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■VT**' OSS ILE. ants Cail and ss. ItESS S t . N. Y. luse In N! limber of ist friends IS of ad it educa- ON OH’S, oes, Douglas JS. Tings lor dow cost inty cents oiat-thing i.’s stock, >OK. fiws, Honor, mis book, of L. Tae od evera^ d sbmild ess. The a, by the bio. l i is ducatiou, 10 toiling 0 cents s >Iedo, O. t~ $ 6 'W Street, VOL, I, NUMBER 12, TROY, N. Y„ JULY 24, 1886. PRICE 3 CENTS. ABSOLUTE MONEY. In ourjoutnori\ \TOTed Ancient ideis ere uuu.tU^ For (be age of UgSt and ateam; Telf grip'.a ine world are kDlttieg— Note but drones cmi Idly dream. Awake tbOQ deeper itto action; Liberty lias come to blrtb, Bi«3k the ctialisoip>rty (ic ion; S<iuU r gbts mall ruletbe eartb. Musty creeds and laws dognisllc bballEOt ruletbe world to day, tioM a omcrebiaatccrailc, Silterfoil* nee away, ucmoni tlae both gold and silver, Fickle raicB 0! tbe past; unward be uur prognsi ever, coin Bicb money as sball last, cointbepip^rInto mowy, Witb tne goTernmental etamp; some may taink it strange or fanny, That it carM tbe wandtilng tramp, setting rusty wbeeta in motion, Calling workmen everywhere. Asking brip acroBB the ocean, work for all and more to spare. very war work and wages all inciting Freedom's banner to onfurL H :sm lands wlL bloom with clover, Businesb dakdcg win arise, Baakruptoies will cease all over. Tramps b»ome tbe lormerM prize, '''ntals tratb, i t Is no flriioi:— Pap.rmoney stays a t borne, Cold and sliver by the diction Oi Its master loves t« roano. Fix the sum (or tbls great natlos. For all bonds the full amount; Tbls is rlgbt, ’t's not InaaUoD, Pay In full our last account. R-RWOKOW. life ’ s conflict . QamUrg VI sdandtrai Del^ders of tbe cause of man— A cioaen, peerlfSB few Bora to their mission and Intplrcd, Ob, abould they fall, we feel No spirit would like ibelre bs fired, Nobaidoouiii wield tbeir steel. Ytt one by one they step aside, Or on tbe red Held lie. And silli their plac-s are supplied, sun tings tbe battle-cry, mill o'er the hoary wall! of wrong,; Truth's Ktarillngmisaels dy; And etui, with steady sup and strong, Her hosts sremarcblng by. And so It shall be evirmore Until itoe I'Tomp la blown, Pioclalmitg wrong’s hard rule la o’er, A cdng,.tl8on tbe throne. Y<t fear not (or a cause subi'me, Though wroi g do all It can, 8tlU, in the darkeetbour of tim ', hlrg Right shall lead the van. BAFFLED. it was iluring the time of powdered hair and cocked hats—theyear J781. Off Philadelphia Jay the twenty-gun ship Ariel, just arrived under command df Commodore Paul Jones. Tbtra were in the city many persons -who bad never seen the remarable man, among ihem the subject of this ske'.cb, Ben Wilson—a trim, powerful young Jack-tar of twenty-five ■who had tately married Susan Gray, a humble but beeu- titnl damsel of eighteen. There bad been another suitor, also a sailor named Thomas 'Wright, who hated Wilson be cause Susan bad pcefeiredhim, and who, being of a cruel, malicious disposition, longed to do him some injury. Having finished his term aboard one ■>f tbe vessels in the harbor, Ben. shipped aboard tbe Ariel, that he might serve under the renewed hero, who, with liis craft, tbe Bon Homme Hicbard, bad fought tbe English frigaleSerapis. Learing that Ben. had shipped, Wright ■who, like the former, had never seen Jones, also become one of the Ariel's crew. Neither, however, eonld yet get sight of the commodore, who was absent —would not be l»ckfor a week. In a few days Wright was chosen to act in the place oi the boatswain's mate, who was a t that time ill. His duties b e sides blowing on the call, etc., were to punish with the colt—a coil of rope from two to three feet long—and also with the eat-o-oine-Uils, usually called the “cat,” ' such of the sailors as “offended” against the rales of the ship, and he ardently hoped that he might yet have a chance to flog with bis ctuel ksh the man be hated for winning pretty Susan. One iT.y -oiue r f lie c ew.vere granied liberty—that is to say, permission to go ashore. They were ordeied to return to the ship at nine o’clock. The boats- swain'a mate, Wright and Ben. Wilson, were among them, the former bn the watch for the coveted chance which might favor his evil designs. Unlortn- nately Ben. drank, and in a state of par tial intoiicatiOD he visited, a few minutes before n ine o ’clock, when he should have repaired to the boat, “The Dolphin”— a tavern not twenty yard from the land ing Here the landJcrd accommodated him with a glass of brandy, which the young man lifted high, saying at the same time in a loud voice: “A health to Commodore P aul Jones!” Then h e left the place, not to go to the boat, b u t in'ending to seek some other It was a dark night, b u t by the bright ligQt streaming through tbe windons of the house, Ben. could see a middle sized, . broad-shouldered man, enveloped in a shaggy overcoat, watching him with a mingled