The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-07-16

oue or more individuals own the entire pro
perty Of tbe place. Capital is indispensable
10 developing the resources Of q country an,
IN proportion to the increased development
Is labor and the country generally bene6tcd
and labor, in the part it plays in the gran,
result, is the active. intelligent agent, whil
tcaPltal is the dormant power which incites
Labor ought not to be, yet it IL, the slav
OF capital neither ought capital be- subjec
to the caprices of labor; both should b
harmonious. 1t is in the physical and trim
aterial constitution of man to desire, t,
grasp, to be ambitious, to be greater ant
more powerful than his fellows This weak
ness we know and must concede.
Restrictions should be placed neither OF
capital or labor if it be possible to avoid it
Put when men, having acquired power ID
mchey or strength in the labor market, will
use It, not for the prosperity of the country
and benefit Of the people, but ouly in such
manner as will serve personal aggrandize
ment or individual caprice, then they become
aggressive, and legislative measures should
be adopted to restrain their individual pow
er. A war between labor and capital Is as
much to be deprecated by the workingmen
as by those who claim greater interest in
the country by reason Of their wealth. Such
war was waged for years without any appear
ent disposition on the part of the weather
combatant to cease hostilities. Now it has
eliminated, and the issue to be determined
is not whether they shall submit and be
deprived Of their wealth and the right to use
it, but Uhcsher their right has no limits,
and to determine them. f..y n
The Labor Reform Party are as anx-
ious to preserve the national honor by the
payment Of the national debt according to
the contract, as either the Republican or De-
mocratic parties can be. "When the United
States was in desperate strait" the work
ingmen gave to appcase, the maws Of the
demon Of war, all they possessed-their
lives-wh;le bankers, speculaters, monopo.
lists and others loaned their money to the
government at Shylock rates, and demand
the fulGllment Of the contract with Sbylock
pertinacity. They shall hare their pound
Of flesh, OithOut a drop Of hood. wv rI
Let that portion Of the debt made pa yable
in gold be iquidated at the earliest possible
moment, but every other form Of indebt
edness must be paid by legal tender cur
rency, authorized by the government for the
payment Of all debts, public and private,
duties on imports included, and convertible
at the pleasure Of the holder into govern
ment bonds, bearing interest at three per
annum, or Utce versa.
This essentially American currency will
never be subject to the fluctuations caused
by contracting or expanding currency, as
heretofore, with its periodical panics, its uni
versal ruin and disaster to the country. II
will also mete equal justice to all, and be
in strict conformity with our organic law.
The tendency Of this form. Of currency
would be to liquidate the national debt
without further taxation. Upon this point
| shall say no more at present, but will re-
turn to il, if desired, at greater length, 'snd
with such proofs as are to my mind over
whelming "a sistainment Of the position we
assume.
Imperfect as 'be foregoing is. perhaps it
contains as much as will satisfy you that
the labor reform party is not a ''sham got up
by demagoguesto bamboozle honest labor
into the belief Of imaginary Ills" Our aim
is to effect radical changes in our monetary
condition, and as far as practicable without
injustice to any. 1t is not our object to
establish an analogy between workingmen
and Senators Rev.ls and Upton, or any
other class of professional 1870 politicians,
whether of Democratic or Republican orr
gin, in recommending workinSmen for posi-
tions they are qualified to fill. / concur
with you, to reduce the working man to
that level would be to insult and degrade
him moro than legislation or exhorbltant
taxation has yet done. If there are work
ing men with laudable political ambition,
With ability, patriotism and the public vir-
tues required, / see no reason why they
should not be placed in Office; and | don't
believe the country would suffer by il. 1t
is not alone in your monied walks Of life
the best men or soundest political scientists
arc to be found Workingmen, though
termed "mudsills" by your chivalric South
erners, are very often more competent to
discharge the duties Of Office With honor to
themselves and benefit to the countay than
those who make Office hunting the business
Of their lives. 1t is not the object, however,
to push workingmen into Office at the ex-
pense Of the public requirements.
With thanks for your wishes that our
party may do some good, | am
Respectfully Yours,
F. Rooney.