The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-07-02

men Of the producing class One Of the
results Of this arrangement has been, be ha'
pulled down q dwelling house on Fift
avenue, that cost 5000 900, and has re-
placed It with another that viii CT Il 81 800,
900. Tbenceforward, be will be the mas
ter Of many household servants, the glory
of upper-tendom, an object Of imitation
emulation and envy by all who may desire
to go and do likewise. What blightine
effect bis success, his style, and extrava a
gance may have in inducing others into the
mad pursuit of mammor forA similar object
eternity alone can reveal.
The masters have a qualified ownership
In' and control over the Governors, Judges,
legislators, priests, and policemen, of this
great and prosperous nation
The masters have the laws, usages, Gus
toms, and religion of the country SO ad
mlrably arranged to perpetuate their superb
orIty, that there is but one Of two alterna.
tlves offered to each member Of society,
VIZ: to struggle into the condition of mas
ter, or drop into that of servant The
middle ground between the two is so mar
row, that I" few there be who 6nd it,
~ needs to be enlarged; to be k,potcn to
De easily accessible and every human
SoM should hasten to occupy it.
Those WHO do not expect to be masters,
and who "a not content to be sldves, are
just beginning to look around them and
7" see bow the ground lies" They discover
that those who produce everything, are
poor; that those who produce nothing and
consume much, are rich. Results do not
please them. This state of things they
think ought to be changed. Their first
and most oblivious thought is, our employ
ers give US too little for our work. We
will make them give US more. For this
end, Trades Unions have been formed :
eight bour laws demanded, and enacted ;
strikes made and repeated petty despot
isms established, and their codes enforced
by fungus government, formed inside Of
the institution known and reverenced BY
that name. 1t is insisted by those who
pursue this line Of remedies, that in union
there is strength, and that the restless and
demonstrating servant may, by bis remon'
STRANGE, perverseness, ard perseverance,
compel his master to supply him with ar
abundance of work. and to pay him fail
wages, always provided that bis fellow-ser-
want will unite with and sustain him in his
warfare.
1t would be very well for all who seek tc
ameliorate their condition by compelling
their masters to be more just and generous,
to remember that this is SO far free coun-
try, that no man or woman can be com
PEELED to give employment to any other man
or woman against bis or her will, and it Is
certain that such employment will not be
given, unless some advantage, real OF
fancied, is expected to accrue to the EN-.
ployer. Inasmuch then as the employer
has to be called into that relation, for a
substantial consideration to be paid out
of the earnings of the employed, why not
dispense with him altogether ? Why moi
be your own master, employ yourself and
trust to the products Of your labor for your
reward When that is resolved on, all
vouAios bst~een nastpr and sayv"nt, ern.
ployer, and employee comes to an end.
There are many advantages in being your
own master. First, you will have no dis
tressing fears of being discharged, because
your master does not like your work, OF
wishes to change bis business. Second,
you can hurry up when you feel like work,
and rest when you are tired. Third, you
can keep on terms with your employer,
without pretence, selfsuppression, or hypo-
crisy. Fourth, being your own employer,
you are likely to receive what your ser
vices are worth, neither more or less.
This is Justice. Your position is true
one. You stand just where immortal be-
ings should stand, in a condition to be de-
veloped BY the consequences Of your acts
If you do much, and do it well, the benefit
enures to you. Ifyou do little, or do your
work badly, the loss falls where it should
fall, upon yourself Situated thus, you
have every incentive possible to be indus
trious when you oug BIT to labor, and you
have no master to urge you to labor when
you ought to rest. You have every induce
ment to discipline your body SO that it may
be an ever-ready monitor, active and vigi-
laut to protect you from loss occurring from
stupidity, mistakes, or blunders. Fifth,
your relation is now conducive to peace and
harmony than it could be were you either
master or servant.
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