expression of stern disapproval and amusement on his broad, weather beaten face. “Hold there my man,” said this p er son, laying a hand on his shoulder. “What’s yon name, and what ship do you belong to ?” “My name? Why, now, my name is Ben. IVilson, and my ship is the Ariel, but blast me if I know whit business it is of yours ?” “It is time you went to the boat. You will get yourself in trouble if yon don’t go in time. Bear in mind.” “Aye, aye, all very well, but I ain’t ready yet, do you see?” “Come, you must go !” and the hand on Wilson’s shoulder prcsied it heavily.” “Let go of me !” cried Ben. angrilv; bat tbe other, half smiling, gripped him yet more firmly. Then Ben. made a blow at him, which the man parried, when a struggle ensued. Ben. fought bis best, but the man at length succeeded in grasping him around the arms from behind in whi.ih position Wilson was literally carried to within a few fathoms of the boat, when, seeing a number oF sailors approaching, the stranger released his hold, and laughing, made of in the darkness. Ere. Ben could pursue the coxswain and several other seaman arrived on the spot and drew him to tbe boat. “It’s Incky you came when you d id,” said the coxswain. “ We wouldn't have waited for yon many seconds longer.” “I wouldn’t have been here if old Nick or somebodv like him hadn’t brought me,” was the reply. “A citizen, probably,” said the other, laughing. “We all said that some one bad hold of yon, but couldn't make out who it was in the darkness.” “Just then the boatswain's mate, Wright, who had been an unseen witness of the struggle towards its termination, bnt who, in the gloom, bad not been able to obtain a good view of the stranger's face, made his appearance, coming from the same direction in which the msn had vanished. “It was I,’’ ho whispered to the cox swain, who brought Wilson. He at. tacked me near the Dolphin, becauce I requested him to go to the boat. I had to let him loose when I got him moat here andrun^as you saw me, for I was afraid he would stab me.” “Haj” said the coxswain, “ it will go hard ■with Wilson for striking a boat swain's mate. He will be court maitialed and flogged.” “I am afraid so,” said the hypocrite, while in bis heart he congratulated him self on this occurrence, which so well favored hie evil designs. The boat’s crew were soon aboard, when W tight lest no time in reporting that he bad been attacked and struck by Wilson. This the latter denied, of course, saying i t was a citizen and a stranger with whom be had tbe oombat, but he was not believed, and was, therefore, ironed and p ut into the brig to await the sentence of a conrt martial. The court martial was held the next day, when Jones arrived on board, Wilson being still kept IQ the brig, whence he could not see the commodore. There was a singular expression in the face of Paul Jones when the court martial was ended and the sentence of the prisoner—a h u n dred lashes on the bare back with the /-tti—Tvas pronounced. Tbe nexf rcor*?- ing was appointed for tbe execution if the sentene. When tbe time came, tbe boatswain gave a long blow as at his call and shouted: “All hands on deck to witness puniah- ment.” Toe master-at-arms brought up the prisoner and took off Ms irons. On one of the gratings, placed just forward of the gangway, he was made to stand, his feet being fastened with a rope and his hands secured, wide apart, to tbe bul warks. There h e stood, his back bared, his cheeks red with anger and shame, his eyes flashedindigDarinn at the unmerited punishment he was about to suffer. Along came W iight, scarcely able to conceal his exultation as he drew the cat from bis shealh and lovingly stroked the strings. “G ion, boatswain's mate,” said the captain. Wright lifted tbe lash on high, b ut at that moment the voice of Paul Jones, who now appeared, boomed like thunder ou his startled ear. “Hold ! Avast, you rascal!” And he stepped lound so that Wilson could see lam. The young sailor looked up at him with a start, then colored, then umed pale. “Commodore,” he stammered, “I—I — my God, s i r !— I was a little in liquor on the night, but Z recognize your face. It was you who took hold ol me there by ^hat Dolphin tavern and catriedme almost to the boat. Aye, aye, sir, and God {knows I would not have struck at you had I known who it was—that it was Commodore Paul Jones.” “Enough,” answered the latter; “I forgive you.” Then he turued his eagle eyes on Wright, who turned deadly pale and cowered, trembling like a leaf. “T h e ^ u r t martial was just a mere farce,” ^ a t i n u e d Paul Jones. “I wanted to see if this rascally Wtight would really have tbe heart to carry ou*\ his accursed falaebooil. Now cut loofc that man Wilaou aud put Wright in his place. Give him a round dozen, ihen let him be broken and put Into the after guard. His chief punishment will be that of his having made an enemy by his dastardly conduct, of every man aboard his ship!” The commodore’s orders were o'oeyed. Wright, with every man against him, alter this, led such an unhappy life aboard the .