The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-07-14
CHICAGO, SATURDAY, JULY IA, 1855
THE EIGHT HOUR ADDRESS.

propositions ther Elm laid down, and the re-
qurements demanded of the Eight Hour
candidates.
While we assure our readers il would
have been much more agreeable task
to have endorsed every sentiment ex-
pressed, sense of duty to ourselves, and
desire for the ultimate triumph Of the
cause, imperiously demanded that our sane
ton should bewitbheld from the publication
Of document, the spirit of which, we consci-
enciously believed to be directly at variance
with the intent and spirit of the movement,
and the adoption of which would be fatal
TO our highest aspirations. In order, how
ever, to more fully explain the reasons why
we dissent, we cannot do better than reprint
the platform Of principles as laid down BY
that committee, which reads as follows
The objects of the organization are:
LIST. To secure a reduction of the hours
Of labor
"a. I ist the soldiers in securing and
maintaining the rights they have earned by
reason Of their services in our country's de-
fence.
Sd. To assist the farmers and producers to
resist the encroachments of that kind of
legislation that consigns their products and
earnings into tie hands Of railroad and
other monopoiies.
4th. To resist and overthrow that emf
nently suicidal doctrine to Western interests
and enterprise, "free trade"
9Th. To oppose uncompromisingly the
al pf oil far eCnn
litieal tricksters" the gratuitous use of one
thousand convicts, which enables them to
food the market with inferior productions,
to the great detriment of honest laborers
and manufacturers.
After commenting at length on these de-
clarations of principles, the committee sub
NIT the following requirements to be
subscribed to by the nominees of the Eight
Hour League;
LIST. Loyalty to the Government Of the
United States.
I'd That they will insist upon and main
tain the rights and claims Of disabled and
neritorious PRIVATE soldiers to the paying
Offices and appointments.
Sd. That they 1ill'vote only for such laws
"A as will assist the farmers, mechanics, and
producers in repelling the encroachments Of
railroad monopolies and hungry corpora
tions, that are now absorbing so large a per
cent of their products and earnings.
4th. That they will insist that the engin-
GERS upon the railroads in lie State of lii
nois, shalt only be allowed to run trains af-
ter they have been commissioned by a Gem
petent board Of practical engineers, to
appointed bv 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.
5th. That they Will vote and talk against
that nefarious and suicidal Ito Western in
terests and enterprise) doctrine, Stree
Trade"
9th. To oppose uneOmpromisingly, the
present thie7ing system allowed by the
State of Illinois. that a few men-political
tricksters-absorb the entire earnings and
products Of the four thousand conviets in
the State Prison, which enables them to
food the markets with inferior articles at
prices that are Tuinous TO our mechanics and
the manufacturing interests of the State, for
the reason that they are causing the closing
of many Of the largest shops, without any
ad yanEage to the people of our State, save
the few greedy spectators in convict earn
iRgs.
Now, the objections and the grand objec
tions we have to the above propositions are,
that they are altogether foreign 10 the Eight
Hour moueDlsrlt. Ii there is one danger
more than another against which it is the
duty as we'll as the interest of the laboring
classes. to guard, it is the introduction Of
extraneous issues. In fact the distinguish
ing feature of the present contest is the
cutting 7loof and dismemberment from
mere party ties and predictions the COM
mencemeIt of nelc ere, ia which our so
called L. lnoeraey and Republicsnism are
equally ignored. Entertaining tekse views
we could not endorse the enunciation Of a
platform which we deemed at variance with
the cardinal and avowed principles Of the
Eight Hour organization.
In taking this position there are two con-
sideratiens Of more than ordinary import
which commend themselves to our careful
attention, viz. the INSCRIPTIONS cunning
and ability of our professional politicians,
and the ignorance and conHding simplicity
of our laboring people. To these two
causes nay be asc.ibed the mental, degraded
position now occupied by the industrial
classes, and the complete mastery obtained
by the representatives Of capital Now, the
whole value of the Eight Hour u ovement is
derived from virtual recognition Of this
fact, from a belief that this ignorance re-
suits from the fact that they are worked To-
death, and have no time for mental culture,
and corresponding belief that the removal
OF the cause will also remove the effect
We insist, therefore. that the movement Is
predicated upon this theory, ard it is the
only one upon which the attacks Of its enc
mics can be successfully controverted.
In order, however, TO make an
effective resistance to those continued
and alarming encroachments to repeal
them by the same authority BY which they