The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-03-06
THAT DECISION...u,

In ur last we referred at some length t.
the recent sciion OF the Mechanics Stat,
Council OF Csliforr lie, in declining to con
tint 70 union with the National Labol
{ Party, and took issue wi h what We cor sid
er to be q s'lHsh End shortsiebted policy
We row prop Sc TO examine The reasons as
signed tor such dtclension.
After giving CT, dit to the N,tional Lsbor
Union for the purity Of it's motives and en-.
dorsing many OF it's doctrines for the ameli.
GRAFTON Of The condition Of the woTkinpmer
and women Of the United States, the com
mittee state that they cannot agree with il
on several pQin's, the OILY ore, however
which they deem necessary to notice, being
the proposition to estsb lish a new political
party, known as the Labor Reform Party;
believing that tier interests can be better
subserved BY working and through existing
parties, than by aiding in the establishment
Of 90 independent organization. This Do
sition We believe to be untenable in every
respect, and in direct conflict With the best
interests Of. the producing classes. The fol-
loving extract, taken from an editorial
which appeared 10 the Advocate Of Dec.
9th, in reply to New Jersey correspoa.
dent, advocating a similar course, appl q
eq1slly to the action Of our California friend !:
Nov, n. p. O." seems to ignore the fact. he
practical recognition Of which gives vitality
and emphasis to the entire labor movement.
viz that o. societY is at present constituted
both parties, Republican and Democratic are
under the guld 'nce and dictation Of capitalists
WhOse interests are in direct conflict with the
interests OF the producer, aud that The evils of
which the working classes complain are the re-
suit Of an unjust monetary system aud vicious
ciaEs Legislation system which robs the Dro-
Queer OF the just rewards OF his labor and IL
galizes such robbery under the sanction o. laws
enacted in the Interests OF the robbers More.
over, that so long as these iniquitous laws of
distribution remain in force, and our law max
ere are taken from the ranks Of capital. All e.
torts 60 st cure a fundamental reformation must
prove sbortive IN fact hat cur " hole social
system being virtually predicated on the prip
ciple that labor has no rights which capital Is
bound 20 respect, it is vain TO expe ct redress
from the very psrties whose actions have crea
ted, and whose selfish interests lie in perpetrat.
Ing the wrong.
Again the Committee falls into too COM
mon error by asserting:
the Mechanics' State Couucfl-rs not q poI,,i
cal orgsn zation the utmost limit TO which Il
should 90 in politics. Is to watch and expose
the tricks Of politicians, the majority of whom
here tofors, have been but too willing to pander
10 the wishes Of our enemies; 20 canvas the
merits IL al! candidates for Office, and warn
voters whenever one is presented whose ante
cedents prove HIM 10 have been adverse to our
interest.
Now we lake direct issue with this state
msht Though we are well aware that il a
rot party poli,icsl organization, yet the
very rtfoTms which have been accomplished
through its influence and Of which its East
ern friends are 50 proud, prove conclusively
that but fer political action, they would
never have been placed on the statute books.
Any question which the ballOt-box decides
becomes political issue, though It does not
necessarily follow that such MEASURES must
be In the Interest OF either the Democratic
or Republican parties. But the straDgest,
ard to our Ujnds tbs most inconsistent OBJ
ieeIiOn 10 . union, is contained 10 the follow
ing paragraph:
We believe the interest of vorkinemen will |
be best sBbss rived b. teaching the voting masses
10 rspadiate say candidate, or party, tia. fails /
o serve thei rather THAI by trying 70 create
siili stronger attachment 70 any party. We
urther believe that t0e lay0rs showu US are Is
1uch the result Of fear, as Of a sense Of duty
r gratitude A majority of the succ. ssfal can
idates of the last two years have received the
lppEt Of the p -ople, not because tney were
we'd the more, but because their opponents
ere more Objectionable than they. I,
just think u the interests of the produce 4
6 classes beng rep esented and defended 4
men whoaFs guided BY sense Of G.ar, I
hsf tEAh By sense Of duty. - c
4 more damaging admission could not be p