The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-03-26

and light. Look about you every
where and YOU will see the witnesses
to the strength, skill, industry and
heroic faithfulness of the laboring
man.
He is brave independent, demo-
cratic fellow, He believes in equal
rights for all and special privileges
for none. He is reading and think
ing as never before in history. He is
awakening to the power there is in
him; he can lay down his hammer or
shovel or croWbar and make you
speech on social economy and the
just and equal adjustment of the
affairs of civil government that
would surprise you. He knows in the
strong, fearless heart of him that he
is worth more to his country and the
strenuous times in which he is living
and battling for bread for those who
depend upon him, than all the lazy,
sons and daughters Of the nation who
luxuriate off Of unjust legislation and
eat their bread from the sweat of the
other peoples faces.
The laboring man knows that if he
will stand up and stand together ne
can relegate worthless men from pub
lie trust and make congressman and
senators. He can say who shall gov
ern the states. He has the balance
Of power to tilt the political scale for
or against any one Of the great poll
tical parties. The laboring man is
opposed to war. He knows the men
who make war will not go to the fir
ing line, but while they sit in lux
ury at safe distance. the sons of
toll must go out and kill each other
and when the conflict is ended they
must go back to their endless task
in the sod and CRIME and grind for
bread.
The laboring man is threatening to
make war on war. He says if kings,
rulers and legislators rush recklessly
into war he will go on strike and tie
up all the ships and railroad trains.
stop the manufacture of arms and
ammunition, shut up the telegraph
offices, turn off the electric lights,
shut down the coal mines and leave
the men who made war without
means to prosecute it, and the labor
ing man could do this if he made up
his mind to it. When you think of
all these facts you can begin to APP
preciate the power and Importance
of the laboring man. You see at once
that he should have a comfortable
home, good clothing and healthful
food. That he should have practical
education, that he should be sober,
that every tenn ptation to drunkenness
and impurity which can be removed
from his path should be swept away.
You see that every statesman, edu-
Gator and minister of the gospel and
lover Of the human race must become
interested in the laboring man. If
he can feel that he is treated on the
square, that he receives due reward
of his toll, that his sweat is not
wrung from him in injustice for the
support of the selfish and indolent;
that his interests are duly considered
in halls of. legislation, and that he
has a square deal, then you may
count on the laboring man provided
! he can save wages enough to own his
own cottage, keep good suit for
Sunday and wear it to church, reads
! his Bible and lifts up his song and
prayer to Jesus Christ.
DuL yOu SdI lOOl Tie HAL
| always. He has no faith in Pierpont
or John D. He knows that the Payne
tariff bill is a falsehood and a farce
so far as he is concerned; that it was
! framed for the benefit of the rich and
| not for the great masses of the
!, people. He has no faith in the pat
riotism of Aldrich. He believes him
to be set for the protection of the
indolent rich and the oppression OF
the working poor. The laboring mar
| is losing faith. He saw the govern
| ment measure arms with STANDARD
Oil and Standard Oil walk through
the meshes of the law unpublished
triumphant and defiant. Yes, the
laboring man is losing faith. He has
| seen Christ put out of many of the
! great universities, the Bible torn tc
| fragments by a host of theological
professors and preachers. He ha!
seen Jesus rejected in the senate OF
the United States and on the front
door steps of the White House of the
nation. He looks upon the breakin;
up Of the foundation Of our whole
system. and with the rest of the rae,
| he looks with bated breath into tn.
on-coming future with wonder an;
anxiety.