The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-06-26

The last number of Harpers' Monthly ha.
An article on tbe Working Men ,i tH,
Middle Ages intended 70 couu0vert tns
gen raj impression That ID is only 0f lat.
years that the working classes have gained
real power IN Che community. ALTHOUGH id
past 5es labor tas been often treated vit
Ic0nts npt, ana the ab0rers were ffequ .ntIy
bound d9wn BY oppression, yet tins writeI
claims tlat careful review shows how great
a force they welded, and in how much more
regard they were held 81 certain nation,
than d generally supposed
v III the ninth ami tenth centuries when
Europe seemed suuk In barbari>u. when
teudailsm vas az III high and wOrkiugnen
we're slaves, the Aiabs had acquired d high
iegree OF civilization. They u0t only d.
|clsred labor honorable, bli their highest
Y chiefs taught some traf- t0 tllir children.
and 10 be without ,iui occupation was
ieemed disgrace. Manufacturers and arts
Consequently furnished to q remarkable de-
gree among thIs people Tney nr og.
stripped che Europeans iu the texture Alb.
thelr fabrics, In their architecture. in tnr
working OF ther metals, aha ir t1e c1s-I
character Of their private surroun4.-r.
Common schools ana cal-g ges are said wv
uave originated with try Arabs. Poets.
writer's ami libraries ab0unlsd with them
and the general education of thir paapI.
aided their progress.
I The same pecularities attend -d the pro-
5-uss Ot ths Jews, who. though settling ir
almost every land, renamed ! spertaI ap8
exclusive nation. Wugr-v-r t5-v were
found they were indelatiaable ah7rers. ANA
were distinguished by reguiar habits. pure
morals, good scholarship and comnerciaI
lhriit. Enduring persecu ions. insulf an NJ
icon empt ana exposed t0 gvarg kIui WV tiI
treatment from every nation amorr whom
they s9j1urned, they vet grew pro>r srops
fa1d powerful. ana their trading CITIES U.ar.
the ceLters Of intelligence aud wealth. tbeir
manufacturers, mere ants and artisan, were
models ior Italy and Germany, anI tarfr
learning awakened the intellect u AL Eo-
rope.
The dignity 81 labor was gradually, thOu -h
more slowly acknowledged in Itait. As Tie
Iieudal monarches decaFcd, the arls4u, of
euice rose into notice and power. lauuring
With energy m manufactures, architecture
shipbuilding and the arts, uniil the s1ien81r
AMI luxury Of that city i4r surpasss aur-
thing then knowu Ia Paris OF LlBlon. The
mor- democratic population of Florence.
however, soon rivael tle ACHIEVEMENTS W
Venice, and here labor became hi.hlv hon.
lred. A republic was established. ip which
every F,orentne had a share, rud tle me-
chanic was often the success Iul competition
ior hlgh pubic honOrS- The civ became
the center OF trade. lis mauufacflr-s a,,
commerce expanded, aad u va able w sur
lply the governments OF France aud England
WITH large loans. L arnlng also fourlsn.d
Wuen The Foren-ines ceased t0 be free. ANA
prosperity corrupted them, they learned TO
iespise labor VII ch alone nad exalted them.
and SON fell into decay. The Netherlands
we're for many centuries the home of work
ing men. Here they were ree, wealthy ana
respected, and neither envied por hoporgd
ne immoral and luxurious courts and
princes "a the surrounding countries. who
could not undei stand how ths manufacturinc
cltes amasseI such enormous wealth. C,n.
stan hatred aud warfare existed tbr,nchaut
middle Europe at this time between the
working classes and The noDles. but he
former were too powerful for the etiemiuate
ana luxurious princes ID control, anI they
rose in respect and authority Industrr
civilization and hope attended an tbe MOI
g-ess Of the w5rkingmen, while barbari.n
tyranny and decay marked the steady ex-
JUNCTION Of those %ho desplsed labor and
nated the lAborer.
Many Of the most important inventions
and discoveries Of modern times have snrnng
rom the intelligent workinrmen WI tbe
middle ages. The happy union Of intellect
and labor = the source from which the
countless improvements and ref1ements of
the world have sprung, and that country
wh.cn most really honors true work of every
Aind vii aivance the most rapidly III every-
Jh'ng whlca constitutes national Dro,oe-ity