The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-18

wants 81 ne fovernmsnt and business In |
forests Of the nation; that u wonld furnish |
q medium Of exchange, having equal power,
q unikoxm yalue and 6tted for the perform |
anee OF al The functions OF money, -exten- |
slTe with the Jurisdiction Of government |
Thai with . just rate per cent interest on |
The government bonds, ID would effect the
equitable distribution Of the products OF la |
Dor between non-produclpg capital and In |
bofs giving to Iaborers fair compensation |
foE their products, and 10 capital q just re-
ward for its use remove the necessity for |
excessive toll and afford the industrial class |
- the time and means necessary for social /
and intellectual culture. With the rate OF
interest at three per cent on the govern
ment bonds, the national debt would be H.
quidated within less than thirty years with
out the imposition or collection Of one far
thing Of taxes for that purpose. Thus II
would dispense with the hungry hoard Of as
SCISSORS, tax-gatherers and government spies
that are now harrassing the industrial classes
and despoiling them Of their Subsistence.
. We further hold that it Is essential to the
prosperity and happiness of the people and
the stability Of our Democratic Republican
Institutions, that the public domain be dis
tributed 40 widely As possible among the
people; land monopoly being equally as
oppressive to the people and dangerous to
our institutions, az the present money mon
opoly. To prevent this the public lands
should be sold in reasonable quantities, and
to none but actual occupants, and to them
ut the minimum price established by the
government. When grants Of the public
lands are deemed necessary for the encou-
ragement Of important public improvements,
the fee simple should not be conveyed, but
only the proceeds Of the sale thereof.
We further hold that intelligence and vir-
tue In the sovereignty are necessary to
wise administration Of justice, and that as
our institutions are founded upon the theory
Of sovereignty in the people, in order to
their preservation and perpetuity, 1t 10 the
imperative duty OF Congress to make such
wise and just regulations as shall afford all
the means Of acquiring the knowledge requi-
site 10 the intelligent exercise Of the privi-
leges and duties pertaining to sovereignty,
and that Congress should ordain that eight
hours labor between the rising and setting
Of the sun should constitute q days work
in all Government works and places where
the National Government has exclusive il
risdiction, and that it Is equally imperative
on the several States to make light provision
by legal enactment Be it therefore unani-
mously
Resolved, That our first duty is now to pro-
vide as speedily as possible a system Of general
organization in accordance with the principles
herein more specifically set forth, and that en- h
branch ofindustry shall be left to adopt its own
particular form of organization, subject only to
such restraint as may be necessary to place
each organization within line, 50 as to act 10
harmony in all matters pertaining to the vel
fare Of the whole as well as each Of the parts
and that it is the imperative duty of every man
in each and every branch of industry to aid in
the formation Of such labor organizations in his
respective branch, and 70 connect himself there
with.
COOPERATIVE.
Resolved, That in cooperation, based upon
just financial and revenue laws, we recognize a
sure and lasting remedy for the abuse of the
present industrial system, and that until the
laws Of the nation can be remodelled 80 a. to
recognize the rights Of men instead OF classes,
the system of cooperation carefully guarded
will do much to lessen the evils of our present
system. We, therefore, hail with delight the
organization of cooperative stores and work
shops, and would urge their formation in every
section of the country, and in every branch Of
business.
Resolved, That we pledge our individual
and undivided support to the sewing women
and daughters Of toll in this land, and would
solicit their hearty cooperation, knowing as
We do, that no class OF industry is so much in
need Of having their condition ameliorated as
the factory operatives sewing women, etc., of
this country.
IMPROVED DWELLINGS FOR LABoRKRs.
Resolved, That we would urgently call the
attention of the industrial classes to the subject
Of tenement houses and improved dwellings,
believing It to be essential to the welfare OF the
Nole community that reform should be ef-
fect> I in this respect, as the experience Of the
past has proven that vice, pauperism and crime,
are the invariable attendants of the over-crowd-
ed and lily ventilated dwellings, Of the poor, and
urge upon the capitalists Of the country atten-
tion to the blessings to be derived from invest
ing their means in erecting such dwellings
STRIKES.
Resolved, That this Congress deprecstes what
l. Familiarity known as STRIKES among working
men, and recommend that every other honor
able means be exhausted before any such course
Is resorted to.
INTELLECTUAL IMPROVEMENT.
Resolved, That the formation of Mechanics
Institutes, Lyceums and Reading Rooms, and the
erection of buildings for that purpose, is recon-
mended to the workingmen in all cities and
towns, as a means Of advancing their intellectual
and social improvement
EFMEDY FoR INSUFFICIENT WORK
Resolved, That this Labor Congress would
most respectfully recommend to the workingmen
OF the country, that, in case they are pressed
for want Of employment, they proceed to the
public lands and become actual settlers, believ-
ing that if the industry CT the country can be
coupled with its natural advantages, it will re-
suit both in individual relief and national ad-
vantages-
Resoled, That where workingman is found
capable and available for any Office, the pre-
ference should invariably wen to such per-
son.