The workingman's advocate., 1866-06-16
THG EIaMT noUn MovEMfHT.


PkAfroRn or PRINcIPLEs KEcoMNENDED BIT
TEE GRASr fEAauE.
Address TO the Workinsnsn Of illinois,
WHAT rHEY ExPEcT rHKIR CANDIDATES FoRl
CONGRESS AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE
TO sUBscRIBE TO.
The objects Of the organization are lst.
To secure a reduction Of the hours Of labor
I'd. To assist the soldiers in securing and
maintaining the rights they have earned BY
reason of their service in our country's de-
fence. Sd. To assist the farmers and pro-
ducers to resist the encroachments Of that
kind Of Legislation that consigns their pro-
ducts and earnings into the hands Of rail
roads and other monopolies. 4th. To resist
and overthrow that eminently suicidal doc
trins TO western interests and enterprise
"free trade" 5th. To oppose uncompro-
misingly the present state plan Of allo wing
few 'spolitical tricksters'' the gratuitous
use Of the one thousand conyicts, which
enables them to hood the markets with in
ferior productions, to the great detriment of
honost laborers and manufacturers.
We ask for a reduction Of the hours of
labor for the reason that experience has
proved that the present rate Of he hours Of
labor, Of ten or more hours per day lin the
winter season at least) makes slaves Of. the
laborers and their families. in order to com
ply with this demanA If the greedy capital
ist the laboring ma. is compelled 70 rise
hours before T. sun, or even day- light,
and to work hours after the sun and day
light have disappeared, which, to enable him
to do, requires that his wife and family
keep the same unreasonable hours. During
the long, weary and wintry months he never
sees his wife nor family by daylight, save
on Sunday. This continued oveffwOrk tends
to exhaust the physical as well as the intel
lectual energies Of the laboring men, ard
thereby renders them unfit to study, to think
and incompetent TO perform intelligently,
and with honor, many of the various duties
required of American citizens compels
them to accept and occupy inferior positions
| in society. This we deem contrary 10 that
arti lie in the Constitution of the United
States, that says Gall men are created equal"
In our opinion, civil liberty can exist in per
fectlon only, under laws which secure, in
the highest degree possible, the welfare aud
happiness Of the AhOie community. Cen
tentment and intelligence are the best safe
guards to Republican institutions. We can
not reasonably hope that such institutions
will be long preserved, after the people shall
| have become too ignorant and too corrupt to
act for the public good. We ask for re-
duction of the hours Of labor from ten to
sight, so that the mechanics and laboring
en- and women may have the two hours to
devote to mental Culture and domestic duties
in order that they may educate themselves
sufficiently that they can rise above their
present mental position of slaves and
mudsills. We recognize education as the
great civilixing and wealth-producing pow
er Of the world. We claim that ''thoughts'
make tracks, !" and, therefore, educated labor
is far superior to mere brute force, and
since " all men are created equal" each is
bound by the interchangeable principles Of
natural Justice te render to ali others such
privileges, and that freedom and assistance,
which is necessary TO make them as happy
as himself. In view Of the foregoing pro-
positions we demand that Candidates for
Congress, and the State Legislature, before
they can receive the support Of our Organ
izstion must publicly pledge their loyalty
to the folIo.0ing propositions
| 1st To the Government Of the United
States
End. That they will insist upon and main
tain the rights and claims of disabled and
meritorious prirdts soldiers to the paying
Offices and appointments.
3d. That they will vote only for such
laws as will assist the farmers, mechanics
and prodncers in repellins the encroach-
ments Of railroad mohopolies and hungry
corporation Combinations, that are now ab
sorbing so large Ler cent. Of their produc-
tions and earnings.
4th. That they viii insist that the en-
gineers upon the railroads. in the State Of
| Illinois, shall only be allowed to run trains
after they have been commissioned By a
competent board Of practical engineers, to
be appointed by the Governor Of the State.
And that they will urge the passage Of such
laws as will hold railroad corporations more
strictly responsible for accidents occurring On
their roads.
9th. That they will vote and talk against
that nefarious and suicidal Ito Western in
terests and enterprise) doctrine, "Free
Trade"
9th. To ,ppose, Uncompr0m isingly. the
present thieving system allowed by the State
Of Illinois, thai few men-political trick
sters-absorb the entire earnings and pro-
ducts of the four thousand convicts in the
State Prison, which enables them TO flood
the markets with inferior articles at prices
that are ruinous to our mechanics and man.
ufacturing interests of the State, b. reason
that they are causing the closing Of many
largest shops, without any advantage to the
people Of our State, save the few greedy
speculators in convict earnings.
In conclusion, we deem the above reforms
80 great and necessary that we do not deem
it necessary to urge them by any lengthy
address or extended arguments We sim
ply desire to assure the people Of the State
| Of Illinois, that We are not arrayed against
capital, not organized to incits astrikes, !"
nor disarrangement Of business; we are or
ranixed to secure unto ourselves two hours
day In which TO studyy Improve our minds,
our homes, our position in society, and pro-
lection against avariee and corrupt legisla-
ton, and ask all voters in the State, with
out distinction of party, TO Join us and
assist rs in electing men that will aid US in
securing and carrying out the above
measures.
We respectfully request all papers In the
Stste to insert this, and much obligs,
Respectfully,
=. E.s.. J" G.nSox.y. fouss, csmmistss.