The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1864-09-17


what wages they pay, it nearly all comes back
70 their own pockets; but that before doing go
u mas FED the hungry; clothed the ragged pull
led down the huts and built cottages; sent the
beggars from the street to earn an honest live
hhood; educated the children and gladdened the
hearts Of the formerly destitute They have
found that the only true course is to s.live and
let live" Applause,
But viii. the statesmen and capitalists have
been getting their eyes open, the working men
have not been asleep. They have found inva-
rlable that they are able to buy more u the com
forts Of life when they receive high wages than
when they receive low wages The truth II
that an advance in the price of labor does NOT
necesss rily, or even generally, cause a cores
ponding permanent advance in produce and
manufactures. On the contrary, innumerable
articles, instad of increasing have greatly di-
minished 10 price, while labor has been steadily
going up. As labor advances in price, caus-
ing, perhaps, temporary rise, inventive ge-
MUS is stimulated-one man is enabled TO DO
the labor OF two three, and the article. Of
consumption become cheaper than ever In
consequence of the labor-saving inventions -ad
the advance IN the prices of labor. which have
gone hand in hand, and should continue To 40
the working men of to-day are able to live
be. er than formerly, and still save up some
thing. Nor has this improvement in our con
here never was a time when the wealthy were
'etting weather., and the number Of rich men
increasing a. fast rs during The past fifty years.
Our condition, then, in common with all
other classes, is much better than it once was
but there is still great room for Improvement
DO you ask how we can seure that improve
nIent! | answer, by organization BY organ
lied effort we have done much, and by organ
lzed effort We can do much more The princi-
pies OF, and reasons for, our labor organiza-
tions are not fully understood by many working
men, and ! viii, therefore, explain them |
am not one of those who pirate about the eter-
nal antagonism between capital and labor" be-
cause no such antagonsm exists Capital is
never al war with labor, and is its most efficient
ally instead of enemy. II is the holder Of CAP
ital who often wars against or interests. There
are two kinds of men holding capital. the lib
eral, narrow mined. sel6sh men, and those
who are Hberal-hearted and liberal minded
The latter class il rapidly increasing They are
always ready to aecede to the reasonable re-
quests Of their workmen, and only ask to be
protected against their liberal eighbors
Suppose now, that there were no Carpenters
and Joiner's Unions, for instaace, and some Of
the builders commenced 70 Civ, So or So 30
day to their hands. Their Liberal compel tors.
who give only 81 or - 20 day to their work
men would be able underbd them, SO that
they, getting but few contracts, would have to
discharge their men or cut down their wages.
Our labor organizations prevent his Where
they exist no man can take contract at low
rates, intending to make his profit out of his
worknen instead " out Of the JOB. Il not this
right? Should we allow the mean skin aint
this advantage ever his open-hearted competi-
tori trow not. Cheers.
Our organizations consist of voluntary asso-
cla tI nf m hn NJ IN fac
than certain amount OF course no OF !
obliged to pay this sum if he is not willing to-
and certainly no one viii deny Americans the
right 70 set a price upon their own services
We make but one other agreement, and that is
not TO work ir the same establishment with a
journeyman not belonging to our organization
and think no one will deny the right 10
choose our own company. We do not dictate To
employers that they shall hire particular men
we simply say that If they do employ men we
wish not to associate with We will look else
where for work. Applause We never 9ro-
pose to use violence in carrying our )nts and
though the members Of our organizations do oc-
casionally persuade BY force, yet cur organiza-
tons are no more responsible for these acts Of
individuals than are political clubs and other
societies for the personal recontres Of their
members. Nearly all sensible men seeing the
necessity Of these organizations Of laboring
men against illiberal capitalists. Join them,
and thereby render it very difficult and gener-
ally impossible for employ ers to carry on their
business without the aid o. our members. TAP
piause.
Individual organizations however. are some
times not able to resist the powerful efforts
that are made t. break them up. and it is to
render assistance in such cases that the Trades
Assembly has been formed II consists Of del
egates from all the workingmen's associations,
and all the intelligen w0rkingmen Of the city
are thus united and can protect themselves
If this Trades Assembly confines itself to the
legitimate business for which it organized
it viii be productive Of much good. II lately
took the very injudiciOus course Of adopting a
political platform. and attempting to organize
political party. This unwise; for all those
who, like myself, did not endorse that platform,
would be compelled to withdraw their support
from the Trades Assembly. The way to effect
the legislation of the country is for every one
to attend the preliminary caucuses Of the party
to which he belongs and see that none but our
friends are nominated We can easily control
these caueuses and thus by having or friends
nominated on all the tickets be certain of sue
cess |, therefore, hope and earnestly recon-
mend that the Trades Assembly ressird its late
political action and hereafter take no side up
on politics, religion, or anything else that does
not bear directly upon the question of labor
THE Trades Assembly have since abrcgated
IL l.-.. 4