The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-09-08
POLITICAL ACTION.

POLITICAL ACTION.
Among the many objections urged by the
opponents Of the Eight Hour system, none
are more transparent or absurd than the
holy horror evinced Of making it political
issue. Trusting to The credulity or slavish
devotion to party Of some Of its so-called
friends and their dupes, designing men have
taken advantage Of these circumstances to
work on the ignorance Of the masses, and
attempted to raise a false issue, by which
the objects and the means are equally mis-
represented. There is certainly grand dill
ference between political and party action
between the working classes using the bal
lot-box for their own interests or elevation, I
and depositing that ballot at the bidding Of
a ward OF county caucus, to advance the in
terests q a professional politician. In order,
however, more fuzzy to understand this pro-
position, il is weA to ascertain what "pol-
tic action means. That in thu present
movement it does not imply afiiation with
existing parties, no better evidence can be
adduced than the clamor-raiss1 against it.
by these same party leaders. -'Keae, meme,
t1ckl uplarsir," Is written too plainly
20 be misinterpreted Neither does i'll
moan to sell the votes Of Democrats
70 Republicans, or rict versa, as has bee
often ab1 falsely stated. These leaders
know, as they have reason to. know, that
their lease Of power depends altogether on
the influence Of party, and when that speE is
broken their poser is broken, and hence
their anxiety to nisrepresept so long as mis-
represention can avail.
The following definition Of ''Pouros,"
from Webster, we think will throw some
light on this subject, and as il is so explicit
we transfer It entire:
-as.Lhs science Of government, that part oil
ethitS1whrch has 10 do with the regulation
aud government Of nt ion or state, the
preservation e its safety, peace, and pros
perity, the defense or i,s existence and
rights againsJ foreign control or conquest,
the augmentation Of its strength and re-
sources, and ne protection Of lis citizens j..
mir rights WitA he preservation u1d III
pFOr6MfAt N mar HofmS.
II other words, any issue is political Is
sue which is left to the sutfrages Of the
people, no matter what its character, and it is
an entire perversion Of truth to assume such
must necessarily partake Of a partierA
character. "The protection Of the citizen ia
hts rights, with the preservation and i'm
provcment Of his morals" is the cardinal
principle OF the Eight Hour movement, but
az this has never been the guide Of Demo
cratic OF Republican legislatures, their unit
ed opposition may be expected.
OF course it was MI light so long as the
great body of the laboring classes bartered
their birthlight, by placing corrupt designing
demagogues in ofhce-men who, when their
rights were involved, invariably cast their
influence in favor of the oppressor and
who, as invariably complied with the de-
mands OF every corporation or monopoly
but the moment the continuance of such a
policy is questioned, or the truth forces it.
self upon their minds that they are l,ssctly
responsible for these results, and thsEiIiey
can, if they will, reT lace these demagogues
by honest mcmillan the propriety of
such plan Of action is questioned, and the
hue and-cry raised Of party apostacy.
But there is another question we should like
to ask some Of the pretended advocates
How are they going to make Eight Hours
legal days work, without legislative action
and how is that action to be obtained with
out max ng it direct issue at the ballot box,
as, we take it for granted, none are SO ignor-
ant, as to assume that an effective Eight Hour
ordinance will be passed by any existing
legislature. Some have answered by using
the Democratic and Republican parties.
Very good. Is it on that account any less a
political Issue ? Certainly not, but the truth
of the matter is, they think more of party
than principle, and care about the Eight
Hour system just in proportion as it benefits
or injuries their selfish interests. A LeQaIl
days work means legislative action
legislative action-means work at the
ballot Dor by workingmen-an the aid
OF the ballot box implies direct political
effort!
Still, even under these circumstances,
there is much ground for encouragement
Anomalous as the assertion APPEAR, this
very suspicion, on the part OF workingmgn, 7
is an earnest Of hope for the future. The
pertinint question here arises, why should
90 many Of the uniformed object to making
Il, as they understand it, political issue.
Simply because the experience of the past
has told them-that they would be trusting
to broken reed to rely upon such pro-.
misses, and they know that whenever the
claims Of the woI lhgman have been left
to the EXCLUSIVES bitration Of political copi-
tOlists, they - invariably been ignOrsd-l