The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-09-18
THE STANDARD" AND THE
LABOR CONGRESS.


The STANDARD of this city, the organ o.
the Baptist denomination, in its last issue
contains an article on the National Labor
Congress, which recently met at Philadel.
phia. We will not do tne editor of the Stan.
doTd the Injustice of supposing that he wa.
either the author ofthe article, or responsible
for its insertion. Whatever comes from hi.
pen bears the impress Of christian, a scho-
lar, and gentleman. 1t is evidently the
production Of one who fills the position d
under scriobler for the Standard.
The arucel in question, referring 10 the
proceedings Of the late Congress, assails that
body in tie following terms ut is to toe
great an extent composed OF small dema-
gogues' who by some local influence gel
themselves elected representatives - men
wholly Incapable OF comprehendiDg the ques.
tons involved" This statement must be
regarded as tie reckless assertion of NAL
icious blockbead, or the wiliul falsehood of .
knave. The delegates, who constituted the
properly accredited representatives of organ
izatiOns numbering in the aggregate upwards
Of eight hundred thousand workingmen. In
moral worth and intellectual ability they
were, one and all Of them, UNNECESSARILY
above their assailant. Many Of them were
nnletIered men, possessing but few acquire
menis, yet whose vigorous native thought
and sterling manhood more than compensa-
led for what 10 other respects they lacked.
In this they differed from the writer in cues
ton, who, with all his Accomplishments and
capacity for comPrehending the questions
involved" has never risen above the position
Of a literary scavenger =
Pigmies are pigmes ftn, though placed on Alps.
Bot pyramids are pyramids In vsles
The charge preferred is not sustained by
any proof, and consequently is unworthy Of
heightened notice. It's author has failed to
show that the representatives. of the work
ingmen are "small demagogues," but has
succeeded in proving that be is himself a
coLceited ignOramus, asna1ling, ill-teInpered
cur, who has the will but not the power TO
bite
After quoting the resolution offered BY Mr..
Cameron, and adopted, on the question o.
Aslatic labor, the article comments as fol
lowsi
There are Two things noticeable in this. Il
-SSSs1sSdalhsr cool ina gentleman who is himself
IN !" inipoTTaff 9Iso--Se labor, If he ever does
any, comes in asctf with 'tne labor Of d.
An ericau working man :" and The other is the
assumption that Tie introduction Of the Chinese
is iOr The sole and only purpose Of psuperising
the labor OF the American wOrkIngman."
There are also two things noticeable in
this. sit is rather cool" in gentleman"
styling his employer an ''impOrtatioD," for
the term is as applicable to the managing
proprietor of the Standard as 20 others Of
foreign birth. II is evidently CALLING to this
self-styled American to find an importation
at the head Of the establishment, and him
sell at the bottom Of it. The second is the
assumption that the naturaliEed citizen is
not an Ameritan,-he is only an ''importa-
ton" The writer has evidently forgotten,
probably be never knew, that the citizen Of
foreign birth is as much entitled to the name
American, as those born upon the soil. We
venture TO affirm that there are few of those
imported 10 this COUNTRY who have not done
more to advance Is prosperity and develop
its resources than has this self-styled Amer
lCan.
The principle asserted in the resolution
offered by Mr.. Cameron cannot be success
fully contrOvertei, and it is for this reason
that personalities are INDUCED in. The in .
PRODUCTION Of Coolie labor into this country
is not only for the purpose, but for the open
y svOwed purpose Of pauperiIing the Labor
Of our own race. It is not only the purpos,
Of the measure, but such must be its result
and this is 80 apparent that il is surprising
that the stupid fellow who wrote the article
ia question does not perceive il:
Would one not swear that Heaven loved fools,
There's such number Of them made"
The recommendation is given that The fol
lowing resolution be added to the plat
form:
Resolved, That if the amount expended b.
the !aboring men Of this country for intoXicat
ing drinks and tobacco were invested in lot
and buildings every laboring mans famil!
might be comfortably housed.
The drinking to excess of intoxicating Ii.
quOrs and the use of tobacco are not the on
ly vices which abound in society, nor are
they confined to workingmen, although thei
assailant intimates that they are by the Ian.
gusge of his resolution. There is oftime,
more virtue and moral rectitude to be found
in the workshop, than in the sanctum or il
the class room, and it not unfrequently hap
pens that those who put themselves forvar,
as the instructors Of others, are but "whiteC
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful
outward, but are within full Of dead mem
bones, and Of all uncleanness."
1t is with regret that We see the column
of newspaper We respect so highly as W
DO the Standard, open to such miserable
twadd!e. It cannot be that the editor favor,
the virtual re-OpeniDg of the slave trade, TO
the CoOlie system is bat slavery under an
other name, nor can be desire the pollution
of our moral atmosphere, by the intrOduc
ton of vast hOrdes of Asiatic idOlaters, NOR,
degraded and debased than the inhabitantl
OF ancient SOdOm and Gomorrah.
PRIMOGENTTURE.
In England the injustice of leaving all IN,
land TO tie eldest son, 70 the exclusion q
the rest Of the fnmily, has lately been thor
ougly discussed, but writer in the Loudor
Bee HiUs very justly claims this land systeu