Monday, 1 April 2013

Forward, Labour Party.


*THE WORKER*
Brisbane June 30, 1894


Forward, Labour Party.

Forward, Labour Party,
Man to man unite;
Freedom's cause help forward,
Work with all your might,
Onward, Labour Party,
Hear the trumpet call,
All your strength uniting,
Monopoly to fall.

Come, ye weary workers,
Do not lag behind;
Join our hands, and strengthen
Those for truth combined,
Onward, then, ye toilers,
March in brave array,
For the morn is breaking
Unto brighter day.

Hear the wealthy brewer,
And the banker bold,
Tell their gulling fable
Of the rights of gold,
Heed ye not their story -
All for self their tale -
Ye have made them wealthy
By your ceaseless toil.

See the struggling widow,
Toiling night and day,
To support her children
On her sweated pay.
Wealthy men they rob her
Of her hard earned gains;
Rob her children also,
Bind them down with chains.

Listen to the landlord;
How he begs and prays
Not to tax him justly
For his evil ways,
Land he wants in plenty,
That he may control
Future generations,
From their work take toll.

See the struggling farmer,
Ploughing through his field,
Sowing seed for harvest -
Not for him the yield.
Mortgagee and landlord
They come in, and take
All the yield at harvest -
Interest their stake.

Look ye to the squatter;
Wages he'll cut down
To the bare existence -
Shearers, hold your own!”
Down with their monopoly
Greatest curse on earth;
Unite, all ye toilers -
Men of honest worth.

Unite in one army,
Beat back giants strong;
Ever pushing forward,
Though the fight be long.
Onward, Labour Party,
Hear the trumpet call;
Strength to strength uniting,
Monopoly to fall.

                                                                      H. Buttery



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