The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1915-10-07
A Step Forward
Let's take a step forward
Right here in Everett!


Right here in Everett
The human race, through blood
and tears and travail, is marching
forward to a sublime goal
We people of Everett are all in
the procession, some hopefully
and ioyously in the lead, some
falteringly cropping their way, as
if in the dark; others holding
back, stubborn, pessimistic, stumb-
ling blocks in the path of progress.
But all of us are going some
where, going forward willingly or
unwillingly. The forces of social
evolution are too much even for
the most reactionary, driving all
men and women irresistably for
ward
Some of us have glimpsed from
afar Humanity's high goal, and
are consciously acting in harmony
with the laws of social progress to
help speed the day of Man S eman-
cipation from poverty, anxiety,
over-work, no-work, inebriety, dis
ease, crime and prostitution. We
know for certainty that these
evils are today largely the pro-
duct of our own criminal negli-
gence, our terrible apathy, mental
sluggishness, moral flaccidity, mar
row and unintelligent selfishness.
Some of us are doing more than
our part in the struggle to make
man free, alert, aspiring, chival-
rous, full-grown! But we do not
complain; we are not discouraged
our vindication and triumph is
only put off for a day.
But what has all this to do with
municipal politics?
EVERYTHING !
A city is known by the officials
it elects.
A community which is tagging
behind in the general march OF
progress, will elect for high office
men without energy, without
ideals, without knowledge of the
forces playing about them, and
who, having no clear understand
ing Of the great economic and po
litical problems of the day, found
er about aimlessly and helplessly
taking no permanent step for
ward, knowing not where they are
being driven They are not build
ers; they cannot be leaders; they
form no connecting link between
the ugly present and the beau
teous dawn Of tomorrow. Why
elect to office men Of clay? Why
not choose, rather for officials
only those men and women who
are going somewhere, of their OWL
volition, knowing well their goal
certain of their road, inspired with
deep faith in their mission?
Citizens of Everett, those OF
you, at least, who live by the
sweat of your own brows, make
use of your advance guard, en-
courage and support your pioneers
of today. Let the dead vote for the
dead!
You men and women Of Everett
who are alive TO the great issues
and opportunities Of today, give
your support to the history-mak-
ers of your own time-thOse tc
whom monuments will be reared
by the conservatives Of the future
when a new breed of pioneers will
in their turn, be blazing new paths
to yet newer and worthier goals
Whitman speaks for us today as
he did for the pioneers of long
ago:
All the past we leave behind;
We debouch upon newer, might
Ter world, varied world;
Fresh and strong the world we
seize, world Of labor and the
march,
Pioneers o pioneers
See, my children resolute children,
By those swarms upon our rear,
we must never yield or falter,
Ages back in ghostly millions,
frowning there behind US urg-
ing,
Pioneers o pioneers
0 you daughters of the vest
0 you young and elder daughters
Oyou mothers and you wives
Never must you be divided, in our
ranks you move united,