The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-08-29
THE LABOR PLATFORM.--II.

Having in our last taken hat cur
sorry view Of the principles embodied in the
National Labor Platform, and briefly refer.
red 70 the nature Of tie evils against which
The producing CLASSES have to contend, evils
which are calculated to keep them in igno
rance and subservieucy, and which render
any true cooperation between capital and la
Dor, impossible, we now propose to examine
the nature Of the remedy proposed, which it
4 claimed can alone effect the reformation
sought for.
in The frst place it declares that the first
aud most important step 70 attain this en- d
is the institution Of system of true Coop
Grafton between capital and labor; that in
order to make such cooperation effective,
money, The medium Of distribution, bettoeen
capital and labor, must be institute pom
wise and iudicious basis; instead ing a.
DC present power to centralize Inc wealth
VI the country in the hands of a compare
lively few mlddiemen and non producers, it
should distribute to the proerosr just per
cottage Of the fruits Of bis toll; that it
Should be, ia short, the servant and not the
master Of labor. This being effected the
ghts Of the laborer would be secured, the
weight which lie is now compelled 10 carry
would DO lifted from bis shoulders, and a
tue system Of cooperation would follow as
q natural sequence.
Ii further holds that tins result can be eff
iscted "by The issue d treasury notes made
hgai tender IN The payment 4 all debts
pu}lie and prirate, anil convertible at the
option u Hs holder int soUernmeat bonds
bearing Just rate Of interest, sufficiently
" tslotc tie rate ~ IN -Tease ~ the national
Il reqith 6y natural production. as to make
an equitable distribution OF the products
vi labor between aOn-produciag capital
" and labor, reserving TO congress the right
" 70 alter the same when, ii their Judgment,
I the pub interest would be promoted
1" thereby; giving the government creditor
the right to take the lawful money or the
interest bearing bonds at bis election, with
tie privilege to the holder to re-convert the
"bonds into money or the money into bonds
at pleasure"
Now, III case Mr.. Reayis should claim to
know wnat is meant by just rate Of inter-
est sufficiently bslow the rate Of increase in
~be national wealth by natural production,
We beg to state that we have demonstrated
time and again that such increase does not
exceed over three and one-third per cent. per
annum, and, a matter Of course, if the rate
ri interest on money equals the increase in
national wealth, capital must absorb all the
surplus products Of labor, and compel the
working classes to work for mere subsis-
tcnce. Moreover, If the rate Of interest er-
coed this ratio Of Increase, it must necessari-
Is take from the producing classes the pro-
perty they possess.
Now, if physical and intellectual labor be
he emily sources Of wealth land We do not
think that even Mr. Rcavis WI. dispute this
prcpcsltion), and if this labor only increases
me wealth Of the nation at the rate above
stated, we can only repeat our heretofore
published declaration, that it is simply a mat |
Ter Of arithmetic to determine bow long
nation can afford 10 pay ten, seven or even
tive per cent. for money, and make only
three.
But to the proof. In our issue Of Aprll
18th, we published carefully prepared ia
BE giving the gross valuation Of improved
ard unimproved lands in 1850 and 1860 res.
poctively; also, giving the number live stock
and bushels Of each kind Of grain. with valu.
alton at each period, such decade being the
A. St prosperous since the establishment oil
The government. The following is the re-
suit:
Total ID 1850, A ass fsI aos
Tatal IL 1853, a'0aa' nj IA
Taking BE- total Increase in ten v~s=s, IN
lAnds and prodncsa 55.0aSesI /
Equal TO forty-one percent, or a tribe over
three and ens-shird per cant. per snnum.
We insist, therefore, that il 10 In visw Of
ihsse ssit-eVident truths; in view Of The fact