The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-04-04
IlATf6kM d lRIleIPlls
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National LabsF Reform Pay

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National LlbeF Reform Paffy i
On TAnrsaays Aasuss ~. 1887.
We bold these truths % 81 eel ssiI. u IA 4
hat oil men are created equal, that thsv - /
'nacwedoy their Creator with certain ~.
!, hanie rigntaS that among them ara Nm.
loersg and the pursuit Of happiness ;thas
Y secvhe these rights governments ar&afu1Il
~ - 1e$ smong nca, deffyine their Just how
ers ,ross the consen. Of the governed. r
lnas here are but two pure forms Of eov- II
ernmess the Aatocratic and the Democrssic:l
hhef tbe former the will of the individual /
sovereign 10 the supreme law, under thsslat-
ter tne sovereignty 10 vested in the whole
people, all other forms being modih6ztiouIa
OF sGeDe or the otheszstl tAasa prinaiples, q
ano that ultimately one or th~ other g z
snese forms must prevail throughout airs
eiviliEed nations and II 10 now for the Amer. |
lean people TO determine which of these prin- /
ciples shall triumph.
That the design Of the feSnders Of the Re
Bubble was 70 institute q ravernmeut upon
the principle II absolute i'm m ent soy sreirn-
" in the people, and thae would give %
each cilifen tes largest political and religi-
ops noerts compatible with the good order
- socissy and secure 10 each the right to
NV. slJeY Ahe fruits Of bic labor and talents
~ shen laws are enacted destructive Of
suesel ends, they are without moral btadipg.
Iorce, md it is the right and daty d the
people to alter. amend or aboliah them, and
lns'itnte sue others, founding them upon
~ principles of equity, a. to them may
ssem ost likely to effect their prosperity
Prudence will indeed dictate that impor-
tant laws long established should NOS be
changed for light and transient causes, and
experience hss shown that the American
people are more disposed to suffer while
evils are sntfarabfe, than to change the
forms and laws TO which they have bsen ac-
customed. But when long train Of legisla-
tive abuses pursuing invariably tha same
object, evinces a design to subvert tie spirit
OF freedom and equality upon which our in
situations are founded, and reduce them to
state Of servitude, it is their right--is is
their duty to abolish such laws and provide
new guards for their future security. Such
has been the patient suffering Of theNwealth-
producing classes OF the United States, and
such is now the necessity which coustrains
them to put forth an organised and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imperillsd by the insidiods
schemes and unwarranted aggressions OF
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and usurers by means
of unwise and corrupt legislation.
We further hoid-That all property or
wealth is the product of physical or intel
lectual labor, employed in productive indus
try and IN the distribution of the produc-
tons of labor tlat laborers ought Of righ.s,,
and would, under . i ,nrss monetary system
receive o. retain the larger proportion Of
Their PRODUCTIONS; that the wrongs, oppres-
sions and restitution which i borers are suf-
feriug il most departments Of gitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re-
suit from insutIiciency Of production but
from the unfair distribution of the products
I OF labor between reproducing capital an
labor.
That money is the medium Of distribution
to non producing capital aud producing
labor, the rate Of interest determining wha
proportion Of the products OF labor shall bt
awarded to capital for its use, and what tC
labor for its productions that the power t.
make money and regulate its value is al
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer
else Of which is by the Constitution Of tb,
! United States wisely and properly granted Il
Congress, and it Is the imperative duty o
Congress to institute il upon such a wis
and just basis that it shall be directly undei
the control of the sovereign people who pro
duce the value it is designed to represent
measure and exchange, that it may be q cor
rect and uniform standard OF value, and DIS
tribute the products Of labor equltably bet
ween capital and labor according to tn
service or labor performed IN their pro
ductioH.
That the law enacting the so called Ma
tional Banking system is a delegation b,
Congress of the sovereign power TO max,
money and regulate its value TO class 0
irresponsible banking associations, thereb,
giving to them the power to control the Valu,
Of all the property in the nation, and to a
the rewards Of labor in every department D
industry. and is inimical to the spirit o
liberty and subversiye of the principles o
justice upon which our democratic repub
hcan institutions are founded, and withou
= arrant IN the Constitution justice, reason
ma sound policy demands its immediate re
peal and the substitution Of Iegal-tende
Treasury notes as the exclusive currency o
the nation.
That this money monopoly is the paren
Of all monopolies-the very root and essenc,
Of slavery-rsiiroad, warehouse and all othel
monopolies, Of whatever kind or nature, ar,
the outgrowth Of and subservient to thi,
power, and the means used by it to rot
the enterprising, industrial wealth producing
classes Of the products Of their talents anC
labor.
That as Government 10 instituted 10 pro
tect lie and secure the rights of property
each should share its just and proper pro
portion of the burthens and sacrifices ne
cessary for its maintenance and perpetuity,
and that the exemption from taxation 81
bank capital and government bonds, bearing
double and bankrupting rates Of interest, i
species OF dangerous and unjust class le-
gislation opposed to the spirit of eur iusti-
buttons, and contrary to the principles OF
sound morality and enlightened reason.
That our monetary, financial and revenue
laws are in letter and spirit opposed to the
principles Of freedom and equality upon
which our democratic republican institutions
are founded. there is in all their provisions
manifestly a studied design to shield nom
| producing capital from its just proportion Of
the burthens necessary for the support OF
the Government, imposing them mainly on
the industrial wealth-producing classes,
thereby condemning them to lives Of un-
remunerated toll, depriving them Of the or.
binary conveniences ana comforts Of life !;
Of the time and means necessary for social
enjoyment, intellectual culture and moral
ia5rfor sment; ar ultimately reducing them
tor safe of practical servitude.
We further hold that wbila these IN
righteous laws Of distribution remain in
force, laborers cannot, by any system Of
combination or corporation, secure their
natural rights. That the fret and most i'm
portant step towards the establishment Of
the rights Of labor, is the institution of
system of true corporation between nom
producing capital and labor. That to effect
this most desirable object, money, the medi-
um Of distribution to capital and labor must
be instituted upon such wise and Just prin-
ciple that instead Of being power to Gen.
tralize the wealth in the hands of few