^riel that he attempted one night to desert from tbe ship. When in the water he was seen by a marine on guard and ordered to come back, but not obeying, be was shot through the head and killed. As to Wilson, the fact of bis having struck, under the influence of liquor, a man who proved to be Commodore Paul Jones, bad such an effect on him that never after that, greatly to the joy of bis picvty wife Susan, would he touch another drop of alcohoL o n I BE JOYFUL 1 B. G. Dunn * Co. report that the bus iness failures in the United States for tbe first SIX months of the present year were 5,156. The liabilities of these bankrupts amounted to S&0,432,000. Commenting on this they say that the decreased num ber of failures, as compared witb the same period last year, indicates that the trade of the country is in a surprising state of prosperity, in 1885 the business ^lures for the first six montbs were 6,004, and the liabilities |l<'4,722,000. We can’t help thinking that 10,000 failures a year do not show much cause for encouragement. The reason why tbe number is not so much as formerly may be for tbe same cause that a man does not bleed so copiously tbe second ten min utes as the first. Bankruptcies show tbe buriness bkod of tbe country to be oozing, and these spemuliats seeing that the blood is thinning, thank Heaven for the favorable change. When the number of failures is ou the increase they find consolation in the fact that tbe weiker concerns are beiog weeded out, thus leaving the field clear for those more substantially situated. A few numths ago they were attribu ting all the evil to the labor strikes. Now they state that these labor organizations are not so seriously estimated as a few montbs ago. One significant sentence wemustquote. We are told that in spite of an amtual average of 10.000 failures for several years p 's t “there is a great inerease in tbe class of security holders, and the number of people in the United Ststss who now live upon the interest of their inves'menta aud loans, has of late years enormously increased.” We are further told that “ the growth of wealth and money earning capacity {for whom?) of this vast country is Ulus- tiated by the decline in the rate of inter est 'ibis che.ipness of a.onej indicates an approach to the monetary conditions which prevmi in the wealthiest countries of the old world. This cheapness of money is likely to stimulate new enter prises while the economy ■with which business can now be transacted owing to the low rates which prevail, is full of encouragement for the future.” Does the reader unclerstana what this means? It means that tbe class of mort gage Loldeis has increased during a time when enterprising business men were swept in bankruptcy at the rate of 10,000 The money which the former now pcasesses owing to the fact that the pro- d u d n g classes pay tribute to them (not the country) an abundance of money. This abundance they can re-invesl re muneratively owing to the “ economy” (low wages) with which business can be transacted. We are not only approaching to the monetary conditions which prevail in the wealthiest countries of the old world but the social conditions of the working class is also tending that way. TO WORKINGMEN. In these times when the workingmen of this country are endeavoring to assert their rights by thoroogh organization, would it not be proper for us to thor- ouglilj ■watch the nominees of the differ ent patties, and find out ■for a certainty whether the candidates put m the canvass by these parlies command cur confidence, and whether they are men that we, as a laborinc class, can rely upon to legislate with justice aud impartiality; men that will not let party lines deter them from acting the part of men; men not con trolled by monopoly; men not hampered by organized capital; men of principle and character; men who will not stoop to the low ennning ol political tricksters, in fact, men who will have manhood enough to take a firm stand for justice and right no matter where the blow falls. Such men we have in our midst. In every election district, and such are the ones to receive our suffrage withou'' regard to patty or sect. The time has gone by for to cling to party any longer, and we might, bad we not been blinded and asleep as to onr interests and future welfare, have revolutionized ihe clinging to party years ago, But revolutions never go backward and it remaina lor the laboring classes of this country to deter mine whether this upheaval of organized labor shall be a dead letter. Laboring men do not be afraid to unite, to organ ize to educate np to the point to know what our wants are, and see to it that our representatives from the smallest office up are men to be relied upon. Now IS the time