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Vol. I
BROTHERHOOD SONG.
[Air— "Slide, Kelly. Slide."]
MBS?JOSEPHINE 1.. CHURCH.
Come, friends, and listen to a tale
That will fill your hearts with glee;
There' is one spot yet left on earth
Where worklngmen are free.
Chorus:
Fly! Brothers. Fly! You know you
have no place;
l-'ly! Brothers, Fly! Where work is no
disgrace.
For if your job has failed you,
And the copper has not jailed you.
The Brotherhood will take you; ■ •
So Fly! Brothers, Fly!
No boss or landlord there you meet-
No mortgages nor debt:
Anil the fruit of all your toil is yours,
And that is better yet. V
Chorus
If there you go with willing hands,
And hearts devoid of greed,
You'll lind a home to cull your own,
With everything you need.
Chorus-
No slavish toil awaits you there;—
No rent you'll have to pay:
lis only just to do your share
For an equal share each day.
Chorus
So, brothers, come, and let us go
And help to swell the throng.
And make an object lesson there
To help the world along.
Chorus—
The spot I mean Is In the West,
In a fair and fertile state,
And bears a name well-know to fame.
As iK-ing good and great.
Chorus-
By the waters of fair Puget Sound,
In a pleasant, fruitful plain.
That is sheltered by the mountains
round, ,-i
|a the spot that you should gain.
I bonis. -
I SUCCESSFUL SECESSION
low the Workers of Ancient Rome
Set a Good Example to American
Workers in Organizing Colonies and
Leaving the Aristocrats to "Wash
Their Own Soiled Linen". Let All
American Workers Join B C C Colo
nies and Show Loafers that Their
Capital Will Not Save Them.
im.i: I Blake, In Magna Charts Stories.]
.11 was In the year lull H. I.
A group of three people, talking in
cry earnest, excited tones, were stand
is, just at twilight, in the doorway of
plain cottage in Koine.
"it Is of no use." the woman was say
ig sadly. She was a noble-looking
oman, though bearing In her face and
em the marks of care and toll. The
in Men, stalwart, fine-looking fellows
thirty and twenty-five, were evi
•ntly her sou-, anil they all were ga/.
ig down the road as if expecting some
le.
"tain- will have no mercy," contln
-d She. "1 know tin-so proud nobles
■ Well."
"Mercy!" broke in the oldest son ve
•mently. "i don't ask for mercy; I
ant simple justice, Debt! Cuius the
iiii-i.-i.ui to talk of 'debt' to my father!
UVV tilt! he lose tig health but ill the
•cursed wars the pride and folly of
Ms nobles brought upon us. Didn't
■ lust; his crops because the Volsclans
'd./Kqulnians burned them to avenge
» wrongs they bad suffered from the
Mas."
"Yes,'' -lid the mother eagerly, "ho
*V would huvo borrowed the money
»m t'aius but to keep you little ehil
'" from want, because he was not al
v time ami strength to earn food
J't'U himself. He has given up
Tftnlag but hi., life in the public sei
''■ Money could not repay what he
it done for i 'aius. and now he perse
<* .- for the debt, Oh that it should
to this! How many nights In the
'■ times, when you wore little ehll
'«■ nit sons, did 1 look off to the hills
' see tl„. cottage- anil grain-tacks
""i;-. and wonder when our turn
ultl come; how often did I hear the
- ''he Volscians are coming!' anil
"I'm; boy-babies in my arms, ami
K. oh, so ' earnestly, for the strong
""of my brave husband to defend us!
l no, he was away lighting battles
the patricians, perhaps, too, at that
.» moment lying faint and wounded!
'" I consoled myself, poor fool that 1
■> by thinking; how ■ they would de
»t to honor him when ho came back.
to to -..-If, -l am a 1 toman matron,
these are sons of 'a? I toman soldier.
'> will-;have?, heritage of glory
I more than enough to make up for all
this suffering. The Republic will be
grateful'- .
"Grateful!" exclaimed the younger
son. "Home does not know the mean
ing of the word, else why should she
make such cruel laws?"
