The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-17
From the Western Monthly.
The Labor Reform Party.

Bf FkkDkklCk L0OKLEY.
The Sixth Annual Congress Of the Ma
tional Labor Union, which held lis session
In Cincinnati last August, is interesting :
, the general reader as affording an expression
of the opinions entertained by the grea
wages class on the social and political re
forms necessary to insure more equitabl
distribution Of The rewards Of industry an,
to secure what has been pronounced the oh
ject Of all civilized forms of society-th,
greatest happiness to the greatest number
Representatives from nearly all the State
and Territories in the Union assembled to
gether to discuss the evils inflicted upon SO
ciety BY false Legislation, and to concer
measures for the Inauguration Of NOR,
favorable state of things That the resolu
tons adopted and the arguments enforcing
them were of a radical and even of a start
ling nature, need hot surprise the reader
br these representatives Of the working
class had come together to repudiate all ex
lsting political parties, to denounce the sci
hshness of the moneyed power, ard to pro
test against the one sided spirit Of our legis.
lative assemblies, who g lend themselves tc
the iniquitous attempts Of Capital to defeat
the just demands Of Labor"
Before we proceed to an examination ei
the doings of this workingmen's parliament,
it would, perhaps, be well to ascertain what
force they can bring to bear in reducing to
action the changes they recommend and the
resolutions they have adopted. Any exact
statement Of the number Of trades unions
represented in this congress cannot be given.
but an approximate estimate can be arrived
at which will sufficiently answer the pur-
pose. In the congress held in Philadel phia
last year, there were about twenty trades
represented principal ones being the
St Crispins, with a membership of sc, 900 ;
the Coal Miners, 5000; the Machinists
and BIacksmitbs, $4,000; the Iron Molders,
1000; the Bricklsyers, $4,000; the
Printers, 14,00O; the Plasterers, 1900
and other smaller unions, whose membership
ranged from 600 to 10000 each. The
subordinate unions numbered 1,640, with a
membership Of 1S3, 900. This comprises
but three-ifths Of the constituency represent
ed, as there we're delegates from State labor
councils. workingmen's assemblies, etc,
which claimed to represent at least l25, 900
more. But only a small portion of the
Labor power is comprised in the trades
unions The agricultural class, composing
enc third Of the entire population, whichever
way their sympathies may lead them, have
as yet taken no part in the movement aud
of the mech 'nical trades not more than one
half the numbers belong to unions. But
that the active cooperation of the non
members would be enlisted in any organized
movement to shorten their heurs Of labor, to
more evenly distribute the general gain, and
advance their social standing, does not ad-
NIT of doubt. So, while we may regard
the force comprised in the trades unions as
an effective army in the field, the rest Of
their fellow Iaborers and the working farm
ers may be considered as the LasdsOehr and
the Id,sdstxrm of the great producing class,
to be brought up as reserves when party
lines are drawn and the political strife is
about to be waged.
! The National Labor Union was establish.
cd as an organization at its second annual
session, held in Baltimore in August, 1866.
Ii derived its inception from the affiliated
national workingmen's associations of Eu-
rope, and had for its avowed object the
amelioration of the condition of the wages
class. Under the influence of those power.
ful federative organizations Of Europe, the
machinery for grand national labor move.
ment in this country has been gradually
elaborated and it is interesting to observe
how the socialistic sentiment of Europe has
4 gradually uHfolded itself in our working
mems deliberations, until all narrow preju
dice against sex, race and color has giver
way to the one controlling idea Of the eman
cipation Of the wages class. At the Chicago
congress, i'm 867, mainly through the strone
German influence brought to bear, the for
eign aud native elements coalesoed in tn,
formation Of local, city and State unions Ii
the New York congress, held the following
year, women were accepted as co-workers
: and the narrow prejudiees against color wer,
heartily ignored. Women aud colored repre-
sentatiyes were admitted to take part in th,
proceedings. And in further pursuance o
! this uni6cation Of interest, the Cincinnati
congress adopted resolutions declaring th
rights and interests Of all useful industrie
10 be identical, and cordially inviting al
, clsssee of laborers-commcn, agricultura
and skilled-to unite heartily in promotin,
) the success of those measures wnieh will se
) cure the substantial welfare Of the Who'll
country.
And to accomplish this great work,
was determined to assume in their own hand
the power which hitherto had been delegate
to GLASS Of politicians who have proved un
faithful TO their trust, and organize &c N,
ticnal Reform party, based upon the grin
siple Of equal rights to all men--specis
privileges to none" The President Of tn
National Labor Union, in bis annual ac
: dress, assures bis bearers that no hopes ca
, be based upon any change which will be q
fected by any party in power, since th
!, Republicans " are carried along in the It'd
! Of corruption, whelming in its food tb
. peoples heritage, and bestowing it b
wholesale upon unscrupulOus speeulators-
: : thus building up giant monopolies anu rio
4 and srrogans railroad corporations, and fo
tering and encouraging that legalized rol
berry Of the people. the National Bankin
system" The sPpOsitisn party be describe
as " the relics Of once powerful and arb
J, trary esgss, who were cast out Of Office
IN indignant people, and who are no
Anx'ousIy waiting for time and opportunii
e >sreedily seize what will be lefa Of Il
n1spoils."
The President then gives touching EN-
meration Of The evils growing out Of th
. ruinons mode Of lsgislation.n A1isr pein
b ing out the vast resources Of our country
. its rolling rivers. i'm inland seas, its srss