The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-10-27

: - r--- -al-l.
When these reformers and good people
recognize that competition and COM;
mercialism is the evil and that govern:
ment ownership is the remedy, then
something of real value will be accom-
plished. Mr.. Dewey made a great hit
her, by recitingo one verse Of a poem
written by Captain Jack Crawford, the
poet scout, in 1877, when there was q
strike in the very region now affected
in the same way. The poem is entitled
"Ye Sons Of Toll and Danger" and
would do credit to Leigh Hunt or Oliver
Goldsmith. Continuing, he said:
Grant every other. reform sought to-
day, and leave the competitive system,
and the people will still be in economic
slavery. as they surely are today. The
cry against the trusts is folly. They
eliminate wasted Industrial energy
from the scheme of production and dis
tribution. The department store is the
labor saving machine of commerce.
"Show the people that the co-opera-
tive system Of industry will promote
the cause of humanity-that it will stop
strikes and lockouts by removing the
cause of such disturbances; that it will
lessen the criminal forces by removing
the incentive to crime; that it will close
the saloon as place Of debauchery
and drunken revelry by creating within
the individual higher respect for him.
self, thus promoting temperance and
sobriety; that it will make of every
man a better citizen, and every citizen
better man, and I believe there are
few people who would not assist in the
effort to bring about the desired change.
Under the spur of selfish interest
the liberties of the common people are
fast being taken away. It was Lord
Byron who said: "A thousand years
scarce serve to form state; an hour
may lay it in the dust" It should be
the duty Of every good citizen to do his
part to avert such an ending for the
fairest republic on earth. would save
the nation and the nations people from
disaster, and I would do that, too. be-
meath the sheltering folds of our own
emblem Of civil and religious liberty
the Stars and Stripes. If we are citi-
zens let US alone be men; If we are men
let us be men in the truest sense
of the word. We can be if we will.
The competitive system annuls the
efforts of the church and all the fra
ternal brotherhoods to promote the
cause Of justice and universal brother
hood among the people. And there
can be no end to that system but an
archy and blood. But with national CO.
operation ir industry there is removed
every incentive to wrong ones fellows,
and the end must be the realization of
the hopes Of the true disciples of the
Carpenter of Nazareth, and all of those
who have espoused the cause of human
progress, in justice, charity and broth
'erly love. .s4.ss I5ssss 9s.5 ID. s&3#S &3
Thes confIct Tor the supremacy tssof
y l sl s. l e s.! ~ g I'D ,l;a
Justice 10 alf
greed of the indlvidns ISs Sssst Ter. J. Is sal-
ready on, and the ma NJ no cannot see
IL is surely blinded by selfish interests
and his own fancied security under the
inhuman competitive system. ! But II
does not require the prophetic foresight
Of Daniel to see in the signs of the
times the dawning of a brighter day
for the sons Of toll. Obliterate from
your minds eye for a few moments all
that would obscure your vision, and
view me a glimpse of the fast approach
ing victory in the struggle for the right
Two armies are facing each other in
line of battle. On the one side are seen
the common people, whom the immortal
Lincoln once said the Lcrd must love
i.-.. IL ~,
the other, side are to be found those
who have become enl iched from the Ia
Dor of their less fortunate fellows. Let
your eyes follow me in review of the
forces thus presented to view:
I'm the first division Of the army OF
the people are seen six millions of Wo-
men, wearing the badge Of white rib
bon. This mighty host is commanded
by Generals Love, Purity and Inno-
cence. At the head of the, column is
seen shining banner of pure white, on
which is inscribed in letters of gold
these two magical words, 'The Home,
and what an incentive to heroic effort
those words become. With heads erect
and faces to the front, these millions of
defenders of the Home seem eager to
engage the enemy. t".
ION the right of this invincible host
of women we see another mighty army
of sturdy sons, Of toll. This division is
composed of mechanics, laborers, farm
ers and others whose peaceful occupa-
tion is that of toiling for their daily
bread. These forces are commanded by
Generals Justice, Equality, Industry
and Thrift. Here we see banners in
scribed. Industry. Moral Worth, not
Wealth, the True Standard Of Individu-
al and National Greatness. Equal
Opportunities for All, Special Privileges
for None In this army there are eight
millions Of workers. standing shoulder
to shoulder in solid phalanx, deter
mined upon freedom from Industrial
slavery or death in the attempt to Sc
cure it for all the people. -,
But there is another division of this
army, and it is composed Of men who
have heretofore been counted as be-
longing on the other side in this con-
hict. It, is the vast numbers OF mer-
chants, manufacturers and capitalists,
who haye#at last come osa realizing
sense of the injustice to labor made
possible, aye. necessary, bysa Econtinua-
tion ofthe destructive competitive sys-
tem--a. system which has proven itself