"But thirty days ago." said the
mother, "when Cuius said he must have
the debt paid, and your father took the
choice the law allows between hopeless
slavery for himself and you—think of
thai, my grown-up sons!— or answering
with his body for the debt, I never
really thought that Cains would press
him to the limit, of the law. Thirty
days has your father tried to get the
money, but it has been useless — I knew
it would be? Now nothing remains, if
Cuius is still merciless, but for your
father to be chained like a dog with
heavy irons in ('aius' courtyard for
< 'aius' worthless sons to make sport of
—oh, my boys, the very thought makes
me wild! Think of the sixty days' mis
ery and shame that must follow, during
all which time they will feed him like
a beast with just food enough to keep
him alive to feel his degradation, and
then— hopeless slavery or a cruel death!
Are you men, my sons, to see your old
father, bent with age and crippled with
wounds"'
"Mother," interrupted Marcus,
speaking slowly and heavily as men do
when their passions are too fierce and
deep for words, "this shall never be.
We have borne a great deal already,
but this is too much. There he comes,
let us meet him." And they walked
down the road where a tall and soldierly
old man was seen slowly approaching.
"Well, Valerius," said Virgil the
mother "is It all over?"
"Yes." said he: "Cuius' only answer
to my entreaties was. 'You had your
choice: the law must take its course.'
And hi.- miserable son mocked and
jeered at mo the profligate! Hut it is
the last time!" And the old man's
eyes Hashed ominiously. "There is
only one thing left," he continued
slowly, "WO must leave Home. There
is surely free air enough somewhere for
a Roman soldier to breathe. The oth
er plebeians will go with us, and we will
found a city that some day may bring
these proud patricians to their senses.
Virgilia." turning to his wife, stud his
tones softening a little, "could you bear
to give up this home, poor as it is,
where we have lived all these years,
where our children were born, where
our little Julia drooped and died?"
"Yea, my husband," answered Vir
gllia. though her eyes were filled with
teats. "Anything that will give you a
fair chance."
"What have We to lose?" vehemently
interrupted Marcus. "Haven't we all
been tied down to hard work and poor
living, going without everything we
wanted, and doing everything we didn't
waul to tin. all these years; ami what
have we gained but to sink deeper into
debt year by year? What better
chance Is there for me ami my chil
dren?"
Valerius and hi- family belonged to
that great class of common people whol
in all fount lies antl in all times have
U-c-n worth so much to the rich and
noble, but yet have suffered so much
from their hands. Cruel debtor laws
for fifteen years bail borne very heavily
on the plebeian--, as the common people
were called In Koine. There had boon
Open protests and low mutterlngs; but
plebeians everywhere bear very much
before they rebel against those they are
accustomed to serve. Yet now the
thought of seeing the bravo old soldier,
whom they all knew and respected?
chained likes beast, was too much for
even their long suffering. They know
too well all In- had done for Cuius tho
Patrician; they knew quite as well that
this money which Cuius would extort
was only to go to buy Cains' profligate
sons mors white horses ami gilded
chariots. The plan of leaving the
nobles to tight their own Unties hud
boon often talked of M a last resort.
Mount Avenlinu-was not far away. It
would not take long.ii* tho sunny Ital
ian climate, to make comfortable homes
there for their families. In case of
need It might bo fortified who knows?
— against even Home herself.
There was little sleep that night in
the humble homes of the plebeians.
Men came and went, .talking in low
tone-; women were busy gathering to
gether their most precious possessions.
If the tears fell as they worked, they
fell quietly; for though women dread to
give up their old homes for new and un-
EDISON, SKAGIT COUNTY. WASH., SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1898,
tried ones, they stop at no sacrifice
when the peace_ anil safety of fathers
and husbands and sons is threatened.
(fray dawn came. In the plebeian
quarter all were strangely astir. It was
not a noisy procession that marched
through the gates, but there was a set
look on the passing faces which showed
that it might be dangerous to meddle
with them. At anyrate, nobody did.
and by nightfall they were comfortably
camping about the sides and to]) of
Mount Aventinus. The nobles could
not believe that these poor plebeians
could be in earnest. They sent a mes
senger to ask them to come back.
But the plebeians answered, "No,
thank yon. we do not intend to come
back, we like it better here."'
The patricians were really disturbed.
It would be very inconvenient to get
along without the plebeians.
One bright morning not many days
after the secession of the plebeians,
Marcus' little daughter Lueretia stood
beside her mother looking towards the
city. Rome has now. even to the
chance visitor, an irresistible and mys
terious fascination. He dislikes to
leave it, and he longs to return to it:
and these people could not resist long
ing looks, even if they were self-exiled.
"Mamma," said little Lueretia, "I
don't like it here. Papa and grand
papa are so busy and sober, and you
look so homesick. Can't we go back to
our little cottage again? I want to see
my rabbits, and your flowers were so
lovely. Don't you want to go back,
mamma?"
