The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-13
rlIE SPIRIT OF rae AGE.

iron bed Of despotism is sadly disturbed.
IL is too short for the advancing spirit Of
the age The labor element of the world
seems 70 be in motion. The sources Of
thought in every department Of knowledge
are being re-explered. The world is sadly
at variance with its fossil theories. The
dead carcass Of dead past must be buried
out Of sight, and the rights Of man discussed
anew. Abstract truths must be reduced to
practice. Elegant but glittering geneTalities
in declarations Of independence and un-
meaning preambles to written constitutions
have ceased even to amuse. Their charmed
life has departed. Everyday life and every
day duties demand hearing, which, sooner
OF later must be needed. The toiling millions
are On the "anxious seat" OF the world seek ing
for Themselves to know how they shall be
saved from the CALLING oppression of insti-
tutons. Their burdens are too large to be
longer borne. They demonstrate against the
wrong and are told that they must work
harder and longer-that 10 attempt in any
manner 10 better their condition is warning
against the Divine order Of an all-wise Prov
idence, who has thus wisely ixel their con
ditiOn. They look into The history of the
past, and II is selhshness enthroned upon
the back Of labor-the civilization of the
preaeTt : more or less refined slavery. Gov
ernments are instituted among men ostensi-
ply 70 establish justice and to protect rights
practically, they are 10 build up small
privileged class, who, by ingeniously con
trived legal machinery, Cypress and roll The
industrial and useful classes. The principle
which lies at the base is, that the interests
Of the many should be subyerted to those Of
the few.
In the past the ignorance and consequent
indifference Of the many rendered this i'm
position easy. The power Of the press,
though grossly perverted by capital, has
changed somewhat the form, but not the
quality of despotsm. We boast of high
civilization and a rapid advancement, yet it
Is more apparent than real. No doubt the
general diffusion Of knowledge has prepared
the way iCr the ultiIna,e Acknowledgement OF
the race; but tie growth Of knowledge aad
sEseii gence OF the masses heretofore has
been mostly arplisd in lnaking -anFrese-
nelts in the useful arts-in the invent IN
Of machinery and in the developments of
mechanical skill, in every department of
labor. Thus far, however, the advantages
derived from these Improvements IN the use-
ful arts have been through the operation Of
partial-iramed laws, monopollzed by a very
small class Of men. Increased supplies and
improved articles have only multiplied the
wants and improved the legal machinery by
which those who live without labor can
mere easily and more abundantly supply
every want. But the time is fast approach
ing. it has not already arrived, when what
arc now called the laboring classes, instead
Of following the lead Of men and OF GUS
toms which rob labor, are going to apply
themselves in gaining knowledge as to how
it is done. A reform which benefits the
labor class must not be merely an improved
form Of begging or of legalized stealing, but
radical change Of fundamental laws. In.
creased intelligence must be employed not
IN bcasting what we have done, but in
emancipating labor from the bondage of false
governments, false customs, and wicked class
laws. The gross injustice Of this legislation
must be more thoroughly canyassed and bet
ter understood by the industrial classes, be.
fore The evil can be remedied. an honest
effort to oyerturn this system must not Be
coniounded with the changes heretofore made
by the governing class, in the name OF
"amendments,' which, in common parlance
means an improved mode Of stealing. This
class legislation, If not overturned, must be
made TO reach the labor class, not in robbing
but in benefits. A new principle will have
to be infused into legislation, and that new
principle Is to give to the industrial class the
benefits Of aggregated capital. How can the
labor class have anything more than the
sembIance OF right, SO long as exchanges are
to be made through the medium Of money. !
and the government .surrenders itself and
the rights of the laoor class into the hands
OF monster, called Banking Institu-
tionsY'
The power Of the world is exercised
through this agency. The government and
people who part with this power part with
their sovereignty. A government which
parts with this attribute is no longer entitled
TO the least respect. 1t has the form or estab-
fishing justice, but virtue has gone out of it.
and the only office it can perform is, the
more perfectly to carry out the designs Of the
money power, Is nich it has created. Finan
ciai laws, therefore, as at present existing.
are not intended to establish justice, nor to
benefit the laboring class, (the only class
there would be, were it not for these finan-
cial class laws,) but to create monied class
"a governing class, who are to live without
abor. Hence an unjust and artificial system ,
If civil order, full of gross injustice and ;
deadly antagonism is substituted 10 the place
II justice and genuine civil order. To over 1
'urn this system the efforts of all the labor a
lass viii be required. But how are these
forts to be put forthf is just now the !
erious question to be canvassed. This is 4
ne difficulty which lies in the pathway Of 4 Il
cal reform. The privileged class i've bv "
bus acknowledgements laws and the Gus II,
oms thereby created. They are in TIRE place Il
assigned, and understand more or less of Il
As practical workings Of the system. p
'hough the nay not have q very distinct b
nowledge Of It's moral o. material bearings p
q the rights Of the unpriFilegsd class, yet Il
iey haxea distinct perception that their ~
Lass are The gamers, and the industrial the .