A QUEER PRAYER.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.' '] SIR, I am sending you a copy of a prayer offered at the gather- ing of what is known as the Farmer Labour Party when they met in Chicago to select a Candidate for the Presidency. It is vouched for by a New Orleans daily paper, the Item, whose news service is connected with the New York Tribune, and has appeared in other American papers. The " platform " of this Third Party is a coalition of various Labour societies who ask " amnesty for all persons imprisoned because of industrial activity or religious belief; recognition of the right of all workers to strike; universal suffrage; refusal to go to war with Mexico 'for the benefit of Wall Street' and the abandonment of this nation's imperialistic program and withdrawal from the Philippine Islands." And whilst I am writing to you, may I ask if a subscriber to your paper—rather than destroy his copy—would send it to me when he has finished with it, I wouhl be glad to send something in exchange? Before the war some one from Harrogate, and occasionally from Glasgow, sent TM a copy. I wish I knew who it was so as to thank him and send a paper to him. With all good wishes for the continued success of your paper.—I am, Sir, &c.,
" We beseech Thee, Oh, God, to destroy Palmerism, Penrose- ism and all other kinds of paganism and to bless Eugene Dabs and William Bross Lloyd. Wall Street, the Republican and Democratic parties and England are Thy enemies, Oh, God, and America is the friend of England. Wall Street would crucify Jesus. It has never loved him and refuses to serve him. The Republican party hates Jesus. The Democratic party has sold out to those forces in American life which face moral ruin and spiritual isolation. This world is not in love with Thee, Oh, God, at this hour. England is Thine enemy. Greed and gold have captured the vision of the English people and America is linked up with this great enemy of Thine. We thank Thee for what the Russian people are doing to help Thy cause of human freedom and democratic progress. Destroy our great fortunes— those fortunes which are a curse to our nation—Morganism, Carnegieism, Rockefellerism. Release all political and religious prisoners. God bless, you, Gene Debs. Give President Wilson the power to rise above those low and despicable moral stand- ards which have swamped his administration in Palmerism and brought a moral perversion unon our government. Bless William Bross Lloyd, now on trial in this city. Have mercy upon the Governor of Illinois, for we recall his intimate con- nection with unpatriotic and plutocratic influences which are to-day dragging down our nation to moral ruin and destruction."
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