Be a Friend to the Working Man Our country for a few years past has been in a sad state. The trials of the working man and his family have been great. It seems that strikes and riots are increasing every year, And capitalists to our working men are getting too severe. Now if the men in Washington would manufacture laws To assist the workingmen, and help them in their cause, To give them fair day’s wages, assist them when you can, Live and let live be your motto, be a friend to the working man. Chorus: God never made a man to make of him a slave. Remember that you cannot take your wealth all to the grave. So give him fair day’s wages, lend assistance when you can. Live and let live be your motto, be a friend to the working man. We cannot all be millionaires, of that I am aware, But you’d not have grand mansions if the working man weren’t there. Remember that the rich and poor on each other do depend, And that each man in his turn needs assistance from a friend. So do to your fellow man what’s right who toils for daily bread, Who strives to keep his happy home, and wife and children fed. He envies not what the rich enjoy but does the best he can, So you who fortune favours be a friend to the working man. Should our country be in danger as it was some years ago, ‘Twould be the army of labour that would march to fight the foe. They’d kiss their wives and babes goodbye, as oftimes done before, And march off to the battlefield to defend the flag they bore. It’s only right that they should fight, their cause is right and just When kept down by wealthy capitalists and syndicates and trusts, So let capital shake hands with labour to act the noble plan, No strife there’ll be when this land so free is friend to the working man From Tony Saletan, who learned it from sheet music in the museum in Lowell, Mass.