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tion of affairs existing, and a storm is brewing which will break forth ere long and destroy the right of man to govern, exploit, and enslave his fellow-men. Agitate, organize, revolt!
The above, was, in substance, the speech of Mr. Parsons. Throughout he was cheered enthusiastically by the workingmen, but from the labor robbers present hew was frequently interrupted with threats and sneers. After the meeting an attempt was made upon the sidewalk, while going to his lodging-house, to assault the speaker, but it was prevented by the workingmen who accompanied him home.
The meeting created a profound sensation in the town. The speaker was urged by a few workingmen who were clandestinely talking to him to remain over and deliver another address on the next evening (Friday) at the same place.
The following day the meeting of the previous evening was discussed by the business, professional manufacturers and other labor parasites in a most excitable manner. The speaker was warned not to speak again as was contemplated. The printing offices refused to print hand-bills, or publish notices in the papers (there are three dailies published in the town) to notify the working people of the meeting. At 8 o'clock, however, at the same Mr. Parsons began to speak to an audience of about 300 persons, made up almost exclusively of those who live by fleeing the workers. There had been no way to notify the wage-workers of the meeting. The speaker showed the origin of Socialism to be an outgrowth of the necessities of the people. That the United States census for 1880 gave the statistics showing that of the 16,200,000 men, women and children who loved by working for wages, and whose labor creates all the wealth of the entire country, they had received in wages a sum which represented less than three-eighths of their labor products, while the capitalist class, who were less than one-tenth of the people, appropriated—confiscated—the remainder—the five-eighths. That the middle class were being devoured by the larger capitalists and were driven out of business, they, the middle class, being forced into the ranks of the wage-workers.
The speaker showed the operations of the private property system in making the rich richer and the poor poorer. He continued in this
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