The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-02

charge afforded the only remedy, he says:
Now sir, the union knew previous to taking
action, that neither one or the other was neces-
sary, for the foreman of the shop in which the
cOlored man was working bad signifed his in
tention to discharge him If the men working in
he shop wished il to be done and il is my be-
lief if the men working with the negro had sig
ni6ed their intention TO work with him, per
init TO work without card would have been
granted by the union.
Exactly go; which goes to prove that bis
color was the only Objectionable feature
raised. In the article referred to we said
nothing whatever Of social equality, new er
for a moment limited at it, but viewed the
question as one of principle. We said
The dignity of labor must be practically rec
ognized. UnpalAtable as the duty may be the
issue must be met and wise indeed Is that or
ganization, which instead of fighting the dead
sms of the past, accepts the situation in good
faith, and uses its influence to enligbten and
enroll the colored element in the ORGANIZED
ARMY OF LABOR, Certainly no one Is so deeply
interested in securing such a result as the man
who earns his living by honest toll.
In other words, that as trades unions had
proved necessary to the white mechanic, in
resisting the unjust demands Of capital, it
was equally essential that the cOlored race,
in their new relationship, should be taught
their advantages, else their influences would
be exerted in the wrong direction. We did
not dictate or even suggest hOw these or
CARNATIONS should be formed. We did
know, however, that in every northern city
colorcd organizations and churches exist,
though we have vet to learn of the first Oh
lection to such societies, on the ground that
their recognition would necessarily involve
a recognition of social equality.
Again, our critic, to illustrate more clearly
his position, makes use Of the following Ian
guage:
I While legislation should meet.all races alike
ignore caste in the different races and place all
alike on a sound democratic basis, yet such 9
result as this does not argue for a moment that
the barriers Of race should be torn down and al
races be received into the social embrace, nc
more than the Arab steed and jackass in the
same field, enjoying all the blessings Of heaven
alike, should fraternize and become socia
equals.
So say we; but we can't allow our friend
to dodge the issue in this manner. Whil'
we should utter no protest against the Arat
steed refusing to fraternize with his jackass
p, we should most decidedly object to hi
refusing to allow him to eat grass enough t
subsist on, which is substantially the posi-
ton assumed. But let us examine little
farther into this bugbear of social equality
Let US suppose, for example, that MI
Briggs should, in an emergency, tax
off his coat for day or two, and 20 to worl
among his operatives, would he eve
for the time being, as his social quail
or Uice Oersa. Not at all, unless both EN-
plOyer and employees are exception to tn
rule. Why then.all this buncombe, abou
the social equality of the negro when be in
sists upon lthe privilege Of earning bis liv
ing by the sweat of his brow?
In view of what We have said, the cor
gratulations Of our correspondent on tb
eman oipation Of the negro race, b
willing concession Of political privilege
seems rather inconsistent. In fact We IA
to see the freedom Political equalit
means that the negro race shall have a
equal voice with the Caucausian in shapiD
the destiny and future legislation of th
country: Y et strange to say the priviieg
Of competing with til en- in the race Of lif
. a~n:s is- HA----s~s -sTange eo~r'~sannS
The claim that the character Of the negr
viii ultimately compel him to abandon ,h
field to the white mechanic is altogethe
gratuitous. So long as be was a chdttel n
correct opinion could be formed Of his ca
pacity now that he is a freeman dependen
on his Own ezertions-his relation is entire
ly changed, while the future alone can de
termine what that capacity is.
But it is needless to pursue this question
further. We cannot conclude, however
without remarking that the conclusions Q
our correspondent seem to be as defective a
as premises. Referring to his belief tina
the line Of demarcation between the whit
and black race will be more closely draw
in the future than in the past, he says
Ny reasons for thinking so are these First
freedom leaves the negro at liberty to turn thei
faces in any direction they wish secondly,
growth of intelligence consequent upon thei
changed relations in life, will enable them Il
see that they are contending against odds i
competing with superior and more enterpris
ing race and thirdly, selfpreservation will
cause them to draw from the unequal contes
and colonize by themselves, and it is my seriou
impression that if such q course should not b,
pursued they will the sooner disappear befor,
the onward march of the white race, which il
destined, believe, at no very remote date, e
supplant all the races Of the globe.
With regard to the first proposition, w
answer, the freedom referred to reminds us
of the freedom of the British pauper free
dom to starve. The second is a sword which
cuts both ways: If the inferiOrity of the black
race is so self-apparent, Dhy not leave their
destiny to the memorable logic of events
The third is an opiniUl directly at variance
with the experience of the past, and the tes-
timony of the ablest thinkers of the age,
many of whom agree that color is the re-
suit of climatic agency.
But we have done. That our readers may
more readily understand, however, our true
position, and wherein we differ from our
New York friend, we reprint the following
from our November article, every word of
which we now re-aftirm:
The line Of demarcation is between the rob-
bers and the robbed, no matter whether the
wronged be the frIendless widow the skilled
white mechanic, or the ignorant black. CAPT
tai is no respecter of persons, and it is the very
nature of things a sheer impossibility to degrade
one class of laborers without degrading all. To
make labor digni6ed, therefore, we must dignity
the laborer, no matter what his calling or social
poSition.
THE FINALE.
Some weeks since, we referred to an nm
founded and very silly rumOr, prevailing in
Ra1tiuara IN Aha ofTaok khak -