The tears sprang into her mother's
eves. "Yes. my child: but they were
so hard anil cruel to us there; and here
—but who is coming?"
A company of men, evidently patri
cians, were approaching. Valerius and
Marcus had seen them too. and had
gone forward to learn their errand.
"O plebeians," called out the leader.
"listen to our message."
Valerius gravely replied, "We will
listen, but we will not heed, unless it
brings good to us as well as to you."
"It is Menenius Agfippa," whispered
Marcus to his father.
"I know him," answered Valerius:
"a leader and a spokesman for the
nobles, a smooth-tongued man. Speak
on." he continued^ turning to Agrippu.
And Menenius began telling the
plebeians In persuasive tones how much
they owed to the patricians; how they
governed the city and directed the
wars; how they never could have over
come Koine's numerous anil dangerous
enemies but for the skill of the patrician
leaders; picturing the future glory of
Koine, in which the plebeians would
share as well as lie- nobles if they
would but come back to the city and
share In her dangers.
Valerius answered boldly:
"Much good will Koine's glory do us
if wo must lie slaves to Rome Itself.
Remember, Agrlppa, who has fought
the battles. Look at me. see my forty
live wounds, all In front, anil not one in
the back— vet here 1 am without the
means of living, or a single acre of the
land that has been bought with my
blood; nuy. more, I cannot even call
ibis poor wounded body my own. No.
Meneiiius. no! we will never go back to
our old wrongs! We will have a city of
our own. If we have built your houses
in Koine, we can build our own here,
yea, ami defend them too if need be."
At this the plebeians shouted: "Wit
will not go bat.' leave us in peace. <>
patriot
Hut the nobles had no idea of doing
this. They were more convinced than
ever that it would bo neither pleasant
no safe to have a, disaffected city grow
ing up at their very gates.
"Listen!" shouted Agrlppa again, a.
the voices of the plebeians grew louder
and more excited, "You promised to
listen. Hear this parable."
"Hear his parable," commanded
Valerius. The plebeians stotxl once
more silently listening.
"Once MM ,l time." lvegan Mein
nius Agrlppa, "the head ami eyes ami
hands ami feet retailed against the
stomach. 'We have wuiu-d on you
long enough,' they sain 'what are you
good for but to lx* fed and taken care
of? The hands must work for food for
you, the feet must do your err..mis, and
the eyes must keep watch for you. You
are idle and good for nothing. We will
take care of ourselves, and leave you to
look out.for yourself.' So the hands
and feet busied themselves with their
own affairs, the head ceased troubling
itself to provide food for the stomach,
and In-eyes had plenty of leisure, anil
they paid no attention to the stomach's
entreaties and cries of distress. For
awhile all seemed prosperous; but very
soon the head began to grow confused
and dizzy, the eyes lost their clear
vision, the hands lay limp anil listless.
and the feet dragged as if shod with
lead. The stomach was the source of
strength and beauty for tin- whole body,
and in Injuring that, they had destroyed
themselves. Know. O plebeians," con
tinued Agrippa, "that as the stomach
is to the body, so are tin- nobles to the
state. You Injure them and you de
stroy yourselves. Come back to us:
Rome needs you and you need us. If
you will tell us what you want, we will
try and do it for you. If our laws are
too hard we will make them easier."
The plebeians were evidently im
pressed with this speech. They gath
ered about Valerius and his sons for
consultation. Soon Valerius answered,
speaking for them all:
"We will come back on these condi
tions, and these only: Cancel all our
outstanding debts: set free those debt
ors who are now in the power of their
creditors: then, as a surety for the fu
ture, give us two men from our own
people as protectors. Give them power
to release us from any cruel and over
bearing noble. Make their persons as
sacred as the messengers of the gods,
and let whoever harms them be ac
cursed. Give us two tribunes of the
people, and we will be content!"
The plebeians took up the words, and
repeated them with a great shout:
"Forgive our debts, and give us two
tribunes of the people, and we will go
back!"
Then the patricians consulted to
gether. They agreed to the conditions.
A solemn treaty was made as between
two nations, that the rights of the
plebeians should be forever guarded by
their tribunes.
It was a joyful day for our little Lu
eretia and her mother when the com
pany of the commons returned to the
city. Her grandfather. Valerius,
Looked ten years younger. But his
wife Virgilia only. shook her head
doubtfully: "Promises are good, but ii
is better to see how they are kept be
fore we rejoice too much."
