The workingman's advocate., 1869-11-20


the colossal figure 10 lovingly upheld. They
may with propriety report sAAt this wosder-
iul PersonAge-gOv@nmsat, does not SAND |
square upon its pins-that u, upon beth |
Pint or legs at the ssns ilms. On the con-
trarg, it acts as though n wee iron shod-
Its SOes are compressed with rings il 10 a.
it We're club-toOted (and club-ha0dsd als,)-
it fist poises itself on its Dswocrat,c foot,
thea upon its Republican foot nov upon
it's Northern foot, nov upoa its Southern
fOOt never on bOth-aIways with oos side
parAlYzed, through want Of circulation Of
the blood through its proper ehansels.
Ii is in the people that eOvssnment
must live, and meve. and subsist = in
th4 people nOt In half the people; and
Though all its parts must circulate the warm
lifa blood composed Of these ingredients
public opinion and public honesty, and pub
lic,,onergy. ..-.. -', b..
Mr.. Medllps plan, though 1t might sst the
mtn government Squarely On both of his
feds, does not uDbiDd the toes, or ut best not
more than two or three OF them. There
ara on each foot, the free trade toe
th! tariff toe-the temperance soe-:he anti.
suhptuarv Law toe, aud the workingmsn's
tol. But to drop the simsIe, We are sick
of.the A &c d ism Of politics the true
mtaning Of the word ia almost forgotten ;t
hds been said to imply the knowledge Of the
OPERATIONS Of the vices and the virtues Of
mtn upon themselves and society the M
Outstanding Of the ranks and Offices Of their
intellectual and bodily powers, 10 their
adaptations 20 art, science aud industry.
Aso the right understanding Of the proper
oAces Of art, science and labor, As we'll as
tt6 fundamental principles Of commerce, in
clk ding Hnsnce and taxation; and all this
cdpled with practical knowledge Of the
present state and wants Of mankind. How
mhny men in Chicago are there, who calling
themselves politicians, are politicians in
TBS sense2 Many we hops; and We hope
alao trat none others may be found in the
liIt Of Cook county delegates to the Consti.
tUkional Convention.
I'VE have not space in this article to dis
cdss in its minor details the subject Of Pro-
p{rtiOnAte Representation, we shall reeur to
tES subject in our next issue; II is not new or
strange to our readers. We wouli say II
o4r modesty would permit il, that il 10
aGAong mechanics that are found tbs best
thinkers; men who recognising principle
csh carry it into practice without being
stamped in the surface froth of details and
apparent cOmplexity. Men in tssds, and
eVsn in the practice Of the Law and other
learned professions, are apt to become mar
ROW; they are more efficient in probing q
subject than in diSsecting it. They are apt
td be butchers rather than surgeons 10 use
the cleaver rather than the scalpsl; but to
hfar editors whining and whimpering about
cfmplexity Of plans that are far less COM
pteX than the rule Of three, is simply sicken-
ing. We would suggest that our daily CO.
tlmporaries leave the discussion Of political
matters to those young gentlemen upon their
editorial staff who have passed the pOus 0si-
nSoTWm, and let the infants take the back
stats.
Various plans for applying the principle Of
PFOportionate Representation, have been die
cSssed in the trades unions Of Chicago, Nil.
WAukee and 0maha, BY mechanics, ali Of the
Whge class. Many are quite familiar with
MOST of the plans that have been proposed,
bhth in this country and in others. They
ctnsider any Of them susceptible Of inn
ptovement before or after practical test BY
use, and the general feeling seems to be that
almost any Of the plans would be preferable
ID our present mode of misrepresentation
tsey condemn nothing because it happens
e be English, for they recognise the fact
tat our people, though composed OF many
pAtionAlities are indebted to England for
t$eir language; and that in the organization
aAd government Of the University Of Gam
bfidge, where some Of the trainers OF our
government were educated-may be found
tie prototype OF the government ofthe Uni
tt1 States, and Of the States Of our Union.
Ihe many excellent European works on gov
eminent are probably known TO but few, and
arp therefore not the subject of criticism.
AS the National organ of the Labor Union
ofthe United States, we do not wish to un-
ddrvalue other classes Of society. All Of
them as far as practicable should have 0
Ptoportionate Representation in oil the leg
issative bodies, that thus both efficiency and
stSadiness may be established by the people
though improvement in government, as has
b1en done by mechanics in the improve
mint Of the steamship, railroad aud tsle-
gAphy, the neutraliEers Of space. TIE
trtnstiOn from the steam engine to the en-
gIhe, civil government, is easy. Newton was
a farmers boy Linneus was q shoemaker ;
Hslnter, the great AnatOmist, was . cabinet ma
k4r the ship chTOnOmeter was invented by
atcarpenter the achrOmAtic telescope by
Dbllond, q weaver. Sir Richard Arkwrioh:,
v no invented the spinny gin, was barber.
Dc. Watt was worker IN brass; but above
az Jesus was a carpenter, and was
always when on earth in the minority and
" Is crHeifed by the majority. 1t may be
that same other practical mechanic may
suggest great Improvements in government.
live would truly Be governed by VSr pOpuEi
tlten let the people speak freely through the
legislative bodies let minorities and major
tiles be there representation PROPORTION
AFELY, and rely upon il, there wiH be
esInts in those days.
/ MASSACHUSETTS, ALL HAIL.
/ Sln the history Of the Labor movement, no
event is so calculated to awaken the labor
irtg people to an appreciation ef what 10