to strike. Why wait any longer? L st the tyrant oppressors— oigsnized capital and monopoly—get us no deeper in the pool in which we have allowed them to get us. Not by rash means, not by distroying property, not by intimidation, but through the ballot-box. That is onr only hope, our only avenue of escape. Hoping the day has gone by when the majority of men will not allow themselves to be bought like so many cattle; hoping men will use a litile judgment and more common sense; hoping men will be men and not chattels, then and not till then will we see different legislation. Every day we read of such a company being organized for the purpose of manufacturing this or that article of commerce, and we all think well of it and wish them success. But lol if it happens to come to the knowledge of the public that laboring men in a community are organized to protect their interests, it seems to be a terrible thing. They are looked upon as BO many desperados, or outlaws. Labor- men organize, stand firm, don’t let petty strife for a moment into your ranks. Be as a unit; if you are united you will stand, If you are divided you will surely fall. L aborbb . Workingmen subscribe for the C larion It is your paper. It is devoted to your interest, and you should 8’.:ppTt it. BETTER EDUCATION CALLED FOR. It is unpleasant and almost painful to every true Knight to observsjthe vast amount of ignorance that still exists among the toilers upon labor, economic, social aud governmental questions. Even the masses of those covered with the shield of the noble order have great need of being still further educated, that they may clearly and fully realize their obliga tions, their duties, their privileges and the full and complete objec's of the Knights of Labor. One young laborer remarks, “ Well, I think Iw illnot attend any more assembly meetings duringthls hot weather; I don’t see that tbe assem bly has helped me any. I am at work at may same old job; and tbe hours are just as long and my p iy no better than 'when I joined it. I think 1 would be just as well off if the Knights of Labor had never been organized.” Selfish and mistakeu youth, to take such a small aud narrow-minded view of such a great and important matter. Do you expect that the order was created to aid you alone? Do you consider yourself tbe great spoke in the wheel of the universe, and that it turns for you alone? Does not our young and take-it- easy friend realize that b e Is but a small fractional part of a great, stupendous whole? Whatever is done to b etter tbe condition of the great body of wage earners in the country will benefit him in the end. Has he not a duty, due aud owing to his fellow labor ers in the land, and can he not readily perceive that the benefits as well as the injury of one is the concern of all? Any. thing that even in the slightest degree improves tbe condition of any branch or participator in labor must have its reflex ; influence upon his calling and upon him self. Put away this selfish, personal feeling and give your eamesi, unselfish labors for tbe good of the whole. No great reform was ever accomplished by taking a peisonaf, selfish attitude upon it. Those well situated should be will- mg to aid in bettering tlie conditions of the millions who are not so. Let 00 member neglect to attend his assembly meetings for any trivial reason. No matter if the hall of the assembly is wiirm or the weather uncomfortable. Should soldiers hesitate to fight tbe enemy, because tbe elements are not pre cisely to his liking? No such trifling considerations should deter one from do ing his full duty, and will not when the great prize aimed at is held up to view. The K. of L, order is making more of a truer, grander growth and progress than ever before since it became publicly known. I t is steadily increasing In mcmbeiship and influence all over the land. It is compelling tbe attention and respect of all classes for its worthy pur poses. But there is stilt a great necesrity for a better education upon the labor problem. Ignorance upon its vital points Is not by any means wholly with the toilers for bread. Employers must learn that justice, equal rights and equal privileges, dispensed in a spirit of hu manity, will secure more lasting, perma nent benefits than absolutely irresistible power, even if they were able to main tain the latter.—Ijabor Budget. BISHOP POTTER ON LABOR. Wbat the laborer wants from bis em ployer is fair and fraternal dealing, not alms^viug, and a recognition of his man hood rather than a coudescensiou to his inferiority. The growth of wealth aipong us has resulted not in binding men together b ut in driving them apart. The rich me further from the poor, the employer from his workmen, capital from labor, now than ever before. Too many know less and less how tbe poor live, and give little time or none at all to effotte to The manners of the poor, it is said, are more insolent and uagracuoua than of old to the rich, and this discourages efforts to know and serve them. I do not see why poverty should cringe to wealth, which is as often as otherwise an acci dental distinction, and quite as often a condition unadorned by an especial moral or ibtellectaal excellence. But we may be sure that the manners of the poor, if they be insolent, are learned from those of people whose op- portunitiM at lea.