These fears were destined to be realis
ed. Thirty-four years later the plebeians
were wrought up to such a great state
of indignation ami anger by the acts of
one of the decemvirs, named Applus
Claudius, that the nobles were forced to
give them greater security for freedom.
The hated decemvirs were punished,
the tribunes of the people were re
stored, und the plebeians were counted
as a part of the 1 toman people.
Thus it was that twice in the early
history of Koine the common people
rose and fought for their freedom.
Thus was it that they obtained it.
America's Lost Estate.
Our carpenters build magnificent
mansions, with pillared walls, and
mosaic floors, and as soon as their
work is done they pick up their tools
anil leave, and never go there any
more.
Our mechanics make electric lights
and use dangerous kerosene at borne;
they build carriages and go afoot:
they manufacture pianos and do not
own a,tin whistle.
Our miners dig up gold and die poor;
they live in treacherous coal mines,
and lack fuel In December.
Our farmers raise grain and lack
food; export wool and cotton and lack
overcoats in winter; sell cattle to pa v
off the mortgage and lack meat.
Hundreds of the men who helped to
build our railways are now counting
the ties from San Francisco to New
York.
Hundred!, of young men, whose par
ents were those hardy western pio
neers 'who transformed a wilderness
Into a civilization, are today without
a foot of land and without hope.
Our marvelous Inventions have been
monopolized so that, In spite of the
daily miracles of out machinery, the
hungry still lack food nod toe home
less wander through the streets.
Every recent change in legislation
has been made to protect property
and to disfranchise men. Herbert N.
Casson.
•- ..
The metropolitan dailies have be
come so voluminous, so stuffed and in
flated with wind. and j worthlessneßs,
that none but professional loafers
have time to wade through them.—
Oodie Miner-Index.
MUSINGS OF fl MOSSBfIGK.
I Written '.-i- Industrial Freedom.]
Reformers should see to it that the
war is not allowed to interfere with
propaganda work.
Those who are at the front will
need reading matter to while away
the dreary hours of bivouac. Re
formers with means should see that
they get the right kind.
Maybe you can't donate a yacht to
your country as Aster did, but just
figure close and see if you cannot
send a live cent book on sociology to
the front.
Anent that yacht—l don't see that
it was such a great thing to do. I'll
cheerfully give the same percentage
of my wealth to the cause—if Uncle
Sam has change for a cent.
A certain man was patriotic and
bought a flag and Hung it to the
breeze, and "the winds rose and the
Hoods descended." Next morning the
staff was striped with crimson and
blue and the grass discolored. Think
ing some one had tried to tear down
the flag and been shot in several
spots, he looked up to assure himself
of the safety of the emblem only to
see a tattered emblem of truce. It
was a competitive flag built for profit,
not for patriotism, and all he had
to show for his outlay was a barber's
sign and a discolored lawn.
The "Old Veteran's Reserve," re
cruited from the wearers of the gray
as well as the blue, is an excellent
idea. Our country must be in sore
straits indeed, before it needs to call
upon these heroes of a thousand bard
fought fields: but it marks the pass
ing of the "bloody shirt" politician
and i- cause for thankfulness.
if the war is to be rushed through
so as not to be an issue in tin fall
campaign by sending unaccllmated
troops to Cuba, then I vote nit. Bet
ter "delay" it to work republican suc
cess than to turn our brave boys over
to the mercies of "Yellow .lack."
The administration was slow
enough about getting into it. God
knows. If they can get any partisan
advantage, and are mean enough to
take it. we should not grudge it to
them.
The --ins" would like to make the
people believe that patriotism means
not only obedience to the laws and
the constitution, but an unquestion
ing belief that "they" are the best
that can be had.
This is all "hoodoo." The republi
can party, in its honest infancy, not
only agitated against chattel slavery,
then a constitutional custom, but
abolished it. and "raised its hand
against the constitution" and struck
out the obnoxious section, and now.
by George, it brag* about it. Oh, it
makes a mighty big difference whose
ox is gored.
So far from being unpatriotic,
many of the highest examples of pa
triotism have taken he form of cru
sades against the established order of
things,
So far from property being sacred,
it is frequently the reverse. It de
pends upon the property.
"The cares of business, allurements
of pleasure and pursuit of wealth
tend to make men forgetful of devo
tion to country." D.. they? The re
medy a "whoop her up" celebration
each Ith of duly. Hum—well. How
easy anything is that is easy.
