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

BALrncRn, April ii, 1883.
TEN BALzmoRB AID ONO RAILsoAD-FRs LARoa MOVE
Hzxz-Mssrus m FEE srx1zErrH WAHD-YsrEo
DnnocaAcr AsD Tnn wo.xIzanAEs PANTY. Ae-, he.
TO ne Editor Of "a. wosxInaxAH's ADVOCATE.
When IN my correspondence Of March
25th animadverted upon the action Of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, in re-
ducing the wages Of some Of its employees,
and the discharge Of number OF its hands,
AID mentioned la that connection the editor
of the Peoples Weekly, did not think ]
was going to arouse the ire Of that gentle |
man. 1t was simply my intention to draw
from him an explanation or justification !
Of the causes Tor such % outrage at the pre-
sent time; but Judge Of my surprise when.
on taking up that journal this evening, ]
found leader Of over q column in reply to
single paragraph in my correspondence.
Whether be intended the whole article to
apply to your correspondent and agent, or
as a general enuucistion Of bis principles ]
am unable to say, but the inference draw
from it is this: That | am classed as one Of
those who are cir any such there be] Jealous
Of his advent as an editor, and also as one
who thinks the working mans party belongs
to them, ETC., etc. would not encroach on
your valuable space, even Ia my own defence,
did not conceive il to be . duty | owe, not
only to myself, but also to the cause in which
we are embarked.
In regard TO my entertaining any jealousy
on account OF Mr.. Green assuming the duties
of the sdnetum sanctorusa Of the Weakly, be
IS entirely mistaken. entertained no
jealousy for him or any other person compe-
tent to fill that position. As to owning the
working mans party, have only to say that
it would avail me nothing. could not fill
a city constable's place. am but an hum
bic worker in the great cause Of humanity
and freedom, and have attached myself to
the Labor Reform party, because | saw in il,
and only in aud through it, the means Of
combating the monarchical element which
money has created In our midst, and is now
undermining the foundation of the Republic,
, and il the editors Of the Weekly, or its pro-
} rrietors had been readers Of the ADVOCATE
he, anu they would have seen that my con
, slant theme was and is the rapid tendeney
Of our legislation, aye, and even our peo-
pie, to despotism, and that the only hope Of
salvation was, and is, in the organization Of
workingman's party, whose ann and OBJ
ject should be to place working men, taker
from the field, the anvil, and the bench, il
positions Of responsibility and trust. Their
the three grand interests Of society-lsbor
9 land, and money would be represented-anc
/, until that is done there is no hope for ths
working man,-no salvation for the Re-
public.
The commercial growth and prosperity Of
e a city, town or hamlet, or the general growth
i and prosperity of county must always b,
a matter Of just, pride and congrstula.ion t
every citizen however humble his condition
may be. But while We view with admira
! ton the progressive growth and prosperity
D of any particular section or locality. or o.
n the whole country, we must not be blind o.
impervious to the fact that this commercial
growth and prosperity 10 constantly tending
o to the advantage, elevation and aggrandiss
ment of the few, ct the expense Of tb,
il many, is giving to corporations an influences
i. and Iower, and 10 contrary to th
% genius and spirit Of our republican institu
y Iions.
y As an agency in bringing about these re
|. suits, none are more active that railroad
i. corporations, and one among the most &C
tive Of these agencies stands re Bsltimor
. 4 Ohio Railroad company, aud il cornec
; tions. Now, what has this company Ion
ir for the working men and women of baltl
= more2 A friend at my elbow tells me tina
when he came from the city Of Frederick &
Baltimore, twenty years ago, be could pro
y vide for his family, consisting Of eight per
n sens, and pay the rent OF a moderate size
n house, on So per week to live on the sam
scale now it would cost him $24 per week
. Thus it will be seen, that while this man
d expenses advances 300 per cont at least, tn
'e wages for, or price Of his labor has advan
|. ced bat rs per cent. This is but an in
!. dividual case, but it is applicable to all VIII
- work for wages. This company has reduce
le the price Of freight, but they have more tina
e made up the difference by reducing th
"a wages Of their employees. This compan
has succeeded in getting the privilege froI
= the city councll TO run q track from the d.
x pot to the tobacco warehouses, 10 cons,
Is quence of which large number Of men wi
a he thrown out OF employment. This 10 th
\ benefit which the Baltimore 4 Ohio Railroa
y is to the working man Of Baltimore. Thos
d who can take pleasure in the prosperity Q
= the road may do 80, but 1 can not.
{. TIE LABOR MOVEMENT.
10 The sixteenth ward labor reform associs
y ton held their regular monthly meeting o
q Thursday evening at Zswangers', Camde
. street. The meeting was called to order b
u the president, VIM L. McOanley. Th
= Secretary read the minutes Of the precedin
: meeting, which were approved. After th
= transaction of the regular business, th
= president introduced Mr.. Ben L. Green, ed
= tor OF the PGPk's Weekly, who briefly I'D
: dressed the meeting In the course Of hl
y remarks he alluded to the visit Of the com
= mittee of the Workingmen's Auxiliar
= Association, and said be would refer theI
= for an answer to the next issue of the KeekIl
!. Mr.. Green expressed great interest In th
a welfare and success Of The working man
= party, and said that it was the nucieu
!. around which a great and powerful part
" cou.d be gathered. He said there W.
: nothing in the platform Of the labor relorl
" party that he desired to strike out, bus b
: desired to raise the party on a pinnacle ths
= all would look up to il, and introduce int
it an element which VIC aid compel both Ih
y other parties to acknowledge il as the tru
I party Of the country, and BY placing Jadg
= Gner, Of Pennsy lvanis, "a ito sEandar
bearer, and plank in the platform guaran
!, teelng an independent judiciary, the Workin
i mans party, in his opinion, would sweep Ga
: field from Maine to the Rio GrAnde. Al Ia
I conclusion Of Mr.. Green's speech, Mr
4 Mcguire, secretary Of the young dem0crac
1 of the sixteenth ward, asked for informs
= ton in regard to the objects and purpose
I Of the organisation, whereupon Mr.. JON
! r. Meter called upon b. J. Murphy {
|, address the meeting. In response 70 tn
. call Of Mr.. Mee,er, and in reply 70 the en-
I quiries Of Mr.. Mcguire, Mr.. Murphy rea
: the platform and principles Of the labO