°t have taught them that no arrogance is more insufferable or unwarrantable than that of mere wealth. And ?f are reaping to-day the fruits of these mutual hatreds between more and less favored classes we may well own that the fault is not all on our side, and that it is time that we awaken to the need of sacrifices which alone can banish la all our paiishes are people who em ploy labor or reap the benefits of it. To these it is time to say that no Christian nan can innocently b e indifferent to the interests of workingmen and women; that weakh brings with it a definite responsi bility first to know how best to use it to serve others as well as ourselves, and then resolutely to set about (ioiug it. When capitalists and employers of labor have forever dismissed the fallacy— which may be true enough in the do main of political economy but is essenti ally false in the domain of religion—that labor and the laborer are alike a com modity to be bought and sold, employed or dismissed, paid or unpaid, as the maiket shall decree; when the interest of workmen and master shall have been owned by beth as one, and the share of the laboring man shall be something more than a mere wage; when tbe prin cipal of a joiut interest in what is pro duced, of alt the brains and hands that go to produce it, is wisely and gener ously recognized; when the well-being of our fellow-men, their homes and food, their pleasures and their higher moral acdspitiiual necessities, shall be seen to be m'atters concerning wliish we may not dare to say “Am I my brolher’s keeper?” then and not till then, may we hope to heat those grave social divirioos concern ing which there is need to be among us all, as with Israel of old, “great search ings of heart.”—Pastoral Letter of the Bight Rev. Henry C. Potter. DUTY OF WORKINGMEM TOWARD THE LABOR PRESS. Workingmen are never going to suc ceed in accomplishing the reforms which are necessary to their emancipation unti^ thev SITS a heartier support than they have ever yet done to the labor press. It isn't because Hiey can’t afford it, for they do support dailies and weeklies by the huidreds the country over. Labor taper after labor paper throughout the hireling press—is allowed to go to the •papers of sterling principle, and edited with far greater ability than the making a living, while the nickles M d the dimes and the dollars are paid out wall or at best to stru ggle along unthinkingly by tbe working masses to teed and fatten those who will betray them every time. It is complained that labor papers are not good newspapers. Whose fault is it but that of the work- min himself who gives his nickle for the capifalislio paper, and hasn’t a cent left for the labor paper. There is no city of 10,000 inhabitants but might have its daily labor paper, with its daily labor dispatches, its corps of reporters, edit ors and an advettising patronage which would enable it to equal any of the capi- talistie dailies of that city, if only the support which the workingmen are ^ v ing to tbe capitalistic press were transferred to the labor press—the press which is in spired by purpose and controlled by principle—.he press which is ready to stand by them through thick and thm. It is to prevent workingmen from de veloping a loyalty to the labor press that the great dailies are putting so much energy into the hunting up of labor news. They can hunt up news fiir better than the managers of labor papers for they have coital at their back, and then they can garble the news and put whatever editorials con struction on it they please. But be cause a formerly capitalistic paper runs a few columns of labor news as a catch penny affair, i t by no means follows that It has experienced a change of heart or is in sympathy with the laborers wrongs, or cares a straw for the labor movement. The press for workmen to support is that which, without being ableto do so much in the news line, has come out boldly and fearlessly in the defence of the rights of laborers taking, as Wendell Phillips once said, “ the popular side of truth.” If workmen will give to these papers -only “ the support encouragement they now ■arasitic press—the i ’ ' , ive the E defends private monopoly tha the capitiiist has the tight to fix wages while the workmen hasn’t; and which is trying in every possible underhand w to undermine, belittle and misr^iese ic press—the press that monopoly that holds that papers are “small,” or haven’t enough news.—[Cleveland Workman,