UNION THAT DIS-CNITES.
The purpose of "Ministers' Unions'!
I must be to map out an organized cam
paign against the forces of Satan.
Why each returns to his isolated for
tress (the church of his particular
creed to carry on the battle is too hie.
a guess for me. Ido know the feeble
and scattering lire he keeps up from
its dismantled bastions strikes some
good "brother twice for every time
it hits the devil once.
How the promoters of "union" that
brings about such results can look
each other In the face without laugh
ing beat- me. ;
If they really take this "united" ac
tion seriously, pardon me if I smile.
If the only motive that I can seels
that seven or eight half loaves, in the
way of church support, are consider
ed better than one whole one, it ;s lie
case I have looked in vain for any
other.
I may be unjust.(ungenerous, I hope, j
never) to the ministerial fraternity. '
1 confess to a deep and profound mis-!
understanding of them: and from
misunderstanding frequently arises
injustice.
I can understand the motives and
actions of churches and ministers in
the good old days when men died
cheerfully for their religion, and as
cheerfully gave their opponents the
same privilege when said opponents
were in the minority.
That was a "good fight" commensu
rate with the magnitude of the inter
ests involved. One can even see how
he might have been led to enlist in
such a battle, and to carry a musket,
a thumb screw or a bundle of fagots
In defense of the true faith,
My misunderstanding of the modern
preacher and the "up to date" reli
gion, while it arises no doubt from ig
norance, cannot be ascribed entirely
to lack of study. I have not given
these subjects the most exhaustive
study. 1 do not find them fascinating.
Rut as the more 1 study the denser
becomes my ignorance, it seemed bet
ter, perhaps, that I should quit.
"Union" meetings, where all is love
and harmony and peace, and joint tie
bates where all is "any old thing" get
me mixed up.
An organized campaign against the
arch enemy of mankind, and a free
for-all fight aiming themselves, on the
side, muddles my alleged understand
ing.
Wrestling with Satan for the sou's
of men and squabbling among them-
Ives for the body! Blessed if lean
find out "where they are at."
"None of my business?" Well,doubt
less. Still, when they mount my pet
hobbies. "Unity and Co-operation, *' 1
cannot resist the temptation to give ■
them a riding lesson.
Bach is willing to unite on his own
particular creed; such a manifest ab
surdity that we can scarcely give the
proposition credit of being mad in
good faith.
If a layman, a very "lay" man,
might make a suggestion it would be
this, explode a double charge of spir
itual dynamite in the ecclesiastical
vhie'vard. I'pon tin- "bed rock" thus
exposed lay the broad and sure foun
dation of the church of the living
Cod.
As I am willing to be guided In my
sectarian wanderings, where the
more I look for a trail the worse I get
lost In the woods, so I hope any sug
gestions, coming from one who knows
so little, may be taken i.i the spirit in
which tin. re given.
I can't help but believe in union that
unifies and in co-operation that co
operates. God speed their coming,
for then is the millennium here.
OPTION WILL EXPIRE
Our option on the IfiO acres adjoin
ing our 280 acres will expire dune Ist.
As our ditch drains the bin acre tract,
adding largely to its value, it is im
perative that we secure a deed before
our option expires. The time is very
limited and we urge our local unions
.1- well as ... I members at large, to
put forth every effort to raise the re
quired amount. (1,450, and remit at
the earliest possible moment. A doz
en members paying either in full or
the major portion of their fees will
secure the tract.
.
Sweaters or Socialism, one i;. .i.
Travis & .>.. have the contract for
furnishing the wagons and driver,and
have announced a reduction in wages
of lv per cent. The men have ap
pealed to the Chicago Federation of
Labor and have been assured of its sunt
port. The llorseshoers'and Wagon
makers' union- have also taken up the
fight, and are arranging for the for
mation of a union among the drivers.
The government does not control this
class .c the o*l -i service, and it lii
said that a Strike of the un could
not he construed as interfering with
tie- movement of the mail. Sometime
the people Will operate both mail
wagons and railroads and then there
will be no more "cuts" during dull
seasons and no need of strikes. Up,
comrade*, the dawn is breaking—
Chicago Times-Herald.
Be honest, and society will starve,
and freeze you. Re a thief on I big
scale, and society will at one. see to It
that you in.' honored and wv|! cared
for. Commonwealth.
No. 3