146 HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE. 



to give new vitality to every industry, and strengthen the 

 foundations of government. To fail, is to drift into cen- 

 tralization, where money and aristocracy will rule and 

 land monopoly be the prevailing system. No, brethren, 

 we cannot afford to turn back. To do so is death, dark- 

 ness and despair. Revolution would follow and the land 

 be bathed in blood. Other battles have been fought upon 

 these same questions within the past twenty years with 

 more or less success; but their importance was small when 

 compared with the present effort. Upon the part of the 

 producers a mighty and almost universal effort is being 

 made to free themselves from the iron grasp of privileged 

 classes. It is the final struggle for the peaceful solution 

 of the great issue between the people and Shylock. If 

 this effort, this last hope, more sweet than the grapes of 

 Eschol, fail; if it burn to ashes upon fallen altars, noth- 

 ing short of a desperate revolution will ever save the 

 Republic. It is the duty of every citizen to do all in his 

 power to avert such a dreadful catastrophe. We must 

 press forward. Our numbers are overwhelmingly in our 

 favor if we can only extend our organization and secure 

 the co-operation of our brethren. Shall we falter? Shall 

 we heed the jeers of our enemies, the minions of Mam- 

 mon, Shylock and the Devil? Or, shall we press forward 

 to victory? That the latter shall be the watch-word of 

 every true Alliance man is the hope of the author. And 

 that victory may crown the noble efforts of the Order, is 

 the prayer of millions who are watching this contest with 

 a degree of anxiety that indicates the danger of the situa- 

 tion and the depressed condition of the people. 



