The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-07-24
WASHINGTON, July 8, l66!

WASHINGTON, July 3, lo6y.
To The Editor Of the woRklSeMAS's ADVOCATE.
WY LABOR Is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AERCHAErs-
MoxoPoLsrs AND MosoPoLEs Stewart AsroE-
:. LAwrxRs-PaAsAssEs-IsDs PsSpESr VOTING.
One great reason why so many people
shrink from hard labor, or strive to avoid il
as degrading, is that 50 few of the laboring
classes are raised to positions of honor and
trust, or attain noted emlnence. We are
too prone to select professional men, or rich
capitalists for official stations, to legislate
and rule over US. This practice flows from
TWO causes First-laboring men, general
ly, feel that the have not the time and means
TO expend in securing Office ulder the pre-
vailing caucus and nominating system-of-
fee seeking and getting IN is, in most cases,
rather expensive-eosts money, for election
eering purposes, which honest workIngmen
can illy afford to spend-but which, after
all, we have to pay for, in high taxes under
extravagant administration Of government
caused by the rapacity Of the aristocratic,
non-prodlclng classes which secure the Off
ces. No matter Of which party-their ami
mus is the same-as il well said in your re-
Spouse to a dIsaffected subscriber. Those
pro fessionals and aristocratic politicians
are all robbers Of the working class-in al
the old parties. They have 30 sympathy
with US, aud little feeling for US. except as
Hfeelers' for our vote-and to Keep US IN as
much ignorance and humility as possible, in
order that we shall not become successful or
troublesome rivalsfor those official posi-
| tions and We all the more fools if we allow
IL; and deserve to be their tools If we
I have not ambition ard manhood enough 10
assert and maintain our rights and dignity.
4 The other cause is, that professional and
wealthy mel have the opportunity and read
and study, and plan more, az general
thing, and become wiser, more skllliui IN
m inagement-and with their knowledge
ines power AMI We are too apt to come
to look upon them as higher class Of beings,
and better fit fer law makers and rulers !;
and they are better fit to legislate and govern
I for their special class, but all the worse and
4 more iDimcal to our best interest conse-
| quently, they take advantage of this unwise
Difference on Dur part-and override Us
with government for their selfish sggran-
/ dzement
Our remedy is-in fact-to arouse with a
/ manly self-respect, save our time and mon
| ey, from idleness and dissipation and use
| orr best capacities and all opportunities for
! information and know ledge, In everything
| that pertains to the welfare Of labor and
our country; and judiciouslY select from
our own numbers, who sympathize With u,
I suitable men to hold office-lo0klnx 10 ca
I pacity and integrity rather than party. upon
which to confer the honor and power Of our
votes. Thus, we can, in great measure,
correct the evil, and secure q eater prosper
| ity and respect to the producing class Let
US learn to respec: cur own calling and po
\ sitions- cherish self-respect-rely upon our
cwn resources mentally and physically; fee
and act the true, genuine American princi-
pie, expressed ia the homely adage-
sithat everybody il as coed as Anybody else,
and little BETTER" ar We will not long be
domineered by the aristocracy. We must
learn and feel that De who produces and
makes bread is more meritorious than be
who only eats it.
Some 29 years ago in l64l3-is was my
I fortune to assist in editing a small newspa-
! per, in the city Of Rochester, n. ", OF the
same name as yours" Workinqmdn's i'd
voc1te,." Il was published by Henry O'Reil-
| ly & Bro, and they employed me as an as
sistant EDITOR At that time we had few OF
no workingmen's organizaticns-and little
associated effort; our aim and labor was
simply TO stimulate the public mind, gener-
ally, to better appreciation and reward
OF the laboring Glasses, by presenting such
facts and arguments as might bear fayora-
bly, in that direction. The workingmen Their
had not began so fully to feel and assert
their rights, and TO understand their pOliti-
cal posoer, as now obtains. True, there were
trade societies, &C., confined mostly to d.
recting affairs within their own circles, and
10 prevent abuses by the members Of their
own craft. They had not begun, as now, 10
realize clearly that they are and Of right
ought to be, p0sceT in The tdnd-the para
mount one in our social and political struc-
ture. They who feed, aad clothe and house
the people should control the government.
They can, by possibility, dispense with
other, the non producing classes-but not
Uicc UeTsd-they can't 90 without u, and
live. Then Industry is the chief plank -
the sustaining foundatiou-in our National
platform and exIstence-and Education its
chief co-s1jutor. Let us all, WHO work, OBJ
serve constant sobriety and frugahty, by
which We will rapidly accumulate " the
sinews Of war" and acquire in all reasonable
ways the fullest knowledge within our reach,
that we may not be o5er-reached in intelli-
gence. These-wealth and intelligence
will not be long in securing to MS indepen-
dence, dignity anu self-reiance, that will
enable US tc say thus far, and no farther"
to noaonoly and idle sristocracy.
The tra6cker, the merchant, Is useful and
convenient, in his place, a. a medium Of
business, but is no. entitled, nor should he |
be allowed the controlling position and i'm |
portaDce ne Is Of secondary ScessitY, and
should be subordinated to the producer. He /
Should remain Ia dignity ard esteem, as be
is 10 time and fact, only second to productive
labor tbs merchant IS not needed and has
no office until the producer has furnished l
the articles for him to carry and speculate 4
upon. First o. all, the materials for food
and clothing must be supplied next to this
they require 10 prepare them for use ind
transport and last in time, as in import
ance, comes the merchant, OF agent Of ex-
and Of use when some
parties have surplus and others deficiency
but as in no event does be produce or add
anything to the real wealth, 20 in no case can
he righteously be entitled to the larger share
Of profits and benefits, he cannot Justly be
enriched In the operation more than the
producer yet, from some cause, the mer-
chants have TO be the recipients Of vastly
greater accommodations than the farmer and
mechanic.
Foilowiu0 IN an arrnhatsc casa IN r,o,ns- n |.