The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-17

GkkTLkhHN OF THE COMMITTEE | have listen
ed with much interest 10 the words Of ~our
address, which has Just been read, d copy Of
which was shown to me a few days since, and
thank you for the expressions, personal to my
self OF confidence and congratulahon which il
contains
Appreciation from any large body Of fellow
either Of any public effort having social ad-
vancement in view, il always source of salts
faction to every right thinking man. and YOU
may rest assured, then, that | value at its high
est this testimony from individual members not
less than from chosen representatives Of the or
gsnized unions Of the Workingmen of our coun-
try that my course generally has met with TIE
sympathy aud Endorsement, and that they havr
found the sentiments uttered by me in the late
Gubematorial canvass to be "in accord with the
doctrines OF the National Labor Reform Party"
In the very able paper you have drawn up
with 50 much force Of expression, and that en-
braces il its eategories 50 much Of the deye
opment on which the hopes Of the workingmen
OF the country must rest in the future | see
that YOU boldly undertake to grspple with ard
solve questions needful 10 be adjusted before
any real amelioriaton can be expected in the
relation borne TO labor BY capita, and that your
effort is to reconcile and not to antag Inize them
in their connections hereafter. That a greater
elaboration OF individualism under our republi-
can forms, a more perfect incorporation into
the body of our laws of personal CAPABILITIES
and rights, and better method Of utilizing for
such ends the appliances Of trade and commerce
and civilization, are the topics that should in.
yite earnest attention, will readily be conceded
by all who have giyeL thought TO this subject
IL is therefore in the line of a rigid and proper
analysis that you advert to the elective fran
ehse, to the power to issue or prescribe tokens
Of value and rates OF assessment, aud TO the
right of eminent domain in the public lands, as
the three great questions needing effective set
Element. so that a privileged class shall not be
permitted to monopolze either OF those ele
ments of popular sovereignty. You are right,
also, in Stunning those as the controlling issues
in the present condition Of our country, threat
ening slaveries OF various types and grades
hereafter.
shall not undertake in the brief space OF
this response to enter upon any elaborate dis
cussion of such large and important matters.
You have sounded their depths with penetra-
ton that indicates how clearly you see the evils
to be corrected. You have presented through
various publications, searching political aKioms,
and have invited full and fair examination Of
each position. You purpose to establish, as the
groundwork of your reform movement the
equality of all citizens to the rights and priv
ileges, so that the privilege OF each may be ever
ready to protect itself against any sinister CON-
bination. You aim 70 substitute for the loose
vagaries Of our present finance scheme methods
that may enlarge credit by diminishing Asury,
increase production BY reducing taKaHOn, invite |
investment by making it to the interest Of all
to discountenspce any form of reputation.
You claim that tie public lands Of tie nation |
should be considered belonging TO the peo |
pie, and be distributed in the interest OF the |
laboring masses, who will develop them, and
not tied up into provincial grants to great mo- |
nopolies who will make them the appliance Of
dividing again with the workingman his hard |
won earnings before assigning him homestead.
By policy thus confirmed to the inner truth |
Of our growth, you would change as with a
magic wand that spirit which, in older sections,
shapes into agrarisnism, and makes Of it here
the rgansm Of new civil communities. And
to accomplish such ends, you seek to consoli- |
date the sentiment Of the labor Of the country |
50 that it may be more potent to influence pub
lie opinion No one can question the propriety |
Of such course, and certainly il you succeed in |
mpressing changes on cur domestic policy en-
bracing so much of reform in the right drec- |
tion, they whAnjoneer these ways will win i'm |
perishable rr6BVD, emitting them to the graft |
Jude oI what will be thereby rendered the
grandest nation Of equal people the world has
ever known.
| do not understand m your address that |
you consider the matter therein outlined a. ex
haustive Of the whole programme Of labor re-
form, or that whilst insisting upon the develop |
neDt of a higher individualism as relates to
you do not also recognize that
great branch Of the question which invites CO. |
operation under suitable regulations amongst |
he workiAgmen themselves Beyond any dis
sue the success which has attended the substi- |
Iution Of the national method Of cooperative
buying and selling and working and distributing
Tor the irrational method Of competition and
.heatery and starvation, gives promise Of great
results in the future, and, when supplemented
by Unions that will resort to committees of
Arbitration rather than to endorsements and
riolences and strikes, may lead all classes TO
believe II practical 20 introduce elements into
he REALTORS of labor and capital that shall as
'ure the forming of more equal life in our fav-
1r ed republic, securing 70 each human being
lair share of the blessings Of existence, and
placing upon none the crushing burden Of too
much wealth.
That there may differences arise, in the course
n discussion which problems Of such far-Feach-
M consequence will require, when 1t comes TO
-cduce into legislation The results theoretically
} rought out, may be well expected that sgita-
ion will be misconstrued IN some quarters and
In others, 10 more than likely (;
put saDguiDe in the purity Of intention that in
Ipires your movement, that il 10 pledged equal
y 70 the protection Of the rights Of properly as
icing only accumulated labor, and Of labor ~ /
he initial unit Of all property. 1t il reasonable