People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1895 — TO LEGION MEMBERS. [ARTICLE]

TO LEGION MEMBERS.

IF LEADERS WILL NOT ACT DO SOMETHING YOURSELVES. Some One Most Stir the People Up — Some One Moat Point Out the Way, and Then If the People Will Not Act, It Is Their Own Fault. It is the duty of each quartermaster of the legion to at once collect the 10 cents annual dues from every member aile to pay and remit at once. If each member would act promptly it would lift the burden of debt from my shoulders and leave a large balance for organization. It would also furnish a campaign fund to do work during the winter. You certainly do not want yourself and family to work for nothing and be out hundreds of dollars besides. He will lose one home if this is not done. I tfave taken money that we sorely need and expended it in legion work. Have lost my life insurance and have run heavily in debt and this was done to establish the legion. It now has running expenses, but no salaries for clerical work. The burden is not too great and I appeal to you to pay your dues. Ten cents per member will break nobody. Do without tobacco; do without something, or save the money. Stop old party papers. Do not give one dime to any cause but our own, and we can furnish speeches, literature and wage a great battle. If I had the postage stamps I could send appeals to organize to thousands of our best workers. We have a great army of addresses in our office we cannot use unless people raise funds. Let each legion give a supper, a concert or let the women devise ways and means to raise money. Let each one do something. If your leader will not act it is no reason why you should stop. Wake the people up from ocean to ocean. The entrance fee of 10 cents and 10 cents annual dues from each member would give a big campaign fund now. We issue many charters without a cent and few pay dues. We ought to have our best speakers in the field. We can put a live orator and organizer in each state without costing you a cent if each one will respond. It is humiliating to make these appeals, but some one must act Some one must stir the people. Some one must point out the way, and if the people will not wake we will not be to blame. This duty was conferred on me unsought, and I will bear the burden and stand the assaults of the enemy without fear. None of us are perfect. If we had our life to live over we would amend it, but if we act with honor and integrity now the duty will be performed.

We must support our newspapers. They will, hundreds of. them, be compelled to suspend if we do not do our duty to them. The grand men and women who are the strong tower in our cause bear untold burdens. We must sustain them. Each legion should organize all the surrounding country. Bring thenl all into line. ■ This is a holy work. To those who assail me I say without malice, I will gladly turn the burden over. I have no ambition save to do my duty. I have a reputation as an organizer I have have gained by years of hard work and sacrifice in other fields. My highest desire is to band our men and women together so strongly that the enemy may not be able to break our line. Were it not for the noble letters written by the rank and file we would faint by the way. But with the help of God we will labor day after day to build up the cause. We will guard the integrity of our party as a sacred jewel and pray for the victory to come. The millions of oppressed people must be rescued. The poor, lonely heroic advocates of our cause must be sustained and we urge all true hearts to respond to this call. Write for par pers to organize. Don’t delay. The enemy are strongly entrenched. We must fall into solid line and that at once, or defeat will surely come. Let every loyal heart respond to this call.