People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1895 — What Shall the Harvest Be? [ARTICLE]

What Shall the Harvest Be?

(Copied from Bond and Industrial Slavery, a 1110.-1 vigorous and scholarly 25c reform book by E. A. Twitehell, of Minneapolis. Minn). When a nation of hard workers. Active, energetic men. Men of industry and purpose. Seeking find no bread for them: When all products, wealth created By the working, brainy crew. Plundered from the rightful owners. Swell the pockets of a few: When one-half the people homeless. Tramping go from door to door. Farmers’ bins ars overflowing For the rich but not the poor; When the little half-clad children Play before the open door. Famished, sickly and half frozen. Happy childhood seen no more: When the sons with all their manhood Strive to reach the shining goal While the hardships that surround them Hurl them on temptations shoals; When the daughters pure and noble Future mothers of our race Pressed by hunger and privation Are Impelled to their disgrace; When the father can not find work. Skilled and strong and willing hand. Sees the wolf of want approaching Toidevour his little band; When the mother worn and weary While life's troubles mark her years; Watching o’er her children's futures Disappointments bring her tears: When the bankers and the brokets And the owners of the bonds Go to congress and command them.--"Keep the workers off the lawns." Then the workers so down-trodden That their freedom they have lost. Wonder what to them lias happened. Bankers rule at fearful cost: Then t he banks and money mongers For their gold demand more bonds. Place upon the people burdens, Debts eternal, grievous wrongs: Then the monied men grow bolder. Puli together all in line. Scorn the people as they suffer While our president they dine: Then the working, struggling people Learn that they have no redress. Congress will not listen to them Bribed by money to oppress; Then the tollers thin and haggard. Poorly clothed and without food. Will see cause of all t heir trouble. Make that cause full understood.