The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-08-27

ed the following resolutions, which
were similarly disposed of;
4 WHEREAS, The working class constitutes
the vast majority Of the human race. and in
the United States comprises The great major
ity Of the voting population; that The govern
ing class il composed Of the few who possess
the wealth and produce nothing; therefore,
Resolved, That We hold to the principles
announced BY the fathers Of the republic,
that all men are created equal, and possess
certain inslienable rights. and that the true
purpose Of government is to establish and
perpetuate liberty, justice and equality.
Resolved, That laws, customs, ceremonies
and organizations, either Of church or state,
which Discriminate prejudically against Ia
Dor, nationality, condition or laudable avocs
ton, are in direct violation of Republican
ism, and consequently, ought not 10 exist in
the United States.
RESOLVED, That labor is entitled to its
just reward by whomsoever performed, and
the denial of such pay to women, because
they are women, for equally efficient labor,
is q grievance which demands redress.
Rsolred, That il is the duty of the Ma
tional Government TO encourage and sustain
the association which seeks the elevation OF
working men and women, particularly those
based upoe the principle Of cooperative In
dustry; ,inasmucb as labor Is the active agent
in developing the vast resources of the coun
try, and the real source Of national pros
perity.
Resolved. That the employment Of chil.
dren of tender years by corporations. as
means Of adding to their greed Of profit, is
a disgrace to the civilization Of the age, and
sadly detrimental 10 the mental and physical
developments of American citizens
Resoived, That the public lands belong
to the people, and the government has NO
right to deprive actual citizens of their legal
possession by granting monopolies Of the
same to corporate wealth.
Resotued, That. while there exists neither
reason nor necessity for antagonism between
capital and labor, each being essential to the
other, no fact is more patent than that cap
ital, as now employed, is inimical to the in
terests Of labor, and the workingwen's rem :
edy is in cooperative industry-possessing
their own capital and employing their own
labor
Resolved, That eight hours should be es-
tablisbed as legal lays work throughout
the country
Resolved, That the accumulated wealth
of the nation, which is the result of labor
already performed, should be taxed on q
graduated basis, so as to make the burden
of taxation bear heaviest upon those who
have secured to themselves the lions share
of the fruits Of American toll.
Resolusd, That the president Of the United
State s ought to be elected by direct vote
Of the people.
Mr.. Davis, from Ohio, asked every
delegate to read the resolution through
carefully, and it would be found that
what was offered was only list Of
generalities. AS a workingman he was
here, not as representative of any
capital, or any political party, and his
heart was in the work. He thought
the ideas were mostly true in the
amendment, but they were not marked
by correct arrangement, and gave too
much latitude, where restraining was
wanted. He wanted purely working
mans platform, and in that platform he
wanted the interests of the working.
/, man considered. Away with existing
political parties.
Mr. Davis thought the city press had
given too much notoriety to the oppos-
ers of the report of the Platform Com.
mittee. He would like to have both
sides equally ventilated.
: Mr.. Halter thought the resolution had
: the character of getting the working
mans property taxed in the ratio OF
Jim Fisk, jr. He thought he, with his
two dollars day was Just as much re-
quired to pay tax to support his gov
eminent as the millionaire but not on
the principle laid down.
Mrs. Lane thought the poor man paid
e his tax by the work he had done, and
e she believed that the capital of the
;; country should be required to offset
! labor. She wanted to see the debt
which is hanging over the working
man paid off, and the industry of this
y country to compete with the industry
: of other countries. She opposed the
amendment.
Mr.. Sheldon, from the Committee on
Platform, explained that the committee
are agreed in keeping in good faith for
all contracts heretofore made to borrow
money, and exemp.ing the bonds from
: taxation but they insist that no future
contract should be made whereby q
part of the property of the nation shall
be exempt from the burdens of taxa
} ton.
Mr.. Nelson, Of Missouri, opposed the
substitute, on the ground that it was
unconstitutional. The constitution pro-
J vides for equal taxation.
} Mr.. Kuhn, of New York, favored the
substitute, because 1t went further and
struck harder at he capitalist than the
original resolution. To-
Mr.. Phelps, of Conn.,, opposed the
substitute in q warm speech in which
J. he bitterly denounced the bond holders.
i Messrs. Tucker and Wolff and Mrs.
Hathaway favored the substitute, and
Messrs. Cameron, Kuhn and Phelps
} opposed it. ~ fr
Mr.. Peters, of Washington, offered
an amend ment to Mr.. Coffin's substitute
which was, on motion,.leid or the
table.
Pending action on the substitute,
1 the Congress adjourned. w
After the adjournment, the President
read the following
At meeting of the Committee of
Arrangements of the Labor Congress of
Cincinnati, it was resolved, that we,
the Labor Assembly Of Cincinnati, as
sumo all debts contracted by the Labor
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