The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-16
FOR
The RICH, He SAYS
TOM LUCAS DECLARES ToILERs
HAVE NO BILL OF RIGHTS.
Socialists Observe Easter, Listening to
One of Their Leaders Assail the Cap
italists, for Whom, He Says, the
United States Was Made Monarchy
Falsely Dubbed a Republic.

Tom Lucas, one of the socialist lead
ers in Minneapolis, blames the constitu-
ton of the United States for following
the persecution Of labor leaders who try
peaceably to gain honest ends.' Mr..
Lucas refers especially to the prosecu-
tion of Meyer, Haywood and Pettibone,
the heads of the Western Federation
of Miners, who are under arrest in
Idaho, charged with the murder of for
mer Governor Steunenberg.
Minneapolis socialists observed Eas-
ter Sunday with protest meeting in
Holcomb' s hall, As Fourth street S,
where they voiced their opinions re-
garding the arrest of the three men.
The principal address was by Mr.. Lucas,
who opened his address by saying he
would tell them the truth FOR once if
they never heard it again in their lives.
Since the arrest of the three Colorado
men for the murder Of Steunenberg, the
strength of organized labor and social
said, for there was scarcely a laboring
man in the country who did not think
these three men were being railroaded
to the gallows by the capitalists.
solidify Ranks of Labor.
"They may convict and even hang
our brothers out there said Lucas,
"but it will be by perjured evidence,
and the blood spilled there will solidify
the ranks of labor so that we can get
our just and well-deserved rights much
sooner .TE 5..- ..a
Mr. Lucas lays the whole trouble to
the constitution of the United States.
"The constitution was made expressly
for the capitalist and intended to hold
the laboring class down. he said, and
until there is workingman s constitu-
| tion these outrages} will go on and la
borers will be powerless to stop them.
"The constitution was framed behind
closed doors,' he continued, Hbut the
private papers of President Madison re-
vealed what went ION there. The mem
bers of the constitutional convention
openly declared that what few troubles
were caused by the turbulence OF
democracy. Therefore, they started
out with the intention of creating {
monarchy, but called it a republic tt
fool you and keep you slaves under it
1t gave the people representation, but
created the senate as check, and gave
| the president veto which is as strong
as wo-thirds Of both legislative bodies
Why, it would make the thrills run W
your back to read the nice things il
the preamble to the constitution-ant
that follow that when law is passet
for the benefit of the laboring class, i
will Immediately be declared unconsti
tutional by the a supreme court. +
strangely twisted document is the con
stitution. It is like the Bible, for i
is so twisted and distorted that yo1
can It understand it unless some inspire
person comes to teH3you aboutGit. Yo
talk about your constitution, but yo
have none. You haven IT, even a phys
cal constitution for!the capitalists hav
broken that doWn!by overworking 70
and still you stand Tor 1t, -
LEARN Military Drill
Lucas appealed to the men to organ
lie and to learn military drill and tactic
that they might command more respec
"Walk shoulder to shoulder he sail
"and when you next go to the poll
go there as one man and elect officer
who will stamp out the greed of cap
talists and give you the riches thu
you make yourself. You can't expet
to own anything until you have SOM
J thing to say about the government
your own land. Don't be slaves, b,
have something to say and go about ,
now to get that right. If you al
e slaves now, it is your own fault, fl
E you have the power to throw off tt
yoke.' -
+ Lucas was followed by Others, WI
= spoke along the same lines. A cole
y ton was taken to aid the three me
! arrested in Colorado.