The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-02-18
What We
Should Read
Editor The Labor World.

Editor The Labor World.
In brief digest of some of the vital
questions affecting the common inter-
ests of our society T have recently pub
lished a brief synopsis of our present
conditions, entitled 'The Downfall Of
the Middle Classes.' The chief object
Of this pamphlet is not to call the at
tention especially of the upper or capt.
taliStic class. neither to press the at
tention of the socalled middle class
who are already sufficiently informed
with the gravity Of the situation. The
main object is to- urge the working
classes to study their own conditions,
and the results to them. following the
necessary disappearance of the middle
class, and thus their natural compe-
tition with themselves.
The only way to brng about truer
democratic system of government in
this country is to convert the working
y
must unite to this end with the middle
classes which combined will gain the
victory; if ever true system of Dem
ocracy lis to obtain. 1t is quite out of
the question to anticipate proper Or
der of society, with three contending
propositions-the lower against the
upper and the middle opposed to both;
the trying to ride two horses will sure
ly land us in the raging current; we
must get together and unite our scat
tering forces, or fall by the wayside.
Don't call the new party PARTISAN
but the United party reaching out for
a common good government non-par-
tisan-this should be the aim; and
means the only successful goal. To
day the 18th of February we cele-
brated the oft recurring birthday of
one of Americas most distinguished
statesmen, abraham Lincoln, whose
name with his illustrious notions of
manhood will ever be held dear in the
minds of patriotic Americans.
Would he were present with us to-
day Though we have yet many Of his
followers) that his Christian-lille prin
ciples might he more largely instilled
among a cold money-seeking people
not all the people, thank heaven.
But why recall the dead, when gone
to their sweet repose; no, better retain
their fond memories and cherish in our
present age the unseltsh thoughts,
enacted into a real life. It would be
unkind to invite him back to earth,
to take him from his lofty home to
share the miseries of human slavery
for which he fought and won. His
spirit still .breaths DER the lanu, and
will ever remain as a guiding star;
bright in the morning, visible in the
noon day and shining in all its re-
splendence in the night hour. by
watchful care in following this beacon
light of liberty, by exercising the
rights of citizens in the truest sense,
we will yet escape the fell conditions
which overlook the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah, and the downfall of
ancient Greece and Rome. 1t is not
by the sword that true liberty reigns
supreme; the grand act of the Magma
Charta proclaimed a peaceful war, a
contest for universal liberty; so today
is it the wish of God and man to es-
tablsh our destiny by the aid of an
intelligent Christian vote: be servants
if you will, but slaves NEVER. Now
my friends, if L have wandered from
the path and have stranded in a
thorny grove of tickle thought, I may
be pardoned, in that express my sim
cerest thoughts, and my most earneSo
convictions.
Under present conditions it seems
impossible for the monied aristocracy
to advance the correct theories of
craftsmanship; the position of servant
and master has become so far strained,
that the human family Gin America)
has become of two natures. It is not
strange under prevailing conditions
that this is so, not at all, because when
the sole aim of the almighty collar
supersedes human labor, the climax of
selfishness has Lecn achieved.
In conclusion. may call the atten-
ton of my reader to pay less atten-
ton to EDITORIAL HEAD LINES in
our papers throughout the country,
but to read the subjoined text, and
discover the fallacies; but above all to
follow the current magazines, which
in these days of cheap printing, are
open to all. In these we can all find
digestive reading. as compared with
the superficial and paid utterances of
t he daily press. The age for reform
literature is abroad in the land, it
costs little to procure. and in it will
be found expressions Of light and hope
from the pens of our ablest thinkers