Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-09-10
CHAS. r. BURKE.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
stronger and becoming more deeply in
trenched each day.
"a mutual union of one million men
of the right stamp can carry out the de-
sired work and bring it to a successful
issue in four years, firmly believe, by
this plan.
"In the first place, this cohort of pat
riotism should be composed of men from
every rank of the wage earners. For
bank clerks, statesmen, small business
men, bookkeepers, railroad men of all
ranks and callings, newspaper men,
scholars, professional men, artisans and
day laborers are all in the same boat SO
far as the dire effects of monopoly are
concerned. All these must combine their
efforts to secure emancipation and to
bring about the impending revolution by
peaceful means instead of by the most
fierce and terrible struggle in which men
have ever been engaged.
"All thinkers agree that such revolu-
ton is brewing, and my observation
among both the rich and the poor lead
me to believe that they are right. 1 do
not believe that such a people as the
Americans will ever submit to have the
chains of slavery riveted on their ankles
without struggle.
'The organization of million wage
earners of all callings, then, is to be for
peaceful purpose-to point the way for
peaceful solution of problems which
are bringing us each day nearer to ire
mendous armed conflict, a conflict which
because of the agencies that would be at
work would be the most awful and the
most destructive which the world has
ever seen.
This body of million men, moved
by the lofty purpose to save the republic
from ruin, would necessarily be composed
of the employees of many of the great
monopolies, who are thoroughly informed
of all the methods employed by them and
all the agencies by which they have built
up and consolidated their power.
each man should pledge himself to
pay into general fund so year for ten
years, which would place at the disposal
of the society--which might be called the
Ten Year Society'-the enormous sum
of 500, 1000, 900 at the end of the ten-year
period. This would be the result if no
investments were made from the fund in
the meantime, and if the society were not
increased in membership.
But suppose that wage earners to the
number 100000 would enter the pool
and make the period only FIVE years.
Then the fund would amount to the enor-
nous figure of $3.50, 0OO,0 900, and in less
than five years more the control of every
great monopoly in the country would be |
in the hands of the people.
"Such an undertaking is plainly within |
the power of the people, who now suffer |
from the sequestration of their rights
and their earnings by the monopolistic
powers which rule over them. 1t would |
be less than 81 a month for each sub
scriber to the articles of the society. 1 |
know that to millions of our people today
the payment of even so small sum
would be a practical impossibility, and
this terrible fact is the strongest proof of
the necessity for some movement which
shall improve their situation.
can enlightened and progressive colo
nizing plan would form an essential feat
ure of the undertaking, as its aim, from
to ending, would be to save
the people from want and misery, and to
place the unfortunate, the victims of
present social and political conditions, in
a way to make themselves truly indie
pendent and self-respecting.
"You must have capital in order to
fight capital. The great trusts have not
rolled up their millions in day. 1t has
taken them many years of patient work
and scheming, and it is to be hoped that
the wage earners may obtain their rights
without resorting to all the schemes
which have played their part in the build
ing up of the great trusts.
"Your savings in the banks are Dor
-owed from the banks by the monopolists
md used to make rods for your own
packs"
Here are few other sentiments taken
It random from the text:
ITO succeed labor must fight capital
With capital, or with anarchy and revolu-
ion"
"Why, we will have not alone oil, but !
ron, gold, silver, every product of the
world"
Banks and trust companies must be
'rganized (by labor), cooperative towns
'uilt, and every enterprise carefully fos-
cred. in order that when the time comes j..
o strike the first blow against unbearable
nonopolies the people can be supplied
Nth everything necessary.
"All laboring men must unite in one c
ommon brotherhood, not trades alone, b
ut clerks, farmers, all who work and do c
OF desire to go backward and become a
aves-white serfs-with these ne d
ioney kings and their children our
wners, even as the barons owned the I
srfs in the old days" II