The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-12-18
WHO ARE WORKINGMEN !

A correspondent of the New York
G'O6e, who is writing a series of articles
on the Labor Question, is very much
concerned about the short sighted poll
cy Of the working classes, in resolving
10 leave the beaten path, and use the
ballot box for their own advancement.
THE workingman," says this sage. has
only to deal with l0iCs, regulations, or
ueages, which affect his labor or inter
fere with his enjoyment ofits products"
as if that truth was not especially re-
cogniSed in their declaration Of princi-
Piles. Further on, he says:
1T NAV be accepted that the trades utinns
are the eXponents a representatives nt the
WnIkingman. In that aspect il ia to b. regret
It'd that the brain yorker is 10 be excluded from
The association, and, b. viewer their interests
NAV BE- IN u-ison, the BRAN workers are pr
force driven INTO the Opposite rahk4 The com
DOsitor and press man Norkingmt H. tn
Journalist is not. The hOu+e painter is n ~Ork
ingman, the artist is nnt. The etore Gu ter il
q Orkingman. the sculptor is not. Or, sumo
ran but that lie r. ilroad or hOrse car vUi duct
or Nou not, he b'Iug il the nature ut clerk.
III like mannpr ~! pT"t, 'si"nal en- al sore
keepers, the very producers, Ike iuImer- when
they are not mere laburrrs, are txrluted iron
the eaErgOry."
AS We are not enlightened az to The
source from whom this information ?)
is derived, it may not b. ami>s 70 call
his attent OH 70 the FLOWING facts 60
When ia Washington, in the winter Of
1858, we had the pleasure, in company
with ex-president Whalcy, the lat. Pre-
Fidcnt Sylvis, President Trevclllct,
Vice President Cavis, and Hon. A NJ.
Puett, 70 wait on Gen: Samuel F. Cary,
who was about iodcliver his now ever
memorable speech on the Rights Of
Labor" which has since been rccog-
nized as the ablest exposition of the
National Labor Union, ever given to
the American people. At that confer
ence, the question was discussed,
"Who shall be embraced III the catego-
~ Of workingmen." After full and
free interchange of opinion, the follow
ing definition was agreed upon by una
nimOus consent, and the same was &C.
cepted by Gen. Cary:
IN our definition Of workinrmen We embra &c
Bll Who are Cngng' d in productive industry; all
who are in good faith obeying the Divine decree
BY eating bread In the sweat Of their own faces.
and no living upon the honest earnings OF 9TH
ers. Not those only who open up and Gu tIvate
farms, build cities, construct railroad+ sud oil
in workshop, but those also. who, by intellect
ual labor, xtract the principles Of science from
the great arctus OF nature, and give tlt m prac.
Iicsi form OF BTt and direct the hand Of Indus
trv. 10 short, LvEkY HUMAN BEING, Who, by
physical or intellectual Labor, c,utr, outes 20 Ire
bui stAntial wealth Of the nation and lids il
making "Lhe wilderness aud solitary places bios
aOm "a the rose"
Now, we don't know what "NV. H.
thinks, but we believe that all rational
men will think that this clas ,i6cation
embraces both The farmer and the horse
car conductor.
Again, it is well known to those al
all conversant with the action of the
Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia
conventions, that some Of the aGlesI
delegates in those bodies we're honest,
hard listed farmers, from the prairies Of
Iowa and Illinois. But to end ali cavil,
let us look for moment, at the Con-
StttWtiOH of the National Labor Union,
under whose provisions all delegates
we're elected, AMI see what It saws
Section ! expressly provides
''The Nation i Labor Union shall he con,
posed OF such Labor organizations as NAV nv
shall hereafter exist, having + r their Object
the ameliOrstiOn of the condition of t'o.s
who labor for living"
Now, is this satisfactory? We DON,
believe it is, as we have a strong i'm
preston that the article in question wa,
only penned in order to sre the initial,
of wv. H." in print. Yale. w. IL.
pGLs-humbug.