The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-05-16
POLITICAL ACTION.

Among the many objections uryed by the
opponents Of the labor movement, none
are more transparent or absurd than the
holy horror evinced Of making it political
iss4e. Trusting to the crsdulity, or to
the slavish devotion to party, Of some Of its
so-called fr; ends and their dupes, designing
men have taken advantage of these circum-
stances to work on the ignorance Of the
masses, and attempted to raise false issue,
by which the objects and the means are
equally misrepresented There is certainly
q grand difference between political and party
action-between the working classes using
the ballot-bO1 Tor their own interests or ele-
walton, and depOsltiDg their ballots at the
bidding OF a ward or county caucus, to adj
vance the interests Of professional politi-
cian. In order, however, more fully to IN
derstand this proposition, it is well to ascer-
tain what political aetion" means. That in
the present movemenL il does not imply
af6ation with existing parties, no better
evidence can be adduced than the elamor
raised against il by these same party leaders
"ieae, meme TIL vpharsis" is written to-
plainly to be misinterpreted. Neither does
it mean to sell the woes Of Democrats to
Republicans, or rice rersI, as has been often
and falsely stated. These leaders know, as
they have reason to know, that their lease
of porrsr is broken, and hence their anxiety
TO misrepreseut, 50 long as misrepresentation
can avail.
The following definition Of "Politics,"
from Webster, we think will throw some
light on this subject, ard as it IS 50 explicit
&c transfer it entire:
''The SCIENCE Of government taat part Of
ethics which has % do with the regulation
and govern pent If a nation or state, the
preservation Of lis safety, peace, and pros
perity; the defence OF its existence and
rights against foreign control and conquest,
the augmentation Of It's strength and re-
sources, and the protection u lis citizens IN
their rights, with the preservation and i'm
provemeut Of their morals"
In other words, any issue il a political
issue, which is left 70 BE- sufrrages Of the
people, no matter what ns character, and it
is an entire perversion " truth to assume
such must necessarily partake OF a partisan
bearing. "The protection Of the citizen in
his rights, with the preservation and i'm
prOvement of his morale" Is the cardinal
principle Of me reform movement, but
as this has never been the guide Of Demo
cratic OF Republican legislator ;, their uni ed
opposition may be expected.
OF course it was al right, so long as the
great mass Of the lsboring classes bartered
their birthright, by placing corrupt, design
ing demsgogues in office-mNn who, when
their rights were involved, Invariably cast
their influence 10 favor Of the oppressor and
who, as invariably complied with the de-
mands Of every corporation or monopoly
but tue moment the continuance Of snch
policy lie questioned, or the truth forces it.
self upon their minds that they are directly
responsible for these results, and that they
can, i they will, replace these demagogues
by honest men-then the prop -iety Of scch
plan Of action is questioned, and the hue
aDdcry Of party apostacy raised.
Bot there is another question We should
ike to ask some Of the pretended advocates.
How are they going to make eight hours
lsgIl days work, without legislative action
and how is that action 20 be obtained without
making il direct issue at the ballot-box
as We take it for granted that none ar SC
ignorant as to assume that an Effective eight
hour ordinance viii be passed by any rist
ing legislature. Some have answered., BY
using the Democratic and Republican par
ties.h Very well. Is it on that account, any
ess political issus' 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 1t
benefits or INJURIES their selfish int rests. A
legal days work means legislative action
legislative action means Hork at the ballot
boz, by workingmsn-and the aid of the bal
lotbox implies direct political effort.
Still, even under these circumstances.
there is much ground n encouragement.
Anomalous as the assertion appears, this
very suspicion, on the part Of workingmen,
is an earnest Of hope for the future. The
pertinent question here arises, why should
50 many Of the uninformed object to making
it, as they understand it, a political issue
Simply because the experience Of the past
has told them thAt they would be trusting to
broken reed in relying upon such promises,
and they know that whenever the claims Of
the workingman have been left to the exclu-
sive arbitration Of political capitalists, they !
invariably have been ignored. Hence it is
the ar'y Of every labor journalist to help |
disAbuse the minds Of his readers on this
important question, and show them that 90
mr. rom implying party afhliation, it means
exactly the reverse in fact, that it involves |
its acknowledgements, and many of those who |
now oppose it will earnestly cooperate in |
the good work.
1t Is simply as a means to an end-hs- 7.
cause 1t viii afford time for the consideration
OF the momentous issues which loom up IN |
the future-and 10 which the interests OF
the producing classes are so indissolubly !
connected, that the eight hour movement
derives its CHIEF importance. SOei, :, so to
@eak, is yet in q cL ysalis, unasyeloped
STATE; the relationship Of capital to labor !
has yet to be determined, and it would be
strange indeed, IL the strong arm Of the law
were not invoked when that contest comes.
Under these circumstances it is ali-im-
portrait that the interests Of the working
classes Should BE- represented on sacn oeca-
sion, and Il Is no more absurd to insist that
they would be by cur present legislators,