The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-22
CAUSE AND EFFECT.

CAUSE AND EFFECT
"A time will come-I do rot think even now
it i far from us-when this golden net of the
worlds wealth will be spread abroad as th
flaming meshes of morning cloud are over ne
sky; bearing with them the JOY Of light, and the
dew OF the morning, as we'll as the summons Of
honorable and reaeeful toi.'-JoHN RUsKIN.
ESQ, n. A
The grand d1ctrine that evecy human being
should have the means Of self culture Of pro-
gress in knowledge anu virtue: OF health com
fort and happiness Of exercising the powers
and affections OF man,-this is slowly taking
its place the highest social Nuth."-CAE-
MING.
is related Of King Bomba, OF Naples,
that, although one of the most unserupulous
and relentless of tyrants,a man who denied to
bis subjects the right to think except as the
king thought be was shrewd enough to
know that the only means to accomplish his
purrC'c even among the most abb, II Of his
slaves, vas to engross their attention with
some topic or frivolty, which could not af-
feet the perpetuity of bis dynasty; and con
sequentlY the rabble were admitted free Of
charge, once a week, to the places Of public
amusement. Now, the parallel holds good
IN great measure in our Own land. All la
Dor reform movements which aim to 90 TO
the root of the evil-our false financial and
social systems-are denounced and ridiculed
with vim WORTHY Of better cause. Web
ster is raDsaeKed, and blAtherskite,"
"trickster" and 'demagogue," are hurled
with lavish profusion, as transferable ar
guments against their projectors. Ri
dicule and defamation become, in fact, the
only stock in trade The virtues of the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties are extolled,
much in the same strain as the exeellencies
OF hotel are announced BY the runners
which infest our depots, or as quack extols
the merits Of his Specific" Anything or
:. --ything IN fact to divert the attention Of
the masses from consideration and proper
understanding of the means by (which the
gulf between the rich and the poor, between
the man who labors and the man who lives
of his labor is wldened and deepened; TIE
means which enables q pampered few to
reap the rewards OF others industry, while
poverty and toll become the heritage Of the
poor.
And yet, strange as the announcement
may seem, workingmen themselves becon :,
in many instances, party to such fraud, BY
quasi endorsement of the position assumed.
As society is at present constituted, not one
in twenty are qualified to judge intelligent
ly of these important questions. The unto
ward circumstances and associations BY
which they have been surrounded, have pre-
cluded just conception Of their dangers and
their duties. The wealthy, the influential
and the favored, invariably mould our go
called public opinion. They realize the no.
ment the producing classes comprehend the
situation, are enabled to think for them
Sesues that action will follow such convie-
ton; and what that action will be requires
no prophet to tell. Hence their anxiety to
pervert these truths, and divert attention
from the only channel which leads to a true
reformation.
Whenever an election occurs, the paid
lackeys OF both parties are always ready to
give any pledge demanded. The credulous,
and We regretto say, workingnen furnish
the largest quota, accept the guarantee.
The Representatives of capital, having the
wealth, the PRESS and tie talent Of the oou,i-
try at their disposal, succeed in their nefari-
Gus designs Il due time the legitimate
fruits OF their infAmy appears. Glass lexis-
lation follows. The interests of the few 81
the expense Of the many, and that many the
wealth producing Glasses, are protected un-
der the misnomer of Law %. and public SEN
siment is gradually moulded in the wrong dii
rection- This process 10 repeated from time
to time, the situation IL svensuAlly accent
ed, while the American mechanic pours Qua
bis coincidence to his brothers across the sea,
ana trusts the time viii soon come. when
they too shall be the slaves OF party. and
possess the privilege Of forging their own
fettcrs, BY the means Of the elective fran
chise.
10 the transparent objection 10 frequently
stated-that the formation Of an indepen-
dent party, ~said be regarded as standing
menace or that il would create an antaeon-
sm between capital and labor-we reply |
III such conclusions are false and unwsr-
ranted. The antagoaism referred to has ar |
sted for centuries; the wrongs to be re-
dressed have been the oufgroxth Of centuries;
The result Of special legislation becanse the
solce and interest of the producins classes
rave been In q great measure sxcindsu nom
" our national councils. Nay, u b n visw
II these facts. and the irjasy rssulsing there.
rom, that Esndsss the ssssblishmsns a .
'arfy, winch win protect alike shs ssssrssa.i
7 ne entire community, making no invidious Il
lssinrtionss--an imperious necsas;tv. OIL
oarse i i bot natural shas tho i,e,er.s on-
'osinon should be wsssd sr.inss s.ch !.
eheme and when the shasactsr md i,a.-
noe Of ths contestants ere taksn inso en- L
ldsntlon, w ars frss % sdmis. 10 ssnk
1ets : hsrealaan oas, thcarh many a ~
ifBcdlsies No arr nos prone % rer.rd !.
asurpesatsbls. NsuIa iisappsa- beisr, az
Ezaeiaat psraisssnt allnsk. WilA justios|
ID srai. o. aAslr suiI11, sshasss a. 49,
'rslae u dpie = supsr..s. -