The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-12-11


will be required TO keep the ball IN mo-
ton, 10 overthrow existing parties, and
ee,sare the recognition and adoption Of
the priudples thersin contained. Now,
q speech il open convention 10 well
eneugh in. ion place; the reading and
adopaiadofA prcttily worded resolution.
AMID ! hnrsk efaPplsuse, may tickle the
svanita ~ anihor; yet the humblest
speqbsF cf an organisation, who Sc
cures lha Enrolment and attendance of
his fellow wurkmcn, il far more v2lu
able member and achieves more sub
aostial results than the man who
speaks his piece under the idea that the
world will stand aghast at his senti-
ments. Unless the truths inculcated
both in speech and resolutions are car
RED into practice in every day life, as
far AZ possible, IL were just as well that
both the one and the other had re-
manned unsaid. The work in which
we have embarked is one in which all
splatter and buncomb ecan be proftably
dispensed with. Earnes'. persistent,
unyielding indi3dsal effort is required
to carry it to fruitiou. Action, action,
action is demanded; and this many of
our members seem determined we
shan't have.
All successful reforms have hereto
fore been noted, in their infancy for the
untiring. persistent energy of. their sd-
vocates-an energy that brooked no
denial; that contumely and disappoint-
ed but nerved TO ste, ner resolve. And
this is just the need of all needs at the
present time in the ranks of labor. If
those who now profess an attachment
To the principles of reform will s0ork
half As zealously in the future A. they
have in the past for the ssecess OF
" their party. the obstacles about
which they pirate 20 mnch will disap-
pear and the era for which they pray ~
will soon tinge the horizon. The truth
of the matter il, and it 10 idle to con-
ceal it, the principles embodied in the
labor platform have grown more rapid
ly in favor with the general public than
with those who framed aud endorsed
them; and the danger is that they will
be appropriated by some party to the in
jury Of those most deeply interested,
for it must not be forgotten that the
agitation Of this important question has
been a series OF failures, always by and
through the apathy of the working
classes themselves
The history Of the past has demon
strated the fact that the moment
the labor question has assumed
such Importance as to attract the atten-
ton of the political schemer, an effort.
and a successful one, too, has been
made to out-Herod Herod, in apparent
devotion to its demands; its principles
have been incorporated in some mys-
Gical platform; blind confidence has
been secured, while a laxity Of effort
ard betrayal Of trust have furnished
the sequel The movement. has again
reached the crisis in its existence. IL
must either progress or reIrOgrades it
must bccosne a power in the land or
the aPpcndage Of some good-Lord or
good-devil enterprise. Now, the per-
,inent question Srises, shall the present
effort be a repetition of the past? is
the intelligence and honesty of the
working men equal to the emergency ?
We insist. however, there is now no
need of again perpetrating such blum
der During the season of transfOrma-
ton stout hearts, clear heads, and hon.
est purposes, are required to guide the
movement over the breakers, but thank
God, they Can be found, and have no
doubt their efforts will prove equal to
the emergency, provided a proper sup
port is guaranteed.