vulsion brought down to the level of
that of the under man. They adopt the
motto. "after us the deluge." And if
this were all, there we're less cause for
fear in contemplating the destinies of
humanity; but the disease of wealth:
lust has disseminated itself like q
poison, and the infection of it is felt as
far as the borders of society. The virus
is in the veins of thousands and millions.
It is perceived that the rich are strong
and free, that they have not only houses
and equipages and tables burdened
with flowers; but that they also have
prominence in all things else. There
fore, we too must be like them! There
fore, we too must by some means get
away from our fellow men. cease to
share their hardships, cease to hear
their cry, and join the glittering caval-
cade of the triumphant plutocracy.
This disease of wealth-lust must be
met with an antidote; else we shall like
wise perish. Whoever strives to amend
the existing order is oblighed to combat
not only the organized enemy on his
front, but these sad human weaknesses
around him and behind. I.repeat. it is
q hard battle, and whoever enters it
must leave home and kindred behind,
and offer himself freely for the good Of
mankind, for the attempted reform of a
perverse condition in the civilized life.
But let us do this freely and without
fear. Let us perform our part in the
great contest that is on. Let us, who
retain our sympathies with democracy
and believe in it, contend fearlessly for
tho faith that was delivered to our
fathers.
AS for the rest, we may be sure that
the enemy will hear nothing that is in
the nature of reason and truth and con-
science; but nevertheless the enemy
shall hear! Sooner or later the power of
consolidated wealth will be humbled
and restrained. Sooner or later those
ambitious and selfish intriguers against
the rights of humanity, against the
equality and brotherhood of. all men
and all women before the law, will be
brought to moderation and humility.
0 ye money lords of the United
States! O thou parvenu, pig-headed
aristocracy! 0 ye men of unbounded
wealth and LICENSE; ye men who reap
unbounded wealth and license; ye men
who reap where ye have not sown, and
gather where ye have not strewn; ye
men who have arrogated to yourselves
the right of establishing >a--despotism
over American society; ye men~who
have banded together TO destroy the
great republic, and to rebuild on it's
ruins the abandoned, owl-haunted fab
ric of the past; ye men who are tie foes
of human liberty, who do not believe in
the democracy of man, who trample
down truth and crush the aspirations
and hopes of seventy millions of people
under your gilded Juggernaut; ye men
whom nothing will satisfy but to gather
up the total earnings of your country
men and consume them in the attempted
qualification of your Unsuitable greed
and luxury; ye men whom preachers
preach to and teachers teach to and law.
yers plead for and orators fatter and
journalists glorify; ye men who have
purchased tho organized powers of So
ciety. and who use them as the dumb
paEns of the gamblers board, who
think you can buy the world and con