The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-10
LABOR REFORM vs. REVENUE AND
MONEY THIEVING.

Labor and its rights are slowly be-
ginning 10 agitate the world in a more
radical form than at any previous
period. What is most significant, and
augurs well for the cause, is the fact
that workingmen themselves have in
augurated the labor movement As a
matter of course, old institutions,
habits and customs have more or less
effect in diverting the minds of the best
thinkers into the channels of thought
thus created, and away from the con
temptation of principles which must
prevail before much gain to the labor
cause can be expected.
Here then in the outset it may be
well to make passing remark respect
ing the real significance of the can t
phrases inscribed upon the banners of
political parties, interlard the speeches
Of public men, and ornament whole
columns of the political and CONNER
cial press, such as Free Trade,'
Protection Of Home Industry" The
Rights of Labor" Demand and Sup
ply" Free Competition" " Coop
Grafton" Gold Base" "Spec;e Re-
demption," "Public Faith, y Taxation
of Bonds" and "Civil Service Re
FORM" Now, whatever may be the
merits or dement's of these and other
similar, popular notices, they do but
give utterance to the fact that there il
widespread and general dissatisfac-
ton among the people with things as
they are. But let it be borne in mind
that these notices. as used outside of
labor organizations, are mere devices
of the politicians to divest the atten-
ton Of the labor classes, and cover up
and hide from them the deep and
damning wrongs of this whole gov
ernmental system of taxation, bonds,
stocks. freight and passenger,tariffs and
various other corporate modes of fieec-
ing the people. Incidental 10 these
large onslsughts on the peoples prop
erty and rights by corporations, may
be included the national and state rev.
enue systems. While these pernicious
systems Of taxation remain, the reme-
dies proposed under the insignificant
heads here named, or in any other
form, are palliatives of a false govern
mental and financial system, and of
which they are, or would be if adopted,
mere counterparts of the same
The perennical fount from whence
these pernicious doctriues flow, has in
other ages and other countries been
generally known as the "divine right
Of kings" and their nobility and other
favored classes to own the land and the
people upon it.
Ricardo, the financier and eminent
representative Of Kings, in speaking
Of the price of labor illustrates the doc
trlne well. He says: Labor, like
all other things which are purchased
aid sold, and which may be diminished
~ quantities, has its natural price.
The natural price of labor is that price
which is necessary to enable laborers,
one with another, to subsist and TO en-.
JOY those comforts which habit has
rendered essential to their happiness,
and to enable them to Perpetuate their
race without diminution..'
So long then as these class Ga.os re-
main as the base of business for the
medium of distribution, or exchange
of property. and statesmen, publicits
and paper-busiDess-m en-operstors
adopt the morals they tea ' society
must remain . hostile camp, where
cunning, fraud, dishonesty and brute
force win live and thrive on tho booty
aud plumber thus furnished. Whether,