| Show SHOWS SHADOWS tax determination ol of the knights 0 labor to laubach lau jach as an organization upon the ake troubled sea of politics is 18 a matter ot of peat great importance to the country baa wf influence luence that the vt association la Is capable of wielding in that capacity is beyond estimate it is gradually scoop scooping inix in the masses of the people it does not take much foresight to comprehend that governed by the same unanimity it has exhibited in other directions on political issues it is destined to become well nigh invincible As a grasp upon political power would in th the e opinion of the knights greatly enhance their prospects ol of attaining the objects they have in view it is out natural that they should avail themselves of a lever at once so potent and effective their resolve to take a hand band at the political bellows will serve to blow up the tires of partisanship tisa ushi p and inte intensity a y the heat of national strife they athly are strong stra enough even now to constitute a party of no mean dimensions this proposed new phase of operations will make the situation look as it the prediction uttered over a quarter of a century since by that clear and vigorous thinker thodore parker is buthe on the eve of that the masses are the masters of the latare in the same prognostication he ventures to remark that should they prove as unscrupulous as the masters of the past and present the rulers and capitalists th there ere would because be cause f for r howling and lamentation in the ranks of the latter they would be under the necessity of bidding a permanent adieu to their misused power and their I 1 darling dollars I 1 I 1 with the tide of the attention of the knights turned upon politics local and general it is not improbable with their growing unity and inc increasing reasin 9 numbers they may be able to fill the J judgment seats and j jury ury boxes further than this it does not require much of a stretch to enable one to believe that they will yet be in hi a position to say who shall or shall not oce occupy apy the chair of the white house at least the weight of their entire force as a political factor would be more than likely to turn the scale ol of an otherwise close contest however good tile intentions of the knights may be as an aati active ve politic political A entity their entrance upon the arena will cause them to ne be more or less a prey to unscrupulous demagogues who will flatter them with false fala promises and pretenses and thus creep by their assistance into the high places of the nation while honest men and true who will not cater and pander to fco prejudice or special interest will be crowded out or filled with apprehension and disgust eschew politics al together leaving the field free to hucksters and scoundrels who would sell the welfare ot of the country to enhance their own ulterior ends sucha such a situation would cause the nation to be open to victimization that would lead to chaos and consequent revolution let those who esteem this picture too pregnant with gloom to ever become a reality in the republic watch the progress of of events politically from this time forward we are arc willing to rest the correctness of the shadowy prognostication upon the developments of the near future |
