The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-05
LABOR REFORM.


The New England Labor Reform
League met, pursuant to notice pub
lished. in the Opera House, Boston, on
the cath Of January, and continued in
session two days. Although the at
tendance was somewhat limited, sew
eral Of the most prominent and earnest
advocates of labor were present. The
discussion, which was mainly elected
dy the following resolusions, presented
py Z. ii. Haywood, assumed a wide
range, and was characterized BY an
earnest spirit of inquiry, which augurs
well for the future
WHEREAs. service Is the source of wealth
and the rus basis of exchange: and whereas.
property is perishable commodity, whose con
tinued existence ID assured only bv constan
nOuTishmeEt from its parent labor: and where
40, money, the representative of property, has
no rights superior TO the principle of which il
u the exponent; therefore,
lst Resolved, That interest, rent or Droft.
or dividends. insdmissible, except for work
done or risa incurred; and speculative gain il,
all these forms We arraign on ns inherenI sin
I iuness, and snail enforce the consequent duty
OF its immc late abolition.
I I'd. Resolved, That creeds, codes and pub
lie or private Contracts, framed on the suppose
ton that people are rightfuIly entitled to prop
erty Whch they did not create or give m
equivalent exchange for or receive Ms the free
0equest Of Others earnings, invade abstraci
jnsIice, are morally in 1efrnsible, and therefore
/ void
/ 81 Resolved, That interest on money being
wrong, the Bible doctrine entitled The Lord,
Release" whereby debts are to be cancelled
when the principal .uereoe has been paid in the
form of interest, hncides with logical c1nclu
sions from labor principles and the teachings o
natural equitv,-Jh4t since the full amOunl
originally loaned government has now in the
form OF interest cen returned, since a mOneyeC
arts ocrAcy, exempt from taxation, 10 hostile tC
/ liberty, fosters speculation, cripples aud de
frauds productive capital, and impov~rishe,
labor, we will not acknowledge the VALIDITY OF
or be bOuLd by, any scheme whatever to refunC
the national war debt but demand its INN edate
and unconditional reputation.
4;h. Res lived, That we assert nothing in
consistent with the sacred duty 20 render
equivalent for equivalent in payment Of homes
debts, al 10 denying the authority 70 accumu
late, though speculative gail, We thereby main
tain the valid and essential rights of property
that no other nersons or parties can be m 1rt
sensitive Ia nasIOnsl honor than are We, and we
but Initiate here u new test Of honesty which
destined 10 prevail IN this country, will, in the
progress of Justice, cancel the oppressive anC
fraudulent debts Of England, France, and Other
nations.
9Th. Resolved, That the national banl
scheme, based on debt, not on credit, allowing
private corporations to WELD governments
power, forcing people TO use and pay exorbitan
interest on mites :" secured" by bonds which, i,
The impending crisis will sell tor a song, or bt
utterly worthless, is exceedingly Ireacherous
expensive aud perilous; that, Ia making free
mor-y penal offence, the Massachusetts Leg
islature and Congress have created a privileged
class of credit brokers, shielded them from the
Competition ID which productive capital i
propei ly exposed, aud thereby subjected agri-
culture. manufactures, commerce, legtimat
enterprise ia Ill its manifo relations TO tn,
plundering instincts of the stock exchange
that we therefore renew our demand for the i'm
mediate Withdrawal o. the notes of the nstiona
banks, to lie replaced by treasury certificate o
service, receivable for :4xes and bearing no in
terest, and the provision OF free banking laws
whereby money, based on commodities, may b,
furnished anywhere at cost. r----
OSu- h6SOittuy 1uab Wull6 6SdEbily Sup
port any honorable sFOrI likely to afford eve
temporary aid TO the victims of excessive An,
r------aneratiN4 toll, still We assure cur friends
III the tactnry Districts, tnST permanent IN
will come only through utter overthrow Of th
money drspotism which keeps them down.
7th. Resolved. That those to whom ii
world owes the most, and without whom huma
q society would cease to exist, the wOrkin
women, are the very class whom present las
- -.
and degradation that We will aid them
speedy and thorough organization tor self pr
lection, and welcome them To rights, privilegt
I. and duties eq1'l with men, foremost Of whic
is the right to vote.
Able and eloquent addresses wer
made by Messrs. Orvis, Haywood
Prof Denton, Hon. Rodney French
, |. G. Blanchard, Miss Jennie Collins
Mrs. Daniels, Lane, Patterson, an
others. The following are the officer
elect for the ensuing year:
PresidenNJohn Orvis.
= Vice Presidents-L K. Joslin, @
Rhode Island Mrs. E. L. Daniels, S
S. Foster, of Worcester; G. G. Young
Of Maine; a. w. Phelps, Of Connec
ticut; |. G. Blanchard, of Boston
Samuel Flint, of New Hampshire.
Corresponding Secretary-E. H. Hey
wood, Of Worcester.
Recording Secretdrg-Herbert Dan
iels, Of Boston.
Treasursr-H. II. Bigelow, of Wor
cester.
AuditOr-A. A. Reed.
ErecutiUe Committee-E. FL Haywood
E. d. Linton, Mrs. +. L. Daniels, Fl
H. BigeIow and VIM. J. Mclaughlin.
MAA:An1 nninn &c Rrinklauara